In a city known for its rich multiculturalism, golden curry mile, and underdog football triumphs, Leicester has now added another jewel to its crown: its first-ever Poet Laureate, Akshay Sharma — known to many as Mr Shay.
From Belgrave to the big stage, Akshay is a local poet, performer, and educator who has long championed Leicester through words. Now, officially appointed as Leicester’s Poet Laureate until September 2027, he steps into a role blending art, activism, education, and community storytelling.
Picture credit: Kulvir Bhambra
“It’s an honour,” he says. “I’ve been doing this for years — engaging young people, delivering workshops, writing about Leicester — I just didn’t have the title. Now I do. And it comes with responsibility.”
Akshay’s journey into poetry wasn’t straightforward. As a child, he struggled with literacy, possibly due to undiagnosed dyslexia. But he found his voice through performance — spoken word, music, and eventually poetry.
“Performance saved me,” he says. “It wasn’t about the page. It was about rhythm, emotion, and expression. Poetry came alive through the mic, not the pen.”
Before poetry, he was a rapper. He stripped away the beat and found freedom in spoken word. That hip-hop foundation still shapes his work today.
“My poetry is hip-hop inspired,” he explains. “It’s structured but free. Still storytelling — with rhythm and room to breathe.”
This blend of performance and pedagogy led him to create The Underground Creatives, a business delivering performing arts workshops for young people. For over a decade, he’s used poetry to engage schools, communities, and marginalised voices.
Picture credit: Tom Morley
Now he steps into a prestigious new role; that of Poet Laureate. But what does a Poet Laureate actually do?
It’s something Akshay himself wondered at first.
“I didn’t actually know what the role meant,” he admits. “But I realised — it’s about representing the city through poetry. Platforming stories. Championing Leicester.”
The selection process was competitive. Applicants were judged not just on poetic skill but on their community ties and ability to engage. Akshay stood out for his work in education, outreach, and creative performance.
He now joins the ranks of city poet laureates across the UK, following national figures like Simon Armitage — whom Akshay studied in school.
“Every community has a story,” he says. “LGBTQ+ groups, South Asian immigrants, refugees, working-class voices — poetry can give space to them all.”
From poems about Leicester’s Golden Mile to verses celebrating the Foxes’ Premier League win, Akshay’s love for his hometown is clear.
“I’m a big champion of Leicester,” he says proudly.
“This city is layered, vibrant, full of culture. It deserves to be seen through poetry.”
Still, he acknowledges the weight of being the first.
“It’s mixed emotions. I know I’m right for this role, but the whole city’s watching. I’ve got to set the bar. I want to pass the baton on with momentum.”
But he remains grounded.
“This isn’t about status. It’s about connection. I’m just someone using poetry to bring people together.”
Picture credit: Tom Morley
Does poetry still resonate in 2025? Absolutely, Akshay says.
“People think poetry is old-school. Shakespeare. Sonnets. But poetry today? It’s political, raw, alive. It’s spoken word, hip-hop, Instagram captions, protest chants. Poetry is truth- telling.”
He’s seen the scepticism first-hand.
“When I visit schools, kids say ‘poetry is dead’. But that’s because they think it’s only about dead poets. I tell them — if you write lyrics, you’re a poet. If you tell your story, that’s poetry.”
Choosing poetry as a career wasn’t the obvious path — especially when medicine was the other option.
Akshay once planned to become a doctor. He studied sciences and interviewed for medicine at the University of Leicester. But he made a last-minute pivot.
“I had to follow my heart,” he recalls. “It was a risk, but I had this creative fire I couldn’t ignore.”
He launched his arts business straight out of college.
It wasn’t easy. But a decade later, he’s proof a life in the arts is possible — and powerful.
“Choosing a creative career is like jumping off a cliff and learning to fly on the way down,” he says. “It’s scary. But it’s real.”
Picture: Dinesh Ganesh
For Akshay, poetry is more than art — it’s healing.
“I struggle to find the right words in the moment. Poetry gives me time to reflect. That space is therapeutic.”
He’s tackled tough subjects — from discrimination to immigration, partition to Black Lives Matter. Poetry, he says, is perfect for difficult conversations.
“It’s raw. Just you and your voice. That’s where the power lies.”
So what’s next for Mr Shay?
There’s no “first big project” — intentionally.
“I’ve been doing the work for years. Now I have the badge. I just want to keep going — bigger, bolder, louder.”
With plans to continue working with schools, communities, and public spaces, Akshay’s Laureateship aims to bring poetry to unexpected places — and people.
“Anyone can write poetry,” he says. “Whether it’s a list about your day or a deep dive into trauma — it’s all valid. The point is to write. To express. To connect.”
And that, more than anything, is what makes Akshay Sharma the perfect voice for Leicester.
Follow Akshay Sharma (@MrShayPoetry) on social media for updates on his work, workshops, and performances.
