Poetry Zone ZA and Soweto Theatre have partnered to present: The Brave Spoken Youth Poetry Mentorship Program. The initiative is aimed at creating an accessible youth development poetry platform with a core focus on the nurturing of young emerging poets. The program also aims to cultivate a youth spoken word culture as a way of addressing the underrepresentation of young and marginalized voices in South Africa’s spoken word scene.
“We are bridging the gap between teenagers and the spoken word landscape that has long excluded their dynamic voices on advanced poetry stages, especially during this time when the COVID19 pandemic has disrupted their academic careers. This is a program they can turn to, to voice their concerns and frustrations, to address their challenges, and to develop creative solutions through poetry” said Poetry Zone ZA founder, Mandi Vundla.
The two entities hope to shine a spotlight on the importance of young voices, using poetry as a tool for creativity and engagement. We hope to encourage self-expression among young people while building a literary culture and a platform that advocates for social change, one poem at a time.
The program consists of poetry workshops and a safe open mic to harness their poetic voices and to amplify feelings and thoughts long withheld. The program is facilitated by established industry experts and is open to youth between the ages of 13-21. The program is free and will run at the Soweto Theatre on the 7th, 12th & 19th of May 2021, from 15:00 – 18:00. The Brave Spoken Youth Program is supported by the department of Sports, Arts and Culture and the National Arts Council.
GUIDELINES TO REGISTER FOR THE POETRY WORKSHOPS AND OPEN MIC