EARTH 2024
Earth was a poetry development programme exploring themes of environment, connection to place and collective storytelling. Participants worked together through a series of creative workshops where they developed individual poems responding to a shared theme - Earth. The programme encouraged poets to reflect on landscape, ecology and community through spoken word practice.
Each writer created their own poem while exploring how individual voices could connect as part of a wider shared narrative. At the end of the programme, the poems created by participants were brought together into a collective performance showcase directed by John Berkavitch and anthology, presenting the work created during the workshops.
The programme supported poets in strengthening both their writing craft and performance confidence, while building a supportive creative community.
Who Was Involved
Poets
Bridie Squires • Cara Thompson • Cassie Bradley • Davina Songbird
Umbilica • Caetano Capurro • Emma Price • Beth Parker • Johnny Hughes • Ruth Singleton • Rachelle Foster • Sarah Wheatley • Marjie Griffiths • Jennifer Brough • Rehannah Mian • Bridget Leadbeater • Nipa Hongwei
Lead Artist
Cara Thompson
Lead Producer
Bridie Squires
Collaborators
John Berkavitch - Movement Director
Alex Traska - Designer and Sound Consultant
“The whole experience made me feel much more confident in myself and my work. I also felt like I was really part of a community that would last outside of the experience.”
“I began the course with very little confidence, but by the end of the showcase I had grown massively in confidence and in how I express myself.”
“This has been transformative. I was supported both individually and as part of the collective. It was a loving space for creativity and discovery.”
“This experience unleashed my potential as a spoken word poet and artist, making me a more confident, resilient and self-reflective performer.”