Caleb Femi (1990, NGA+GBR) is a poet, filmmaker and photographer who won major prizes with his first two collections. Femi writes about growing up on a housing estate in South London, its architecture and nightlife culture. In his latest collection, The Wickedest, the reader experiences, in a poetic long take of a single night, a London Shoob. These are parties where living rooms turn into a club. Because Shoobs, besides being a place for music and dance, are also safe spaces for the Black-British community to share stories and support, Femi indirectly offers a glimpse into the harsh realities some attendees move through outside the door.

Where you might know this poet from

• Winner of the Forward Prize for Best First Collection (2021) for Poor, one of the most important poetry prizes in the United Kingdom.
• Winner of the Sky Arts Award for Poetry (2025) for The Wickedest, a cultural prize also known beyond literary circles.
• Director for various series on HBO, Netflix and BBC.