Gemma Lloyd is a secret, invisible person that throws Chill Pill at everyone, she also runs act up.

She works with a lot of people that for whatever reason didn’t grow up in an environment where the arts was even remotely ‘entertained’. If this is the case, then pretty quickly you begin to feel isolated from the rest of the world if you’re sitting in your bedroom with a need to express yourself, uncertain even why you have the urge.

The affect that spoken word has on people is staggering, it’s a reassurance that there are other people out there writing words, lyrics and rhymes… that it’s ok to have a need to ‘shout out’, that the ‘arts’ does and should have a place for everyone.

Gemma readily admits that a lot of poetry flies over her head, she first encountered Chill Pill at a tribute to Gil Scott Heron and fell in love…..

Chill Pill is a vehicle for us to take spoken word to the top and to smash down the remaining prejudices that still circulate in the mainstream poetry world.

No more did I see this in action than at the Arcola Theatre on Sunday night. Chill Pill went back to basics and had an open mic night…. 10 performers jumped on stage and spoke out their words to the world. People from all walks of life charged across London,(we even had two audience members that came from Brighton) all on a cold and frosty night to have the opportunity to be included in a warm and very giving audience.

The arts should be available to everyone, and I am determined to assist in smashing down the very high walls.

Who else is in?