Poetry at the Heart of Community

Art as a Catalyst: A one-day seminar on Fostering Environmental Action & Building Communities Through Creative Expression

Date: Friday, 11th October 2024

Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Location: The Wetlands Centre Cockburn, 184 Hope Rd Bibra Lake.

About the Event:

Step into a day where art and nature meet, blending creativity with environmentalism. Poetry at the Heart of Community brings together a dynamic mix of workshops, discussions, poetry performances, and exhibits that celebrate how artistic expression shapes and strengthens our communities.

The humanities, especially poetry, foster emotional connections that science alone often cannot, inspiring deeper community engagement and environmental stewardship. By making environmental issues personal, art motivates long-term behavioural change and cultivates a sense of responsibility toward the natural world. This program's presenters bring a wealth of lived experience and have made a significant impact through their work in this space. Their insights will offer immense value to anyone involved in art, community building, or environmental action, making this workshop a meaningful opportunity for those looking to deepen their engagement.

This special event is part of the Perth Poetry Festival, sponsored by Bendigo Bank and supported by WA Poets Inc.

Schedule:

Morning Walk + Writing Exercises + Meditation
Begin the day with a refreshing walk and exercises to stimulate creativity, followed by a moment of reflection.

Morning Tea
Light refreshments will be provided.

Workshops

Cultivating Calm Through Poetry with Melissa Domiati
Approaching Radical Alterity with Nandi Chinna
Exploring Place and Memory with Liana Joy Christensen

Lunch: A light lunch will be provided.

Poetry Readings and Performances
Enjoy a series of performances from our featured poets, sharing works that connect art, community, and the environment.

Open Mic
A space for attendees to share their own poetry with the group.

Exhibition + Afternoon Tea
View the art and poetry from the Roe 8 protests, a powerful reminder of environmental activism.

Closing Remarks: Final words of thanks and reflection from Laksh and Ana.

Presenter Bios

Melissa Domiati is a poet and educator based in Boorloo (Perth), passionate about helping others share their authentic voices. She began writing poetry in childhood, inspired by the natural world around her, particularly the paperbark trees that surrounded her ancestral farm. A near-death experience marked a turning point in her life, leading her to write about women’s empowerment, love, loss, and inner growth. Her collection Flowers from the Farm, published in 2024, became a global bestseller. Melissa has performed at events worldwide, including The Bowery Poetry Club in New York, and regularly leads workshops at Perth City Farm. She believes poetry offers a way to distill life’s challenges into moments of beauty and reflection. Her poem Paperbark, a reflection on her mother’s dementia, was highly commended at the 2024 Perth Poetry Festival. Melissa’s roots in the Wetlands Centre and her deep connection to nature continue to inspire her work and teaching.
Nandi Chinna works as a research consultant, creativity facilitator, and poet based on unceded Aboriginal land in Boorloo (Perth) and Bunuba lands in Fitzroy Crossing, WA. Her poetry is driven by a determination to craft creative works that respond to the ecologies and histories tied to specific places. She is the author of four poetry collections, including The Future Keepers, which was shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Award in 2020 and highly commended in the Victorian Premier’s Prize in 2019. Nandi was awarded the 2021 Western Australian Premier’s Writing Fellowship, and her latest publication, Tossed up by the Beak of a Cormorant, is a collaboration with Nyikina Elder Anne Poelina, published by Fremantle Press in 2024.
Liana Joy Christensen Liana Joy Christensen is a writer, poet, dancer, and activist. She is a veteran of both the Farrington Road and the Beeliar Campaigns. She was the original editor of Landscope magazine, and her poetry and prose has been published in international literary journals and anthologies. She has won many local and national awards and been shortlisted for the Newcastle Poetry Prize. She is the author of Deadly Beautiful and two poetry collections: Wild Familiars and Unnatural History.
Colin Young is a poet captivated by the complexities of society, from politics and identity to environmental concerns. He writes not only serious poetry but also satirical pieces to provoke thought and inspire change. With a background in ancient Greek literature, Colin brings a unique perspective to his poetry, blending mythology with modern issues like social media, misinformation, and the erasure of history. His poem Lean on Me won first prize in the Creatrix Award in 2020. Colin's poetry offers a voice to the voiceless and encourages empathy through alternative viewpoints and monologues. His first collection, Between Stations, was published in 2022. As a participant in WAPI’s Emerging Poets Program (2019-2021), Colin developed his craft alongside fellow poets, exploring different themes and techniques, which continues to shape his work.
Lakshmi Kanchi, pen name SoulReserve, is an emerging Western Australian poet of Indian descent. Her poetry explores love and its tumultuousness, fantasy, and zest in nature. Her writing anatomises the complex linkages between history, language, culture, and perception. Lakshmi is the Chairperson of WA Poets Inc. and Deputy Chair of Creative Connections. Her debut collection Lakesong was published by Centre for Stories in collaboration with Red River Press (New Delhi). She won the 2023 Ros Spencer Poetry Prize and the 2021 Pocketry Prize for Unpublished Poets and was shortlisted for the Grief Poetry Prize 2024 and SCWC Wollongong’s Poetry Prize twice in 2022 & 2023. Her poetry appears in Australian Poetry Anthology, Social Alternatives, Portside Review, Burrow Journal, The Saltbush Review, Blue Bottle Journal, and more. As the inaugural Poet-in-Residence at The Wetlands Centre (2022-23), she worked on her mission of “making poetry accessible to everyone in the wider community.”

Book Now!

Be sure to reserve your place today and be part of this unique convergence of art, community, and environmental action.