Common Ground Online is a space for young people of all faiths and cultural backgrounds to come together with spoken word and poetry as a medium for individual expression, dialogue, interaction friendship and mutual understanding.

In 2020, we are finding creative solutions to bring together young people (15 years and over) from diverse cultures and faiths during these tough times. Common Ground is partnering with the Cities of Brimbank and Casey to engage participants in a set of 8 free online workshops during October and November and a performance outcome in December.

Previous experience of spoken word is not a requirement.

Key Dates:
• Recruitment: August – September 2020
• Online sessions: 8 Online sessions will be facilitated by two well-known spoken artists 8th October – 26th November (Thursdays at 6pm-8pm)
• Performance Outcome: (location TBC)

To attend Common Ground 2020 Online, please submit your expression of interest below.

The facilitators for the Common Ground Online workshops are;

SORETTI KADIR

Soretti Kadir is a multi-disciplinary Oromo-Muslim storyteller, facilitator and activist. Over the last 5 years, Soretti has worked with, written for, performed at, spoken at, lead a workshop or facilitated a conversation with a diverse number of platforms and organisations including Spotify talks, Ascension magazine, Melbourne writers festival, The Wheelers Centre and many more. A captivating storyteller both on the stage and on the page, Soreti has performed solo and collaboratively across mediums, with poetry being her specialty. She has authored two books of poetry, released multimedia work independently and collaboratively, her work featured across the country and on occasion, internationally.

Image credit: Soretti Kadir. Photograph by The Photo Studio.

JOEL MCKERROW

Joel McKerrow is an award winning writer, speaker, educator, creativity specialist and, having performed for hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world, is one of Australia’s most successful, internationally touring, performance poets. Based out of Melbourne, Australia he is the Artist Ambassador for the aid and development organisation ‘TEARFUND Australia’ and was the co-founder of community arts organisation, ‘The Centre for Poetics and Justice’ (2010-2013). Joel was the third ever Australian representative at the Individual World Poetry Slam Championships in the USA (2012), is a TEDx speaker/performer, a successful play-wright and is a co-founder/host of the The Deep Place: On Creativity and Spirituality Podcast. He has four published books and four spoken word/music albums.

From The Justice Conference to The Global Health Conference; from the ITEC education conference to the Greenbelt Festival (UK); from the Sydney Opera House to the Metropolis (Montreal); from Melbourne’s Townhall, Exhibition Centre, Atheneum and Forum theatres to the renowned Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York City, Joel has captivated audiences with both his speaking and his performance poetry throughout Australia, NZ, USA, Canada, Europe and the UK. On stage he has performed alongside such poetry greats as Anis Mojgani, Shane Koyczan, Propaganda, Sarah Kay, Phil Kaye, Ken Arkind, Buddy Wakefield, Mahogany Brown, Jive Poetic, Carrie Rudzinski and Luka Lesson.

For enquiries, contact Common Ground Coordinator, Ajit Singh: ajit@mav.org.au

Image: Common Ground Showcase, as part of Mapping Melbourne 2017, photo by Damian W Vincenzi