To access the program for Poetic City 2023, now the festival has finished:
Go to the Calendar page, and use the arrows to visit June and July 2023.
You can see the events on each day by hovering over the date, and then scrolling through the popup that opens.
You can then click on an event heading to visit the program page with the full details.
Songs are Poems - songwriting workshop with Mr Tim and Ms Nath
Get into the creative zone and explore song-writing and lyrics with Mr Tim and Ms Nath.
Together you will all contribute lyrics to write a song with musical accompaniment. And your song will be recorded and sent to you as a sing-a-long file after the workshop.
Suitable for children aged 7-13, and their parents.
Free event - registration required.
Your Place - Your Lens! Poetry and art inspired by 'Capturing Canberra' with Akka Ballanger Constantin
In this free school holiday drop-in for primary school-aged children and their parents, you will be inspired by the ‘Capturing Canberra’ exhibition, to reinvent a favourite place or moment in time, using poetry, collagraph, drawing and collage.
‘Capturing Canberra’ features some of the most iconic moments in Canberra history, captured through the lens of talented photojournalists.
Free event - drop in.
Fridge Magnet Poetry Olympics! Round 2!
Do you have what it takes to be a magnetic poetry champion? Come along to the Poetry is Cool Street Library and take part in a series of magnetic poetry challenges to show off your skill and speed with words. There will be rounds for kids, teens and adults.
Entry is free! Location to be announced.
Poetic City - Winter Edition - Closing Night
Come and celebrate the close of Poetic City - Winter Edition with That Poetry Thing that is on at Smith’s Every Monday Night, one of the vital organs of Canberra’s live poetry scene.
There will be a signature That Poetry Thing open mic, plus treasures, highlights and encore performances from across the festival.
Free event. Booking recommended to secure your seat.
Poetry Innovation Salon
With ideas and inspiration bubbling after the Poetry as Innovation Machine symposium, come along to the Poetic Innovation Salon to digest the presentations and ideas, discuss them with colleagues and friends, and try out some new poetic tactics and strategies.
Some of the speakers from the symposium will be on hand to chat and offer support and suggestions for your own poetic experiments.
Free event - drop in.
Poetry as Innovation Machine Symposium
This mini-symposium, hosted by the University of Canberra’s Centre for Creative and Cultural Research and presented in collaboration with the Uncharted Territory Innovation Festival, will explore innovation in poetry, cross-disciplinary approaches, and how poetry can offer new ways of seeing and thinking, whatever your discipline.
Free event - registration required.
Queer Voyages - journeys in Poetry
Start with a recitation of Cavafy's 'Ithaca' at the stone etched with that poem, among olive trees, tucked away in a corner of New Acton.
Then, in the cosy interior of Parlour, we will voyage with poets whose writing documents journeys and adventures in queerness Sandra Renew, Zhi Yi Cham, Joo-Inn Chew and Tamati Kentwell.. There will also be a short open mic for queer poets and readers.
Tickets: $10 Full / $5 Concession / $0 Access.
Us Mob Writing - For Our Elders
Us Mob Writing members will share poetry to celebrate NAIDOC week. This year’s theme is ‘For our Elders’.
Us Mob Writing (UMW) group is made up of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander poets, writers and storytellers based in Canberra and the surrounding areas.
Free event. Registration recommended.
Secret Histories of City West - Walking Tour
How much do you remember about the Canberra of yesterday? Seven poets and one musical duo have been invited to write about a real or imagined history of city west.
Come and explore the city with them, to hear their poems in-situ. Expect a multitude of windows into the past, fables about what was and what might have been. You can also buy a copy of the zine where this poetic history is collected. This will be City West as you’ve never seen or heard it before.
Free event, registration required. The meeting point will be provided after registration.
SlamCity Showcase
Come for a night of poetic partying! The stars of Canberra Slam will be out tonight and shining with full force, alongside special feature Waffle IronGirl.
And you can shine too! Sign up on the night for one of the highly desirable slam spots and be part of the action.
The founder and host of Canberra Slam, Andrew Cox will host some of the most exciting poets to appear in Canberra Slam’s 18 month life so far, plus pre-and post-event drinks and music in the Street Foyer.
Tickets: $20 - Full/ $10 - Concession/ $0 - Access.
