FReeZA Open Mic in Bairnsdale
On a chilly Thursday night on 11 June 2009, FReeZA held an Open Mic Night in the warmth of the Community College at Bairnsdale.
This was the first Open Mic Night to be organised for young people and even though the crowd was small, it was very enthusiastic. The aim was to see if more Open Mic Nights could be held so that more and more youth could be given the opportunity to share their own work and to promote and inspire creativity among our own generation and the community.
Writing poetry is really just half of the fun. For poetry to be fully appreciated it needs to be spoken from person to person, just like it was done many years ago in the times of Homer and Antimachus. It is a means of communication derived from our ancestors, therefore it should be still practised today.
So what is an Open Mic Night? Open mic nights are a fun way to be bold and get up in front of people to read out or recite any of your own original work in any genre, whether it be:
- Poem
- Song
- Short story
- Memoir
- Written thoughts and experiences
The evenings are aimed to be relaxed and enjoyable, to encourage young people to have a go and to get something out of it.
There are usually prizes and recognition involved, as well as the satisfaction of having your work heard by others. And for those of you who are apprehensive about reading your work, there is the option of staying anonymous and having someone read it out for you.
Like on Thursday night, there are people there to give helpful feedback. They are also happy to share their own experiences and knowledge on writing and sharing. Having those people there also means they can answer any questions you have about writing techniques, getting published and ways you can improve.
Bill Cotter, Ashley Capes and Annette Salton, local writers who were present on the evening, were happy to give answers to any questions that were asked.
It is hoped that these events will not only promote young people in rural areas, but that they will also attract youth to help organise the events. If there are more people helping behind the scenes, then events like this one can become more common and expanded.
For more information about getting involved, you can call Tina Day at the Bairnsdale Shire on 5153 9500.
For more about FReeZA, check out www.freeza.vic.gov.au.
Articles Written by Melody
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