POETS OUT LOUD 2021 YOUTH SLAM – The countdown is on!

What a busy year it’s been… Our Poets Out Loud team have been workshopping, meeting, travelling, planning, performing, teaching, and juggling! Sarah, Anna, Katinka and I have been working steadily on the Youth Program, bringing slam poetry workshops to high schools in the Northern Rivers, connecting with young people from different walks of life and offering them the opportunity to speak up and be heard. The Youth Slam will be held on 5th August at the Regent Cinema, Murwillumbah. Check out links at the end to snap up tickets.

Our slam poetry workshops have been a great success this year, with interest from many schools across the region. We were ultimately able to offer a total of eight workshops, from Casino right through to Kingscliff, and were blown away by the creative enthusiasm of our local young people. The Poets Out Loud Youth Program is made possible through the hard work and dedication of our heroine and founder, Sarah Temporal. The program is supported by the NSW government through Create NSW. It is also made possible through fundraising and with the support of Tweed Shire Council.

One of our earlier workshops was at Sathya Sai High School in Dungay, and the students wowed us with their original thinking and crazy humour. A particularly memorable performance involved a dictionary, an argument, and some very big words. Students at Wollumbin High in Murwillumbah created some great, high-energy pieces. One group did their entire poem in thick Russian accents, inspired by family lineage and current events.

Amidst the workshops, Poets Out Loud partnered up with Tweed Shire Council to host Youth Voices Together: A Showcase of Youth Music and Slam Poetry, held in April at The Citadel in Murwillumbah. The weather was chilly, the talent was red-hot, and the audience enjoyed performances by some of our 2020 Youth Slam participants, including winner Pancho Symes. This event offered young people a chance to experience live poetry with their peers, try out the mic, and build confidence in performing. I performed a poem from when I was around 20 years old, a personal piece that I wrote to give myself courage in the face of continual challenges. I wanted to share this special piece, in part for myself, to honour the girl who wrote it all those years ago, never knowing if that poem would be heard by anyone else. It was a moving way to acknowledge my own journey in now being able to share my voice, and also the wisdom and experience I have gained along the way.

One of the most exciting events in the lead up to the slam has been our recent Masterclass, which brought all the young slam participants together. Sarah Temporal and I worked with the poets on their writing, performance skills, and tips and techniques for overcoming stage fright and anxiety, which everyone feels!

Once again, and at the risk of repeating myself, we were blown away. Our free writing exercise produced fresh, insightful pieces that inspired the poets or added to material they had prepared already. After we split up to help individual groups with writing and performance skills, we were treated to some unique readings. It was so inspiring seeing the young people grow their confidence in sharing their voices, whilst experiencing non-judgmental listening and acceptance. Sharing and receiving in vulnerability, with truth, is a powerful experience for all involved. I never cease to be moved.

So, onwards to the Slam! All of our participants now receive one-on-one mentoring in the lead-up to the big day on 5th August. Our aim is to guide these young poets in freeing their voices and overcoming their fears. We’ll cheer them on, and build them up, so they can step onto the stage at the Youth Slam and show us their creative talents. Bring it on!

Book your seat and enjoy amazing young voices at this iconic local venue: https://the-regent.com.au/film/poets-out-loud-youth-slam/

For more info on Poets Out Loud and to support via donation go to http://www.poetsoutloud.org/youth

Important Update: the Youth Slam was originally included in the Byron Writers Festival this year as a satellite event. Unfortunately due to Covid, the BWF will no longer go ahead.

The Youth Slam will go ahead, as an independent POL event. On with the show! 🙂