Artist profile
Sarah 'Rain' Kolawole
Sarah ‘Rain’ is a playwright and spoken word artist from Nottingham, who has made significant contributions to theater and literature. She is a New Associate Artist with New Perspectives Theatre and was previously an Associate Artist at Nottingham Playhouse theatre from 2018 to 2021. Rain is also a member of the Soho Theatre writer’s lab alumni group.
More about the artist
In 2019, Sarah completed a project funded by ACE (Arts Council England) to research and develop her play ‘Rootless Island Baby.’ As part of this initiative, she established the ‘Rootz’ theatre group at Nottingham Playhouse, providing a platform for care-experienced young people.
Sarah’s talent extends beyond the stage, as she was commissioned by Derby Theatre to co-write the adaptation of Alex Wheatle’s ‘Home Girl.’ This book adaptation, tailored for young audiences, delves into the life of a teenage girl navigating the foster care system and was staged in July 2022.
In 2022, Sarah ventured into the world of print. Her powerful monologues were featured in ‘Hear me now – Vol 2,’ and her poetic prowess was celebrated with the inclusion of her poem in ‘Ten Poems about Black History,’ introduced by Dr. Panya Banjoko.
”I am absolutely buzzing to be a part of Vital Spark. I'm excited to learn how to bring my Early Years/Children's idea to life and create theatre which is truly inclusive of children with profound and multiple disabilities and those who are both neurodiverse and neurotypical.
Sarah 'Rain' KolawoleRelationship Programme Artist
The Vital Spark behind everything we do
We believe that all children should be able to experience arts and culture, and that they should be able to see themselves represented in these experiences. This is not yet the case for every child and we’re committed to changing that.
Our response is Vital Spark, and it's at the heart of everything we do. Vital Spark is about challenging and changing the lack of diversity in children’s arts and culture; it’s about diverse-led artistic decision making; it’s about not being afraid to stand up for what’s right.
We do this by supporting artists who are currently underrepresented in children’s arts and culture. We also work with partner organisations to create world-class opportunities for these artists and share best practice.
