100 Thousand Poets for Change

Poets around the world are banding together this weekend to mark the use of the medium to promote social and political change. The Guerrilla Poets start 100 Thousand Poets for Change in Myers Park with a soapbox poetry reading and ‘chalking mission’ and will then move to Albert Park.

100 Thousand Poets for Change is a global event taking place on 24 September everywhere.

Guerrilla Poets are answering the world-wide call to organise an event that takes poets to the street with their messages of change... and everyone is invited. Join us and poets from across the planet in a demonstration/celebration of poetry to promote serious social, environmental, and political change. Visit the official webpage for more info about the global happenings: www.bigbridge.org/100thousandpoetsforchange/

We're basing our event on the famous 1969 march from Meyers Park to 'take back' Albert Park 'for the people'.

We'll start in Meyers Park for a Soap-Box poetry reading and chalking mission. We'll then process up to Albert Park, hopefully gathering people as we go and finish up with another soap-box performance and chalking mission up there.

Everyone is invited - poets, performers, musicians, artists - bring something poetic with a message of change. You could read it, chalk it, paint it on a banner, print it and give it away, sing it - whatever you want.

The Literatti will be joining in with poetry-banners from their upcoming reTHiNK Possible Worlds show, that attempts to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness.

Bring your outside voices, you inner child, your portable instruments if you have them, chalk if you have some and poetry to hand out/show off if you want to.

Meet in Meyers Park at midday - by the playground. We'll start moving up to Albert Park at 1. Finishing up at 3.

A bit of background to our event:

"Looking for a place to gather to protest New Zealand's military involvement in 1969, Tim Shadbolt led a march to take Albert Park back for the people. The Jumping Sundays began. A weekly hippie gathering, where people came in their thousands for a collision of politics, music, dancing. Sundays in Albert Park were the launching point for protests, relationships and political revolution."

Let's have it back for one day - creative folk of the city - let's gather, make poetry and music in the park and make it say something - what you say though, is entirely up to you. How would you change the world?

Guerrilla Poets have a 'gentleman's' agreement with the council - please stick to the pavements.

Our aim is to invite people of all walks of life into poetry - we don't want to scar little children, so please keep your public works of poetry family-friendly!