SANDRA A. AGARD HON. FRSL
Author • Playwright • Poet
With a career spanning over 40 years across theatre, libraries and community spaces, Sandra Agard is an accomplished storyteller, playwright, poet, and proud Hackneyite.
Agard’s immersive work is deeply inspired by and grounded in intimate African-Caribbean oral history traditions. Celebrated for her dynamic, interactive performance storytelling, the iconic Hackney griot continues to beautifully captivate audiences of all generations with powerful live performances.
Why Hackney Matters
Born in Hackney to Guyanese parents, Sandra Agard’s journey as a writer and storyteller first took root in the borough. Through her involvement with Centerprise, she became one of the young poets featured in Talking Blues, a 1976 poetry anthology created by young people who met weekly at the community centre. Her early experiences of writing about education, racism, unemployment and everyday life reflect the role Hackney’s grassroots cultural spaces played in giving young people a platform to express themselves. That connection has continued throughout her career, from working in Hackney libraries, where she inspires new generations of readers and storytellers.
Did You Know?
Sandra Agard loved reading so much as a child that she found a way to join both Howard Library in Hackney and Mildmay Library in Islington, despite only being allowed to join a library in the borough where she lived. She read her way through the children’s collection before discovering the adult library.