Croydon-born rapper and poet Jenniah Brown is launching a new Arts Council England-funded programme, Connecting Dots, which uses poetry, spoken word and rap to translate complex local government policies into accessible language for young and marginalised people. The first Croydon Cultural Research Exchange will take place on Friday, August 14, at the Village Table café in Park Lane, featuring local artists and a panel with representatives from King's College and the Department for Work and Pensions.
From Highways to Hip Hop
Jenniah, 32, began his local government career at 22 on Croydon Council's highways team, inspecting drop kerbs and handling complaints. He described the work as "boring" but learned about governance and the power of local institutions. "These are probably the most powerful institutions in our borough," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
His passion for rap dates back to school days, when he rapped on the 455 bus and received Nas's debut album Illmatic from his best friend. After a decade of building experience in music, poetry and local government, he sees Connecting Dots as a milestone in merging these worlds.
Translating Policy Through Poetry
The programme targets four key policy areas: devolution, health in all policies and creative health, the Creative Industries Sector Plan, and levelling up and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Jenniah noted that while Croydon Council's policy documents are publicly available online, most people do not understand them. "We are using poetry to translate policy and engage with young people in a different way," he said.
Connecting Dots will hold Cultural Research Exchanges in Croydon, Lambeth, Bristol and Exeter, where participants will unpack policy documents through poetry, performance and discussion. Jenniah emphasised that co-production in local government requires getting people in the room first. "They have to be interested first," he said.
Addressing Apathy, Not Recruitment
Jenniah stressed that the aim is not to recruit more councillors or MPs. "I am not trying to get more people into politics. I just want them to understand it, and how it works at a governance level," he said. He hopes the programme will offer entertainment and culture to make engagement enjoyable.
The first event will feature performances by Croydon-based poets Big Scoop, Shaniqua Benjamin and Selorm, alongside London-based spoken word artist Tariqq, co-founder of House of Vox. A panel will include representatives from King's College and the Department for Work and Pensions.
Jenniah hopes Connecting Dots will gain support from local councils as a viable alternative to low participation in public consultations. Speaking near the venue, he concluded: "I think it's time policy had a story attached to it."
