Wayne Samuel

Wayne Samuel

Wayne Samuel

Brand collaborations

Stanley Arts Community Assembly

Stanley Arts Community Assembly

Stanley Arts Community Assembly

Stanley Halls, South Norwood · Saturday 4 July 2026 · with Stanley Arts and ClimateKind

Stanley Arts gathered Croydon residents, community groups and speakers for a day on how the borough can face climate impacts, and what a resilient, healthy, thriving Croydon could look like.

Stanley Arts gathered Croydon residents, community groups and speakers for a day on how the borough can face climate impacts, and what a resilient, healthy, thriving Croydon could look like.

Stanley Arts gathered Croydon residents, community groups and speakers for a day on how the borough can face climate impacts, and what a resilient, healthy, thriving Croydon could look like.

In the oral tradition I come from, the poet doesn't speak over the people. The poet gathers what the people say and gives it back to them, like water taken from Osun, returned to Osun.

In the oral tradition I come from, the poet doesn't speak over the people. The poet gathers what the people say and gives it back to them, like water taken from Osun, returned to Osun.

In the oral tradition I come from, the poet doesn't speak over the people. The poet gathers what the people say and gives it back to them, like water taken from Osun, returned to Osun.

Once Upon a Time in Croydon

Once Upon a Time in Croydon

Once Upon a Time in Croydon

Once Upon a Time in Croydon is a spoken word fairytale in which every fairytale character is a bad actor. I left gaps in the poem and taught the audience cues. Whenever a good deed was done in the story, based on my cue, they would either shout their own names into the gap, use the self-governed “I”, or chorus “Croydon”. All the villains were in the story, and all the heroes were there with me in Stanley Halls.

Croydon, in Their Own Words

Croydon, in Their Own Words

Croydon, in Their Own Words

Residents shared their visions for a more sustainable Croydon. From these fragments, I composed a poem on the spot, a rallying cry for a climate-conscious Croydon.

Residents shared their visions for a more sustainable Croydon. From these fragments, I composed a poem on the spot, a rallying cry for a climate-conscious Croydon.

Residents shared their visions for a more sustainable Croydon. From these fragments, I composed a poem on the spot, a rallying cry for a climate-conscious Croydon.

An Inheritance Across Time

An Inheritance Across Time

An Inheritance Across Time

I asked Stanley Arts for the recording of residents sharing their visions for Croydon and used it in Poempocalypse Croydon. Seventy-seven days later, during Poempocalypse, I took another audience 40 years into the future, where this recording was played like a message in a bottle from their ancestors.

Poempocalypse Croydon →

Credits

Credits

Credits

Photography

William Lepper

Video

Passionworks Productions

Illustrations

Beatrice Baumgartner-Cohen

The Community Assembly was run by Stanley Arts with ClimateKind, made possible by The National Lottery Community Fund.

Next

Crossword Creatives →

Crossword Creatives →

Crossword Creatives →

For commissions, performances and workshops

info@waynesamuel.co.uk

info@waynesamuel.co.uk

info@waynesamuel.co.uk

© 2026 Wayne Samuel · South Croydon, London