29 April 2026 – Poet, novelist, Playwright and former Young People’s Laureate for London, Cecilia Knapp, joins Roundhouse CEO and Artistic Director Marcus Davey to explore the power of authentic human stories and how not to overthink a poem.
Cecilia reveals her personal, transformative journey with creativity, starting with finding community at the Roundhouse Poetry Collective, which she calls “the pivotal moment of my life”. She shares her unique perspective on what poetry is-a language we’ve built to convey something “complex or slippery,” cutting directly to the heart of what is often “unsayable” with every day language.
Reflecting on her relationship to poetry growing up, Cecilia discusses the impact realising that poetry is “happening now” as opposed to “something you read and studied from a different time.” She also shares how she brings courage and honesty to her writing, noting that grief can be “mundane and it can be surreal and it can be funny sometimes”.
In concluding her time with Marcus, she hopes that the Roundhouse can continue to be the “beginning for so many people” like it was for her. She hopes it can continue to help young people to “realise their potential” and to help them understand “that a career in the arts is possible with the right support.”
Cecilia’s latest novel, Lack, is out in May 2026. You can find out more here.
Making Space is a six-episode series, featuring intimate conversations with leading artists connected to the Roundhouse. Cecilia Knapp concludes the first half of the first season. Previous episodes featuring Daniel Kaluuya and Antony Gormley are available to stream here. Series two will be announced in May.