Caleb Staps | Poet & Workshop Facilitator

A Special Announcement 🦺 I am excited to share that I will be turning to a new page in my professional career by joining ABE Systems as a Solutions Analyst. I look forward to joining a highly skilled and dedicated team in the coming weeks and… April Fools!!! 😂🤡🤪 I have got a special announcement to share but it’s a bit different to this one. Stay tuned and speak soon! #SpecialAnnouncement #UKPoetry #PoetryUK #BarrowInFurness #AprilFools

As we prepare to launch next month we want to introduce everyone who’s part of our flock. So, it’s time to meet your host, your compere, our own ‘Big Bird’ here at Squawk Spoken Word - Caleb Staps! @calebstaps is a local Barrovian writer, performance poet, and workshop facilitator. Drawing on his own lived experiences, his writing captures and comments on youth, everyday life, and growing up in a small town where not much ‘seems’ to happen. Despite how things may seem, Caleb has been proving that lots of creativity does happen in Barrow. Alongside various other creatives, Caleb has performed, hosted, and facilitated various events while collaborating with organisations including ArtWorks Art4All, @art__gene @barrowfull @fullof.noises and @signalfilmmedia He has also hosted semi-regular poetry nights at Barrow Underground Music Society in aid of Mind in Furness - which have raised over £1,000 for the mental health charity. Thanks to his university years, Caleb has performed across the North West but has most recently been focused on the arts and culture scene in Cumbria. His poems ‘Engineer’ and ‘Grandad’s Ties’ have been heard on BBC Radio Cumbria & BBC Upload. Caleb also recently supported Mike Garry @miholgarry & The Cassia String Quartet at Barrow-in-Furness Town Hall. Caleb hopes that Squawk Spoken Word can become a welcome addition to the arts and culture scene in Barrow-in-Furness - providing local writers and wordsmiths the chance to meet up and the opportunity to perform. He also can’t wait to bring established and emerging names from across the UK to his hometown. #SquawkSpokenWord #ACESupported #Poet #Poets #SpokenWordArtist Image Credits: Image 1: Caleb performing at The Survivor Zine Launch at People’s Republic of Stoke Croft. Squawk Spoken Word logo designed by Molly Bland @molly.bland image by Giulia Spadafora @giugliotto Image 2: Caleb hosting a poetry open mic night in aid of Mind in Furness. Image by Alex Taylor @alexthegeek101 Image 3: Caleb performing at Barrow-in-Furness Town Hall as support for Mike Garry & The Cassia String Quartet. Image by Ian Allington @ianallington

As I start to wrap up warm ready to hibernate over Christmas I thought I’d take a trip down memory lane and look back at 2025 - what a year it’s been. There’s been so many exciting moments over the past 12 months and so many highlights. As much as I could talk about my own successes the biggest highlight is this - the past year has allowed me to give back to my hometown, creating opportunities for locals that feel commonplace in the cities. Hosting poetry nights and workshops has given me the chance to platform local creatives introducing them to spoken word and the thrill of performance. So, to the 50-somethings who shared their work for the first time, the youth who’ve found peace in poetry, those who’ve been writing all their life, and those just getting started - thank you for making my year! But what about me? I’ve been lucky enough to have some amazing opportunities this past year and worked with some great people and organisations including: - Supporting @miholgarry & The @cassiastringquartet at @theforumbarrow alongside @curly_sally_ann 🎭 - Helping to raise over £1,000 for @mindinfurness through regular poetry nights at @barrowundergroundmusic 💙 - Launching Cat Flea Massacre & Jordan Harris’ book at @seahouse_records 🎶 - Running Write Club with ArtWorks Art4All 📝 - Performing with @wordsworthgrasmere at The @dockmuseum then joining them as an advisor to their Collection & Learning Committee 🖊️ - Creating blackout poetry as part of Our Freedom Then & Now with @wandflibraries 📚 - Making my voice acting debut as Coach Potato (grown by @artfly.io ) with @fullof.noises 🥔 - Performing at Verbalise at The Brewery Arts, Kendal and getting to meet some amazing poets like @louisethepoet @rose_condo_poet & @kierenjking 🎤 - Working, collaborating, and enjoying the work of so many arts organisations including @signalfilmmedia @art__gene and @theatrefactorybarrow 🎭 - and so much more! I’ve already got some exciting plans for 2026 👀 Looking forward to performances, workshops and much more. See you next year! #Poet #PoetryUK #UKPoetry #Poets #SpokenWord #BarrowInFurness #Barrow #Cumbria #2025 #PerformancePoet #WorkshopFacilitator

