Evoke

Shaun Welch aka Evoke

Evoke. Poet, spoken word artist, workshop facilitator. Although born south Birmingham spent a lot of his childhood years in different areas in and around west midlands due to family settlement. Because of frequent commuting, Evoke attended two distinctively different primary schools and two very different secondary schools within Birmingham and Walsall areas. Dwelling in different living environments he became aware that there was a bigger picture to life, and living, in its own essence. It was this awareness that shaped his perception throughout his adolescence.

Perception and vision played the biggest roles in Evokes maturity level, although naïve to the cruel world and what it was capable of at the time he always had an idea of how things should be, instead of the harsh reality that he and everyone else stagger through daily. It is this authentic outlook on life which compels Evoke to express himself through poetry and music.

People have labelled him a spoken word artist, poet, mc, rapper but he prefers to keep himself open because there are no limits to art in his minds-eye as long as it comes from the soul, “Art from the heart” he calls it.

Currently an aspiring artist, Evokes fundamental seat resides in poetry; his cleverly developed rhymes hold messages and meanings with the intention to raise awareness on different levels such as mind, body, spirit, self image, peer pressure, identity, racism and many more. Evokes attraction to poetry lead him to take writing rhymes more seriously in October 2006, which lead to his first poetry event starring as Evoke, a supporting artist within “the stolen goods collective” for Steve Tisane in his comical theatrical performance “kleptomaniac”. Although Evoke had only been writing for a short period of time, he had had experience of similar creative writing earlier in the year, over all it is his style, context and concepts that show the maturity and wisdom within his young soul.

Experienced in performing at open mic events, festivals, commissioned shows/plays, live gigs conferences, awards ceremonies and delivering slam poetry workshops to schools in and around the west midlands, Evoke believes he is still within early stages and there is unlimited room for development. Evoke says; “it’s my perceptions and vision that has got me this far and I will continue to create by this motto… if you always do what you’ve always done. You’ll always get what you’ve always got. That’s why I strive for difference..!”


Performances and projects:

20/07/2007 – guest poet at MEA awards ceremony.
11/07/2007 – support artist, speakers corner.
04/07/2007 – guest poet at star bucks open night mic in Birmingham.
30/06/2007 – guest poet at Rootsville festival.
20/06/2007 – decipher collective 8,16,32. performance.
20/06/2007 – poet/workshop facilitator and presenter at dual heritage conference.
12/06/2007 – guest poet and slam poet contestant at vale festival.
07/06/2007 – performance poet in a theatrical monologue called “Punanni Nights”.
06/06/2007 – performance poet/actor in “For the love of Auset”.
19/04/2007 – workshop facilitator at the oak primary school with SPOZ, poet laureate 07.
13/04/2007 – actor in a play called beyond belief.
04/04/2007 – guest poet at library theatre school slam finals.
02/04/2007 – workshop facilitator school slam Lyndon school.
30/03/2007 – workshop facilitator school slam Lyndon school.
13/03/2007 – workshop facilitator school slam St George school.
08/03/2007 – workshop facilitator school slam Hamstead hall.
18/02/2007 – guest poet at pure, good and right, open mic night in Leamington Spa.
15/02/2007 – guest poet at dual heritage conference at the drum.
08/02/2007 – workshop facilitator school slam Oldfield hall middle school.
02/02/2007 – workshop facilitator school slam Aldridge secondary.
30/01/2007 – workshop facilitator school slam Handsworth wood girls.
06/12/2006 – guest poet at star bucks open mic night in Birmingham.
11/11/2006 – support artist for Steve Tisane in his play “kleptomaniac”.
07/11/2006 – Library theatre open mic night in Birmingham.
31/10/2006 – workshop facilitator school slam Studley high school.
16/10/2006 – shadow artist school slam All saints C.E. primary.
12/08/2006 – poet/mc performing at rep for the Arts fest 06.
??/05/2006 – poet/mc performing at base festival, grime theatre performance.