Australian Poetry Slam Champion, playwright and rap artist Luka Lesson comes to Bellingen for the first time for a night of poetry and song.

Fresh from the first leg of his national tour for his solo theatre show: Agapi & Other Kinds of Love, Luka is in town for the writers' festival, performing in high schools around the region, inspiring the next generation.

This public event will feature some of Luka's award winning poetry, some excerpts from his new solo theatre show and feature performances by local artists Taj, Joe Newton and Titan Sky.

Do not miss this rare, intimate and moving evening showcasing the power of words.

LUKA LESSON BIOGRAPHY:

Luka Lesson is a poet, rapper and educator of Greek heritage born in Brisbane. His work crosses between the history of his family homeland, the fiercely political and the vulnerably self-reflective. A former Australian Poetry Slam Champion, Luka has featured at the mecca for slam poetry: the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe (NYC), performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and toured with respected UK rappers Akala & Lowkey.

Luka's work has also been featured in publications such as: Southern Sun: Aegean Light (2011, ASP), Poems From A Green And Blue Planet (2019, Hachette UK), and Solid Air (2019, UQP). Luka has been a poet-in-residence at the Scottish Poetry Library, appeared at the Edinburgh Literature Festival, Sydney Writers' Festival, Hong Kong Literature Festival, Ubud Writers' Festival and many more.

Luka has also taken the stage with his band at festivals such as Splendour in the Grass (Byron Bay), 4E Hiphop Festival (Sydney) & OneBlood Festival (South Africa). Luka has always used poetry and rap writing workshops as a form of activism, helping young people to articulate and perform their work for the past 15 years in education centres worldwide.

Luka's latest project: 'Agapi & Other Kinds of Love' premiered at the National Museum of Australia and is currently touring nationally.

Support quotes:

"Luka is a genuine artist of high quality whose poetry is powerful and poignant. I salute his prophetic witness!"
- Dr Cornel West, U.S. Presidential Candidate.

"Luka Lesson is one of those people who changes the weather; who by his very presence makes the landscape seem more possible, more holy, more livable. I don’t know where he came from or how he got to be so magic. What I do know is that I am better for having experienced him. A better writer. A wider girl. More true of heart. Words make worlds. Luka knows this. His mouth is a creation story…and we are all better for it."
- Dominique Christina, National Poetry Slam Champion and two-time Women of the World Poetry Slam Champion (USA).

"Luka is the kind of poet other poets want to be. Other poets want to be honest."
- Shane Koyczan, Candian Poetry Slam Champion

"I’m not really into hip hop—I’m too old, I guess—but Luka Lesson is a sonic literary genius, and THAT is what I love.
So if he is hip hop, then I guess I love hip hop after all."
- Taylor Mali, 4-time National Poetry Slam Champion.

FEATURED PERFORMERS

TAJ

Taj, 17, arrived in Australia as a refugee from Libya at the age of 5. Currently residing on Garlimbirla, Gumbaynggirr Country, she is an advocate for climate and racial justice. Taj employs spoken word poetry as a powerful tool in her organizing efforts. Through storytelling, she aims to deconstruct colonial systems and inspire action towards justice.

TONY ROWLEY

New Zealand born Tony Rowley aka Titan Sky now calls Bellingen, Gumbaynggir country home with his young family. An acoustic guitarist with a burning passion for songwriting. Songs about life, love, and existing in this wild world. Loud lyrics & a voice like honey. You'll find him singing at festivals on the north coast or teaching his loved songwriting classes through Inspire songwriting workshops globally.

JOSEPH NEWTON

Joseph Newton. A magical musical force. He roars to make the trees shiver. In delight. His voice, hypnotising hands and stirring lyrics soothe even the weariest of souls. Sometimes one feels there are so many emotions and melodies at his lips and fingertips, that surely he cannot hold them all, let alone weave them to such divine song. But he does, and all of us seem to be held, in journeying, in memory, and in dreaming. Joys multiplied and sorrows hallowed. All are stoked and stroked and rocked in sweetest winding ways. Drawing inspiration from his love of the all things wild and his passion for story telling, Joe's songs offer an impassioned slice of contemporary roots which carry with them a message that connects deep into the soul of this generation.

CO-PRESENTED BY: JUJU

Julia Ehemann (aka Juju) is a local creative, with a background in public art projects & a passion for poetry & art. She has worked on events with the red room company including with sydney writers festival (poetry walking tours), the historic housing trust, the state library & launching the app ‘the disappearing’ mapping poetry to place in Australia. She has worked on events with poets, musicians & artists with manly jazz festival, manly arts festival & the loved & long standing manly bonfire at desire & melody poetry desire events. She works on the public art project with the bellingen readers & writers festival & is just an all round passionate creative who loves to see art in new places and forms. She is on a mission to see more Art experiences on Gumbaynggirr land. On the side she is a publishing production guru & Mum of three bright young humans.