‘An Ode To My Local Scene’ by Caleb Staps @calebstaps Performed at Squawk Spoken Word 1 @fullof.noises (FON), Piel View House, Barrow-in-Furness Video credit: Alex Taylor @alexthegeek101 #SquawkSpokenWord #ACESupported #BarrowInFurness #PoetryPerformance #PerformancePoetry

Caleb Staps @calebstaps hosting Squawk Spoken Word 1 Wednesday 29th April 2026 @fullof.noises (FON), Piel View House, Barrow-in-Furness Photo credit: Alex Taylor @alexthegeek101 Feedback: - “Brilliant hosting by Caleb.” - “Top compere!” - “Compered well. Sometimes hosts get carried away and go on too much. Caleb didn’t do this, he kept it pacy and interesting.” #SquawkSpokenWord #ACESupported #EventHosting #Compering #BarrowInFurness

What a night! 🎤🐦 Last night I launched @squawkspokenword - a brand new poetry night in Barrow-in-Furness nesting at Piel View House in Barrow Park. My heart is full thanks to all the kind words and support from everyone who came along to help Squawk take flight. It really means the world. Since coming back to Barrow I’ve been so lucky and grateful to meet so many amazing creative people: poets, artists, filmmakers, photographers and more - many of which were in attendance last night. The energy in the room was incredible! Squawk has been in the making for the past year. But, my desire to put on a poetry night has been there for over 5. When I returned to Barrow I wondered how can I get poetry to happen here? - it turned out it already was: in backrooms of pubs, cafes after closing time, and so many other places. Squawk isn’t ‘the’ poetry night in Barrow, it’s building upon and adding to the rich cultural scene that we have. So I thank each and every poet I’ve met over the years. You’ve all played a small part in making Squawk possible. A huge thank you also to the team at @fullof.noises for all their support and encouragement over the last few years. Thanks to @louisethepoet for closing the night with an amazing headline performance. Thanks to @molly.bland for designing our logo and flyers. Thanks to Serenity & Alex for volunteering on the night. Thanks to all of you for supporting Squawk & me, Caleb Staps. The Barrow poetry scene is strong, and Squawk is off to a flying start. We’re just getting started! Photo credit: @alexthegeek101 #SquawkSpokenWord #ACESupported #Poet #Poets #BarrowInFurness

“Poetry is sometimes seen as niche - but there are lots of poets and writers in Barrow…” TONIGHT (Weds) the launch of @squawkspokenword here at Full of Noises. It’s sold-out - so get your tickets quick for the next one on Weds 20 May. @calebstaps talks about the need for nights like this with a little preview of what’s next…

I'm excited to share that I'm attending @barrowdoescomics - but what will I be doing there? 🧟‍♂️🦸‍♀️🦹‍♂️ As part of Barrow Does Comics, I'll be producing an artist's response - thankfully I'm not expected to illustrate anything as I can't handle a stick man at the best of times. Instead I'll be writing a poem inspired by all the workshops, signings, and other exciting activities on the day. I hope to capture Barrow through verse thus celebrating all the festivities on the day. If you see me, be sure to stop and say hi! Barrow Does Comics is brought to you by @barrow_bid , @lakesinternationalcomics and @aceagrams , taking place alongside @barrowfull 's Festival of Colours on the same day. 🎨 Illustration by @lyndondraws ✍ Logo Design by @furnessmedia #BarrowDoesComics #BarrowBID #BarrowInFurness #CustomPoem #CustomPoems

✍ We’re looking forward to Barrow Does Comics on Saturday 18th April, with our guest poet Caleb Staps already getting started by creating a blackout poem using the event programme - an exciting preview of the creativity to come! Caleb Staps (he/him) is a Barrovian writer, performance poet, and workshop facilitator. His work explores themes of youth, modern life, and growing up in Barrow - which he describes as a small town where not much 'seems' to happen. Despite how things may seem Caleb has been involved with lots of creative projects in Barrow working with organisations including BarrowFull, Full of Noises (FON), and Signal Film & Media among others. Caleb will be producing an artist's response to Barrow Does Comics writing a poem inspired by all the workshops, signings, and other exciting activities on the day. If you see him be sure to stop and say hi! In preparation for the day Caleb has been producing some blackout poetry from our event programme. Caleb previously ran a series of blackout poetry workshops as part of the Our Freedom Then & Now project which also featured fellow Barrow Does Comics collaborator - Lyndon White. Barrow Does Comics is brought to you by Barrow BID, Lakes International Comic Art Festival and Arts Council England, taking place alongside BarrowFull's Festival of Colours on the same day. Photo Credit : Ian Allington

