Poetry Month 2024 (1-31 August) invites the nation and the world to revel in Australian poetry on a scale never seen before thanks to a program of epic proportions, including a partnership with the BBC’s much-loved UK poetry and spoken word festival, Contains Strong Language.
This year’s program features state and territory showcases with local poets, workshops with special guest poets including UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and author of Chinese Fish Grace Yee, and daily commissioned poems and writing prompts from artists as varied as Nam Le, Felicity Plunkett, Kirli Saunders, AWGIE-winning Dylan Van Den Berg, and Australian Poetry Slam Champion Rob Waters. Poetry Month 2024 ambassadors Heather Mitchell, James Colley, Stan Grant and Chika Ikogwe will also share poems for the first time.
The National Poetry Month Gala on 29 August at the State Library of NSW will be hosted by actor Chika Ikogwe (Heartbreak High), featuring beloved Australian performer Paul Kelly in one of his only public performances this year, plus Hasib Hourani, Julia Baird, Ali Cobby Eckermann, Princess Arinola Adegbite, and more.
Find out more about Poetry Month 2024 events, speakers, showcases, ambassadors and 30in30 artists:
- Poetry Month 2024 program (1-31 August)
- National Poetry Month Gala details (29 August)
- State Showcases event details
- Contains Strong Language program (28-31 August)
- Line-up of Poetry Month’s 30in30 artists
Key Facts:
Red Room Poetry is assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body, and proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with Create NSW. Contains Strong Language is supported by the Australian Government through the International Cultural Diplomacy Arts Fund.
About us:
ABOUT POETRY MONTH & RED ROOM POETRY
Poetry Month is an initiative of Australia’s leading poetic organisation, Red Room Poetry. Red Room is the only organisation in Australia that consistently commissions poets and produces live poetry events nationally.
Red Room’s vision for the annual Poetry Month program is to grow the audience, affection and acclaim for Australia’s own poetic voices, and create access points for people to engage in poetry. Red Room’s alumni of poets that had their debut commission or publication at Red Room include Evelyn Araluen, Sarah Holland-Batt, Candy Royalle and Kirli Saunders.
Red Room’s Poetry Month is led by CEO Jonty Claypole; Artistic Director David Stavanger; Artistic Director – First Nations Nicole Smede; Creative Producer Izzy Roberts-Orr; and Marketing and Communications Manager Rani Ghazzaoui.
Contact details:
For further information and interview requests, please contact Bec Bridges on bec@pitchprojects.com or 0405 655 245; or Anna Lensky on anna@pitchprojects.com or 0425 766 780
Download the media release here.
