AUCKLAND AND VICTORIA CONNECT WORLDS IN ALL-NEW DIGITAL EVENT
Connecting Worlds with Words is a new, grassroots-led spoken word collaboration between three major urban public spaces: Fed Square in Melbourne, Bunjil Place in Casey City and Auckland Live in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. Originally programmed in Aotea Square as part of the Summer in the Square programme, the event will now be live streamed entirely online. The power of spoken word will be used to connect the three metropolitan centres for an international virtual/live hybrid event on Saturday 19 February, with artists live streaming their poetry from the three locations simultaneously.
While we look forward to the opportunity to reconnect physically with our trans-Tasman neighbours, Connecting Worlds With Words gives us a chance to come together digitally. Through embracing technology, the event will unite the three urban spaces in celebration of the power of spoken word, using stories to link communities across time and space.
This first-of-its-kind event is presented by Fed Square, Bunjil Place and Auckland Live in partnership with spoken word collectives Littlefoot and Co, Melbourne Spoken Word and Action Education. The three urban spaces are home to large scale outdoor screens for public programming, and have founded a partnership based on sharing knowledge and expertise around public engagement with the digital screens. Connecting Worlds With Words is the first time this partnership will have a collective outcome.
Each venue will host local poets, with the performance being simultaneously live streamed to the other two locations. The poets will perform a selection of their own works, as well as premiering a new collaborative spoken word video work during the event.
The Tāmaki Makaurau-based poets include Sheldon Rua, a Māori-Samoan creative from Papakura who is known X Factor NZ, TedX performances and being a part of the South Auckland Poets Collective, Manaia Tuwhare-Hoani, a Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai wāhine known as part of the acclaimed poetry collective Ngā Hinepūkōrero, Takunda Muzondowa, originally from Zimbabwe, who is the 2020 Auckland City Poetry Slam Champion and a 2019 Trans-Tasman Poetry Slam Champion, and Eric Soakai, a Tongan-Samoan spoken word artist known for being the 2021 University of Auckland Poetry Slam Champion, the 2019 National Slam Poetry Champion of New Zealand and the 2018 Grounded Slam Champion.
“All the poets involved are not only at the forefront of Spoken Word in Aotearoa, but they are also whānau; we have worked with all of these poets for years. We are proud to see them represent New Zealand in this international event. The event was exciting for us to be a part of because it is such an original idea. In a time when genuine connection seems so difficult, it gave us a chance to not only connect with our friends from across the ditch but to also share the voices of some of our most gifted wordsmiths. Using these modern platforms to celebrate the oldest art form, storytelling, is an amazing opportunity.”
- Ken Arkind, Action Education
With international performances for artists limited, Connecting Worlds With Words opens up trans-Tasman opportunities for Auckland-based artists to spread their works to new audiences and showcase their work on an international stage.
Connecting Worlds with Words is a unique opportunity for artists from different communities to share stories, engage with audiences and with other like-minded poets. In a world that’s experienced so much disconnection, with so many of us forced to make communities online, this innovative event seeks to creatively and meaningfully bring together communities of artists using digital technologies.
CONNECTING WORLDS WITH WORDS
A livestream event connecting Auckland, Casey & Melbourne
Live-streamed here
Saturday 19 February
7 PM NZT
Learn more on Auckland Live’s website