Bradford poet and spoken word artist Kirsty Taylor is the new Kay Mellor Fellow. Through poetry and the spoken word, Kirsty has championed her home city of Bradford and given voice to some of its unheard stories. Her work highlights those traditionally under-represented on stage and screen and was part of the campaign that helped Bradford win the coveted Year of Culture title for 2025.
The Fellowship was created in partnership with the award-winning Leeds writer Kay Mellor, who passed away in 2022, with a three-year investment from the BBC, Leeds City Council, Rollem Productions and Leeds Playhouse.
Kirsty is the first of three Fellows over the next three years. Each will receive a bursary and spend their year on attachment with Leeds Playhouse and Rollem Productions to develop their own script and TV pitch, as well as receiving a place on the BBC Writers Voices writer development programme.
During her Fellowship, Kirsty will explore stories of adoption and severance from the perspective of birth families, working with local groups to develop her play and TV pitch telling stories of children taken into care.
Kirsty said: "Being awarded this Fellowship is a massive next-step for me. The opportunity to develop my ideas through the legacy of Kay Mellor, who championed people like me - where my background, voice and experience are not only welcomed but embraced - feels really special."
In addition to the Fellowship, Leeds Playhouse launched The Kay Mellor Fund in 2023, to raise money to nurture local writers – something close to Kay’s heart – through its industry-leading Furnace Artist Development programme.
This fund will support locally rooted writers through bespoke investment, mentoring and training opportunities.
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