After a relatively quiet start to year March was the best kind of madness! See It To Be It 🎨🖼️🖌️ I had the pleasure of meeting the rest of the Cumbria Arts & Culture Network’s See It To Be It steering group during a visit to @edenartsuk - including a live portrait by @hannahrobinsonillustrations (don’t I look adorable!) Later in the month I also spoke on behalf of Kate Parry from @arts_cumbria at @aceagrams Creatives Connect event at Cooke’s Studio. Poetry Events 🎤📝✍🏻 Continued hosting poetry events including a night for Signal Film & Media, one in aid of @mindinfurness at @barrowundergroundmusic and creative writing workshops with Artworks Art4All I also performed at Cyan Rushton’s Poetry Open Mic Night in aid of @dropzoneyouthprojects sharing some more serious poems which was a nice change - congrats on such a great night @cyan.rushton ! Live Shows 🎭💦📦 I saw an eclectic variety of live shows including @johncooperclarke at @thecoroulverston (I seemed to know half the audience which my dad found very amusing) - also got to catch up with his support act, who I supported at Barrow Town Hall last year, @miholgarry I also saw @loubarnell at @fullof.noises and Unboxing by @kyrajscott & @theatrefactorybarrow at @themeetingplacebarrow Mainspring Arts ✨🥭💌 Hosted @mainspring_arts Springboard Neurodivergent Arts Network’s first ‘Meet & Create’ online event with Gayathiri Kamalakanthan (Buy ‘Bad Queer’ now!) Squawk Spoken Word 🎤🐦 All the while making more preparations for my new poetry night taking flight in April - @squawkspokenword - Lots of emailing, invoicing, and flyering for a now SOLD OUT show on Wednesday 29th April at Full of Noises (FON) which will be headlined by @louisethepoet I also celebrated my best mate’s birthday - happy birthday @gibbs.melly 🥳 I’m sure April will be just as exciting for me with the launch of Squawk and some other exciting news coming soon! Photo Credit: Image 1: Hannah Robinson Image 2 & 3: @jennifermcmillan_ / @signalfilmmedia Image 4 & 5: @alexthegeek101 Image 6: Illustration by @molly.bland #MarchRecap #MarchWrapUp #BarrowInFurness #Cumbria #LiveIllustration

I had a lovely time last night performing at a Poetry Open Mic Night in aid of @dropzoneyouthprojects 🌻The quality of poetry and music on the night was amazing as always - it’s great to see spoken word spreading across Barrow in recent months. I’ve got a lot of friends who have benefited or would have benefited from Drop Zone’s work when we were younger- so it was a pleasure to support such a worthy cause on Friday night. A huge thank you to @cyan.rushton for organising and hosting the evening. I know first hand the amount of work, planning and moving parts that go towards organising any event so a huge well done to Cyan. It was nice to attend an open mic purely as a performer for the first time in a long time too. Seeing and being able to facilitate local creatives to develop their skills has been a real highlight for me over recent years. Cyan is certainly someone to keep an eye on in the coming years - she’ll go far I’m sure! Drop Zone do such amazing work locally and Cyan’s words on the night about the team and how they’ve supported her and so many others captured this perfectly. I’m thrilled to hear that the night also raised a whopping £420 towards their work. Photo credit: @alexthegeek101 #PoetryOpenMic #PoetryNight #SpokenWordPoetry #Poets #BarrowInFurness

I had a lovely relaxed time last night hosting another poetry open mic night at @barrowundergroundmusic in aid of @mindinfurness 💙 Though quieter than usual, the range and quality of work in the room always makes the smallest of rooms feel full. A huge thank you to those who came along to perform and support. I’ve been hosting these nights for Mind for well over a year now and it’s always a pleasure to support such an important cause. Thanks as always to Barrow Underground Music Society for inviting us to their venue and to @alexthegeek101 for capturing the action. #PoetryOpenMic #PoetryNight #PoetryUK #UKPoetry #MindCharity