Clarke to headline inaugural Melbourne Spoken Word & Poetry Festival

Melbourne Spoken Word & Poetry Festival has launched its inaugural 2018 program, which will be held from 17 May to 3 June.

The 18-day festival is hosted by local arts organisation Melbourne Spoken Word, in partnership with literary journal Going Down Swinging, Science Gallery and a range of local independent poetry event organisers.

Melbourne-based writer Maxine Beneba Clarke will deliver an opening-night performance, with a closing-night performance from US poet Moody Black.

Other guests featured throughout the festival include Victorian poetry slam champion Sharifa Tartoussi, Queensland Poetry Festival’s XYZ Prize for Innovation in Spoken Word winner Quinn Eades, Green Room Award winner wāni and Indian performance poet Rochelle D’silva, as well as local performers Andy Jackson, Eleanor Jackson, Emilie Zoey Baker, Alicia Sometimes and Tariro Mavondo.

As part of the festival, Melbourne-based slam poetry series Slamalamadingdong will host a grand slam event, which will decide on a national poetry slam team that will travel to the US in August. The program also features performances, workshops and a range of free events at venues across Melbourne.

To view the full program, see the festival website.

Category: Events Festivals Local news