Malaika Kegode is a writer, performer and producer. She has appeared on stages at a number of festivals and literary events including WOMAD and Edinburgh Book Festival. Malaika is a recipient of the Apples and Snakes: Jerwood Arts Poetry in Performance Award 2021. She has published two poetry collections, and the playtext of her debut theatre show Outlier. 

An autobiographical gig-theatre show created with prog-rock band JakabolOutlier was the first piece of new writing to appear on Bristol Old Vic’s main stage in 2021 and received 4-star reviews from the Guardian and The Stage. Malaika is an Associate Artist with Bristol Old Vic.

In addition to her own writing, Malaika is a poetry mentor, editor and workshop leader. In these roles, she has worked with organisations such as Synergy Theatre, Roundhouse and Strike a Light. She is also the founder and lead producer of Milk Poetry, an organisation that produces innovative spoken word events in a supportive environment. 

Outside of poetry, she is passionate about writing on the themes of cinema, culture and identity. Malaika was part of the 2021 Cinema Rediscovered Critics Workshops, has worked at Encounters Film Festival and Tallinn Black Nights as a programme selector, and has written for publication across many genres.

She was a resident editor for Rife Magazine and an Associate Curator for Watershed.


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