POETRY MONTH Activities 2020-25

POETRY MONTH is an annual celebration of poetry in all its forms. Amplifying vibrancy, access, creation, value and visibility POETRY MONTH spans commissions of poets, events and publications, readings, residencies, performances, professional development, prizes, cultural-placemaking and community-led activities with national partners.

LOCATION ACTIVITIES

National High Profile commissions • commissioning 5x poets and 5x public figures/writers from other disciplines aligned with a chosen POETRY MONTH impact themes (water, climate, waste, mental health, migration, survival) • 50+ emerging and established poets commissioned p.a across POETRY MONTH projects

National Poetry Month Ambassadors

• 5x with each one promotes a form or commission within poetic genre • nationally placed to amplify & increase awareness and poetry as an artform • link to a number of key POETRY MONTH initiatives where relevant • commission poems (if appropriate) • Proposed ambassadors include: Briggs/Baker Boy/Courtney Barnett/ Archie Roach/ Paul Kelly/ Brian Brown/ Peter FitzSimons/Adam Goodes/Melissa Lucashenko/ Jennifer Byrne/ Tara Moss/ Quan/ Gotye /Nick Cave/Nikkiah Laui/Michelle Law/Benjamin Law/David Pocock

National Poetry Month Events Calendar • informed by existing international annual poetry calendars with focus on community, poetry/literature sector and RR events listings feeding into POETRY MONTH • communities invited to pitch or register a specific event both curated or open access • provides a central platform for all POETRY MONTH events

LEGEND Red = confirmed activity

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LOCATION ACTIVITIES

National Write a Poem a Day • invite community members to write and share a poem a day each day of POETRY MONTH • 30 commissions funded by individual + open public submission • provide poetic prompts from areas of national conversation • range of Prizes for different demographics

National Public Poetry Vote • Favourite Australian Poem (media partner The Australia/ The Guardian/ ABC /Triple J)

SYD pilot Readers in Residence (RIR) • series of public library based accessible RIRs (possibly bookshops too) • rotating poets through 4x weeks combination of public reading installation drawing on and expanding each library’s poetry collection; can also be a live & online collaborative writing installation + poetry talk/workshops and poetry book clubs • increased borrowing in libraries; uncovering/foregrounding the collection • increased ordering of poetry titles • evaluate value of replicating in school libraries, prison libraries, hospital libraries • increased poetry access for homeless and marginalised voices • reading events for pre-school and young people

LEGEND Red = confirmed activity

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LOCATION ACTIVITIES

National Festival Showcases • collaborate with Australia Poetry, state writers’ and arts festivals and sector and cross-sector partners • pitch cross platform events such as: hip hop vs comedy, spoken word vs bush poets, Page meets Stage • invite program partner with non-literary festivals to expand artform and audience

National Community Poetry Breakfasts/Morning Teas

• bush poets reading with contemporary poets (urban and regional NSW) • tie to Environmental thread; focus on areas of drought and fire impact to amplify issue

NSW and Gran Slam! QLD pilot • emerging older poets 65+ spoken word workshops and poetry slam series programs • showcases and workshops in aged care facilities across the year then National • panel of ‘poetic elders’ • national showcases of Gran Slam Finalists with workshop programs at key festivals

National Eco-Slam • partner with Australian Poetry to co-present Eco-Slams during Poetry Month in schools and botanic gardens • tie outcome to partner festivals and online RR Poetic Learning publishing online • focus in on River Rain Reef specifically to ensure relevant and poems on subject matter

LEGEND Red = confirmed activity

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LOCATION ACTIVITIES

National Poetry Competitions - all ages • Largest free competition for young writers 18 and under + their teachers with Copyright Agency • Poetry reading challenge (eg. modelled on Premier’s Reading Challenge) • All ages themed poetry competition with significant cash prizes • RR Poetry Fellowship with residencies, workshops, public reading, mentoring and 10+ commissions • Poetry film competition with corporate sponsors and film festivals

National Micro Poet in Residence, Pop Up Installations and Micro Events • micro poetry residencies in various public locations and schools • Install ‘Poetry Street Libraries’ for exchange of poetry books / poetry zines • Speakers Corners/Boxes: poets in strategic public spaces reading poems • Pop Up Poetry Store /Panacea. Exploring the value and comodity of poetry as a one off object. Travelling installations of pop-up poem store for healing exchange of words and poems (eg. Poem Store - street commissions with poets employed to create new poems for the public as well as special commissions as gifts. • Poetry Speed Dating and one on one readings in cafes

International International Satellite events • cross-cultural First Nations poets exchange programs with co-commissions of new work (eg. Joy Harjo US Poet Laureate and Ali Cobby Eckermann/ Omar Musa and Kate Tempest UK) • poetry events in international Embassies • Australian poets and poetry showcases at international book fairs such as Edinburgh Book Fair • Australian poets and poetry tours and features at international festivals • POETRY MONTH events run overseas by ex-pat poets or poets with connections to other countries

LEGEND Red = confirmed activity RED ROOM POETRY STRATEGIC PLAN 2020-2025 5 POETRY MONTH Activities 2020-25

LOCATION ACTIVITIES

National Poster Poems • Based on Phantom Billstickers Poster Poems for NZ Poetry Day (started in 2009) • select from poems commissioned by RR + new commissions • possible partnership with electronic billboard companies

National Open Poems • poetry intimate concerts/micro readings in people’s homes (or offices) • develop a simple Open Poems hosting package for host and featured poets/poets

NSW – 2021 Poetry Month Gala • high profile host and public figures with a passion for poetry, reading Australian poems curated alongside Australian poets including RR Poetry Fellow with state • profile and fun raising for POETRY MONTH and Australian poetry rotation from • tie in POETRY MONTH Ambassadors 2022 • guest poet at each table

National Travelling Poetry Object • premise is that there is an object that traverses the country during POETRY MONTH • link to schools

LEGEND Red = confirmed activity

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LOCATION ACTIVITIES

National Guided Poetry Walks / mapping • utilise existing walks such as RR’s The Disappearing / Brisbane Poetry Map & Melbourne Poetry Map • program Gingkos (Haiku walk) linked to Extinction Elegies/New Shoots in botanical gardens or festival sites • community and poet-led walks

National Poem in Your Pocket (PYP)

• Based on USA Poetry Month initiative, PYP Day takes place every year on a day in National Poetry Month. On this day, people select a poem, carry it with them, and share it with others at schools, bookstores, libraries, parks, workplaces, street corners, and on social media using the hashtag #pocketpoem • Tie to Readers in Residence project in libraries/schools

National 24 hour poetry event

• 24 hour poetry reading in multiple-locations rotating line up of poets, spoken word artists, hip hop, musicians, public figures • presented in a highly visible public spaces • live stream the event on RR and partner platforms

National Poetry Flash Mob • coordinated flash mob readings; community driven and low cost public installations • target titles that amplify Australian poets and key RR core impact areas

LEGEND Red = confirmed activity

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