Although we had terrific engagement, unfortunately this did not translate into bookings. We have retained the details of the proposed Poetry Walkabout on the site, so that you can see what we proposed. If you are would like to offer feedback or suggestions for similar events in the future, please send the team a note via the contact form.
CANCELLED. Connect. Collaborate. Celebrate!
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Sharpen your skills as a poet with our dynamic and inspirational full-day workshop. Whether you're a seasoned writer, or just starting out, this workshop is designed for poets of all levels and backgrounds.
Work closely with three contemporary poets in a small group setting and delve into close reading, thought-provoking discussions on techniques and stylistic choices, and writing prompts to develop your craft. Share your work and receive feedback during our open mic reading, and leave with newfound inspiration and a wealth of knowledge to enhance your poetry skills. |
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Participants will be divided into three small groups. Each group will spend one hour with a different presenter, focusing on fostering artistic expression, storytelling skills, and structural crafting.
The Presenters
Walkabout participants would have been working with three contemporary poets in small groups throughout the day.
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Catherine Wright
Catherine was born outside Armidale. Both her prose and poetry have won/been shortlisted for awards and been published both in Australia and internationally. Awards include being shortlisted for the Newcastle Poetry Prize (twice), Tom Collins Poetry Prize, Grieve Poetry Prize and winning the Henry Lawson Prize for best short story. Publications include Westerly, indigo, Plumwood Mountain, Antipodes, The Language of Plants and Into the Void Anthology. She has also been awarded a Varuna Residential Fellowship, and with an ASA Award Mentorship, is finalising her poetry manuscript The Consolation of Birds based on her time lived in New England, Perth WA, Scotland and Morocco. Catherine especially finds inspiration in landscape and its power over us. |
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Jamie Grant
Jamie is an award winning poet, critic and anthologist. In addition to his own collections, he has edited several anthologies of poetry. His experience extends to every possible area of the publishing industry, as a sales representative, a manager, a bookseller, a bookkeeper in a bookshop, an editor, a manuscript assessor, a writer and journalist, a book reviewer, a proofreader, and even as a packer in a publisher's warehouse. He is a judge for Waverley Council's Nib Literary Award, the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, and the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. |
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Phillipa Trelford
Phillipa spent her earlier years in the central west of NSW and Sydney and has been based in Armidale since 2000. Now a freelance editor and author, she is a winner of the New England Award in the Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing (2018). She has a background in communications, theatre, higher education projects and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In Armidale, Phillipa has been an active member of regional writing groups and her work has appeared in anthologies published by PoetZinc (Armidale) and Poetry at the Pub (Newcastle). |
Recently she has collaborated on spoken word and visual presentations with local artists and writers for New England North West’s ‘Looking Both Ways’ project (2021). She has also been a featured host and contributor for the international online platform TopTweetTuesday, run by UK publisher Black Bough Poetry to promote imagist poetry. This year her poetry has been published online in Black Bough’s ‘Sound and Vision’ anthology. Phillipa draws much of her inspiration from films, artwork and photography as creative expressions of urban and regional experiences.
A grand old theatre
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Our venue for this event was the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame, located in the historic Arcadia Theatre in Guyra, NSW.
Established in 2020 by Thundercloud Repairian (aka James Warren), this unique venue showcases the achievements and contributions of some of the greatest poets in Australia. The atmospheric auditorium, originally built in 1929, provides a wonderful setting for poetry performances, musical events, and theatrical productions. |