Keeping Human Connectivity
Message from Miles Merrill, Creative Director of Word Travels and Founder of Australian Poetry Slam:
WHEN YOU'RE FALLING SWITCH TO A FORWARD ROLL AND SAY, "TA-DA!"
Dear Slamily: poets, dreamers, performers, writers, friends, collaborators and partners,
Word Travels is the not-for-profit running the national Australian Poetry Slam and dozens of other spoken word initiatives. Our mission is to bring communities together through shared stories. Most of this is through live events - poetry slams, workshops and performances.
However, as self-isolation pushes us all into cocoons, we must keep searching for ways to keep meaningful contact with other humans.
Our deepest empathy is with all of the arts organisations that are being forced to cut every part of their live programs and in some cases shut their doors. Fortunately, our team is in good health but these are seriously unsettling times.
Before we consider wiping all of our engagements off the calendar, allow us to suggest a different approach for the next few months:
Word Travels is putting our live human-to-human programs into a chrysalis marked “Digital” and emerging with a kaleidoscope of video projects, online workshops and streaming slams.
The consensus with Word Travels' board (and it seems with similar orgs) is we are moving all of our live events and workshops online for the near future. Everyone is going to be looking for ways to remain engaged with other humans from home.
Online programs are an option Word Travels usually offers remote communities; now we can bring these to the school down the road or your kitchen table!
Here’s what we offer:
1. Workshops: inviting participants to Google Hangouts - up to 20 people
2. Events: with multiple participants and large audiences Zoom - 12 performers; up to 1000 audience
3. Performances: with less interactivity Facebook / Instagram Live. - 1 performer with unlimited audience.
With each of these, it can be as simple as promoting through your usual channels, taking bookings and sending links to each audience member/participant.
Every public organisation will now have to generate digital engagement. As a provider we’re keen to help make that transition. The answer can’t be to just cut every program and shut down.
Let’s try to provide content to our mutual audiences at home.
Let's keep bringing human connectivity in this time of isolation.
Not only will we provide great interactive arts together, adopting this model in the short-term can save a small arts organisation from closing its doors in the long-term.
Contact us now at info@wordtravels.info to book dates and discuss rates.