Prosaic City - Prose Poetry and Microlit
When does a poem not look like a poem? When it is a prose poem. Is there a line between microlit and prose poetry? Is it hard, or blurry?
Come and hear some of Canberra’s creators of prose poetry and microlit talk about their approach and share their work. You might be inspired to try a new form! And if you already write prose poetry or flash fiction, there will be a short open mic where you can share a piece of your own work.
Free event, registration required.
Fresh Voices Showcase
Come and see the freshest poets in town share their brand new work!
Poets aged 13-18 who have participated in the Canberra Slam SlamShop will give their debut performances - come to cheer, click and stomp them on!
Fresh Voices will be hosted by Andrew Cox of Canberra Slam, and feature a performance by Yleia Mariano.
Free event - registration required.
Poetic City Zine Fair and Make-a-Zine Work Space
Zines are the ultimate in DIY publication for poets and artists. Come to the Poetic City Zine Fair to browse, buy or make your own!
CanberraZine Emporium will host a maker space where you can make your own zine, and will have zines for sale from local makers and across Australia. Local zine makers are also invited to book a table to sell and trade their work.
Free event - drop in, or register by email to have a table.
SlamShop - Slam Poetry workshop with Canberra Slam
SlamShop is a slam poetry workshop for young people aged 13 - 18 years. Come and raise your voice!
Experience the art of slam poetry with Andrew Cox and Yleia Mariano of Canberra Slam. Unpack your own story and learn the tools to share it, with power and confidence.
By the end of this workshop you will have written a poem, and learned how to perform it in your authentic voice.
Tickets: $5 Full/ $0 Access.
Fridge Magnet Poetry Olympics! Round 1!
Do you have what it takes to be a magnetic poetry champion? Come along to the Poetry is Cool Street Library and take part in a series of magnetic poetry challenges to show off your skill and speed with words. There will be rounds for kids, teens and adults.
Entry is free! Location to be announced.
imPROMPTu Poetry - Drop in and write with Majura Cafe Poets
Drop into the As You Like It Cafe and write with Majura Cafe Poets.
Majura Cafe Poets have been meeting weekly in Canberra cafes since 2009, and they invite you to join them. Get writing with encouragement, good company and writing prompts to get you started!
Free - drop in.
A Flock of Words! Poetry and art inspired by Sidney Nolan’s Birds with Akka Ballanger Constantin
Is it a bird? A flock of words? Or a poem?!
Find out in this free school holiday drop-in workshop for infants and primary school-aged children and their parents.
In this fun-filled workshop, be inspired by the exhibition ‘Fly Fly!: Sidney Nolan’s Birds’ to play with rhyme and words, and create a bird. Then add your bird to the flock - and your words to the poem!
Free event - drop in.
Poetry Not Luxury Women's Open Mic
Women and non-binary people are invited to come and share their poetry at this event hosted by Gabriela Falzon of Poetry Not Luxury.
Alongside the open mic, this event will feature readings by Steffi Linton, Merlinda Bobis, Melinda Smith, and GWEN, Canberra’s very own poetry band!
GWEN are a 5-piece band working with the poems of Gwen Harwood. Through their delicately arranged and emotionally-charged folk songs to Harwood's poetry, GWEN aims to bring Harwood's poetry to a wider and more diverse audience.
Tickets: $10 Full / $5 Concession/ $0 Access
Secret Histories of City West - Performance and Zine Launch
How much do you remember about the Canberra of yesterday?
Seven poets and one musical duo (The Cashews!) have been invited to write about a real or imagined history of City West.
They’ll be performing their poems at this showcase, and launching the zine where they are collected. Expect a multitude of windows into the past, fables about what was and what might have been. This will be City West as you’ve never seen or heard it before.
Free event. Registration recommended.
#Litchalk
#litchalk poetry will appear on the footpaths outside Smith’s Alternative today, as people converge for Poetic City - Winter Edition.
Sarah St Vincent Welch chalks poetry in response to the city while chatting to passers by. These ephemeral poems create mysterious moments of connection in the city. If you want to visit Sarah while she chalks, be there between 11am and 2pm.
Free - drop in.
Mother Tongue Multilingual Mic
Come and appreciate poetry in many languages! Share a poem in your mother tongue, heritage language or learned language and enjoy listening to the poetry of a variety of languages and cultures.
This event will feature multilingual poet and songstress Karina Palomita, readings by participants in the Multilingual Poetry Workshop and a multilingual poetry open mic.
