2 poets in residence have been appointed in Rochdale as part of the town’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture.
Sasha Mostafa, 18, and 25-year-old Alende Amisi have been appointed by the mayor Councillor Janet Emsley and will be supported by Sammy Weaver, Rochdale’s first poet laureate who was unveiled last month.
With the UK performance poetry scene thriving and literary festivals now a staple of the British cultural calendar, the commissions form part of project led by the borough’s libraries and Rochdale Development Agency encouraging residents to re-discover the joy of the written and spoken word, unlocking their own creativity through workshops with schools and community groups, poetry events and exhibitions.
‘Passion for poetry’
While Sammy captures the spirit of Rochdale in words, raising awareness and helping to encourage people to engage with poetry, Sasha and Alende will be by her side, creating poems that capture the uniqueness of the borough, celebrating local people and places. They’ll be drawing on Rochdale’s rich co-operative history as a source of inspiration, creating new work that will also capture young people’s ambitions for the future.
Sasha Mostafa is looking forward to her new role.
Sasha, who was born and lives in Rochdale is sitting her A-Levels at Manchester High School for Girls. She’s been writing poetry in her spare time and won The Tower Poetry Competition last year – a prestigious UK prize for young poets. When she heard about the opportunity in her hometown Sasha jumped at the chance:
“I’ve been writing poetry for fun really since I was 14, not really considering it as a career, just something I enjoyed. Now I'm excited to catch a glimpse of what life as a working artist could look like. Being a poet in residence will enable me to connect more with the local community, listen to people’s stories and learn from a professional poet. I can’t wait to get started.”
Alende Amisi, one of Rochdale's new poets in residence.
Alende came to Rochdale as a refugee in 2006 from the Democratic Republic of Congo and is a former pupil at St Patrick’s RC Primary School. He discovered a love of poetry at St Cuthbert’s RC High School and is currently studying for a PhD in psychology at the University of Cumbria where he’s been writing and performing some of his work based around life and mental health from a male perspective. He also runs his own record label ‘AAspire Records’ and said he wanted to give something back to the place he now calls home:
“Without the community in Rochdale and the warm welcome I received nearly 20 years ago I wouldn’t have developed as far as I have. I’m looking forward to meeting local young people, learning from Sammy and sharing my passion for poetry.”
Sasha and Alende will be working alongside the borough’s poet laureate with workshops in schools boroughwide during the town’s big year in the Greater Manchester cultural spotlight.
Councillor Emsley said:
“I am thrilled to welcome Sasha and Alende. 2 fantastic young talents and ambassadors for Rochdale who I’m sure will have an inspirational impact on the young people they work with in the coming months.”
Jen Cleary, director north at Arts Council England added:
“Huge congratulations to Sasha and Alende on their appointments as poets in residence for Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture. We know the many benefits that taking part in creative pursuits can bring for individuals and communities. We’re looking forward to seeing how this opportunity builds on Sasha and Alende’s existing, brilliant achievements and helps others find their own creative voice and inspirations along the way.”
The appointments are part of a spectacular line up of festivals, live performances, exhibitions and art during Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture. The title, awarded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), celebrates the town’s rich history, creativity, talent and diverse arts scene. Rochdale is building on the town’s cultural capital and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement with more than 35 arts organisations delivering an ambitious programme that runs until the end of March 2026. ‘People power’ will be centre stage throughout the year, with residents helping to plan, develop and deliver much of the line-up of creative activity alongside a number of big events.
Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture is supported by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Arts Council England, Rochdale Borough Council and Rochdale Development Agency.
- Discover more about the Greater Manchester Town of Culture 2025–26
- Search #RochdaleTownOfCulture on social media
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