Bunker Spoken Word Series – Horizon Festival 2019

Bunker Spoken Word Series & Horizon Festival present Speaking Out Loud for Horizon Festival.

Fresh from the International Writers’ Festival in Canada performer, writer and winner of the 2018 Australian Poetry Slam, Melanie Mununggurr-Williams arrives on the Sunshine Coast this August as part of the Bunker Spoken Word’s signature event series, presented in partnership with Horizon Festival.

For the past few years, the Bunker Collective have been building a local platform for the celebration of spoken word through performance poetry and storytelling. Featuring some of the best Australian and international touring performers, these events have garnered a strong following among audiences and performing artists alike. Their signature series for Horizon Festival will again involve workshops for beginners and more established writers and performers, feature artists and competitive heats as part of their annual spoken word competition - with a $500 cash prize on offer to the winner of the Grand Final.

Melanie Mununggurr-Williams, Australia’s first Indigenous Poetry Slam Champion will be performing as a guest artist at the Grand Final at the Imperial Hotel in Eumundi as well as offering a masterclass workshop for the August series.

“I’m really looking forward to being able to shed light on indigenous Australian issues, especially what Aboriginal women and children are going through in Australia today. I don’t think the world knows enough about us. It feels amazing to be given the opportunity to go to other countries now and say this is Aboriginal Australia, I am a proud Aboriginal woman.” She said.

Tickets for the Grand Final are hot property and the past two years have sold out as performers try their luck at the cash prizes and audiences rally around to support and be entertained.

"Spoken Word gives everyone a voice and I think that resonates with both performers and audiences. Due to the sell-out success of the past two years, we have moved the final into the Brewery space upstairs this year to allow for more people and more comfortable seating for the audience. We can’t wait to fill it!" - Toni Wills, Co-Producer of the Collective

Competitors will vye for a spot in the final through competitive heats held in Maroochydore and Maleny the week of the festival. Guest performers at the heats include Loki Liddle from Alternator Poetry Gold Coast and the 2018 Bunker Champion, Huda Fadlelmawla.

Co-Producer of the Collective, Dr Nycole Prowse said the Bunker Spoken Word program has been years in the making:

"The Sunshine Coast is really starting to get behind spoken word as an art form. We’re really proud to have created this all-inclusive environment for both emerging and established storytellers and poets," Nycole said.

All media/interview requests: toni@peripheralarts.com.au

Spoken Word Beginners Workshop
Feat. Robin Archbold & Dr Nycole Prowse
Saturday 17th August 2019

Heat 1
Loki Liddle Live
Monday 26th August 2019

Heat 2
Sarah’s Unplugged: 31 Maple Street, Maleny
Huda Fadlelmawla Live
Wednesday 28th August 2019

Spoken Word Masterclass
Feat. Melanie Mununggurr-Williams
Thursday 29th August 2019

The Bunker Grand Final
Melanie Mununggurr-Williams Live
Saturday 31st August 2019