Tickets: $10 Full price/ $5 Concession/ $0 Access. Entry is free for open mic readers
Recent Work Reading
Come and enjoy readings by a selection of local poets published by Recent Work Press, and browse a stall of their beautiful paperback editions. All in the Street Theatre foyer. The book stall will be open from 1.30pm until 7pm.
Recent Work Press is Canberra’s very own poetry publisher. Founded in 2015 and based in the ACT, this small press imprint has published a diverse range of authors from Australia and internationally, mainly poetry and other short-form textual work.
Free event - drop in.
Potluck Story Share
Bring a story or poem that celebrates your history, your ancestry, your culture. Share your own and taste the stories of others.
Potluck Story Share will be facilitated as a safe space by Canberra Slam, COAR (Collective on Anti- Racism) and Poetic City.
Bring your ears, your authentic voice and (if you wish) a poem or story that can be told in about 5 minutes or less.
Tickets: Free - registration required.
Recent Work Book Stall
Come and browse a stall of beautiful paperback editions published by Recent Work Press, Canberra’s very own poetry publisher. The book stall will be open in the Street Theatre foyer from 1.30pm until 7pm.
And between 3.30- 4.30pm there will be a reading by Recent Work poets.
Recent Work Press was founded in 2015 and based in the ACT, this small press imprint has published a diverse range of authors from Australia and internationally, mainly poetry and other short-form textual work.
Free event - drop in.
#Litchalk
#litchalk poetry will appear on the footpaths outside the Street Theatre today, as people converge for Poetic City - Winter Edition.
Sarah St Vincent Welch chalks poetry in response to the city while chatting to passers by. These ephemeral poems create mysterious moments of connection in the city. If you want to visit Sarah while she chalks, be there between 11am and 2pm.
Free - drop in.
Poetry is Cool Street Library
The Poetry is Cool Street Library has landed on the Northbourne Avenue median near Alinga Street, between the Sydney and Melbourne Buildings, and is waiting for you to come and play!
Built out of 6 fridges (keeping poetry cool!), this street library has poetry books inside, for you to take or swap, and magnetic poetry on the outside!
Free - drop in.
Multilingual Poetry Workshop with Andrew Geoffrey Kwabena Moss
In this hands-on and pens to paper workshop, participants can expect tips on how to write poetry that mixes English with other heritage and learned languages. Writing multilingual poetry is a great way to draw on and communicate all of your cultures and identities in a way that is rich and true to your experience.
Drawing upon several of his poems and processes that mix Twi, Japanese and English as stimuli, Andrew will guide participants to craft their own.
TICKETS: $20 full/$10 concession/$0 access
Poetry in Colour: Reading & Writing Anti-Racist Poetry with COAR
At this workshop with COAR, Canberra’s Collective On Anti-Racism, participants will deepen their knowledge of anti-racism through the medium of poetry. They will be introduced to the topic of anti-racism more broadly and then read and discuss a variety of anti-racist poetry, with an emphasis on work that centres the lived experiences of people of colour.
The workshop will also invite participants to write their own anti-racist poetry, focusing on their positionality and perspective on this topic. All people are invited to participate regardless of their knowledge of anti-racism.
TICKETS: $20 full/$10 concession/$0 access
Urban Haiku Walk with Owen Bullock
In this practical workshop with poet and teacher Owen Bullock, we’ll discuss examples of urban themed haiku. Because we’re gathering in winter, many of these haiku will also reflect the winter season.
Haiku take their cue from the environment, whether of nature or the city, or both, so we’ll then go walking in the CBD in search of inspiration. Haiku observe with detachment, even when they are more concerned with human nature; having learnt from the examples, we’ll try to put this attitude into practice and discover some of the particular moments that Canberra has to offer. We’ll then share and discuss our experiences back at the Library.
TICKETS: $20 full/$10 concession/$0 access
Poetry Paste-Up with Caren Florance
Come and create a text-based black-and-white graphic poster, using a line or words from your poetry. You can use an existing poem, or write some new text on the day.
On Saturday afternoon artist and poet Caren will give us a tour of exciting examples of concrete poetry and text-based art, and guide your digital typography, design and layout to create your own black-and-white graphic poster. On Sunday morning, we will paste up our posters in high-visibility sites in City West.
TICKETS: SOLD OUT