Australian Poetry is excited to be supporting the promotion of the new Poetry Sydney Events Newsletter, with its current February newsletter below. The newsletter will also be part of the new Poetry Sydney website, which is launching officially 23 Februrary. Go to: poetrysydney.org  Each month AP will promote a link to that month’s newsletter. The Poetry Sydney online network supports poets and poetry communities in Sydney and New South Wales. To register for the weekly readings, event and submissions Poetry Sydney Newsletter, please email: mail@poetrysydney.org

Poetry Sydney : February 2019 Poetry Events Newsletter

February 1 – February 25:     First Nations Poetry on Trains. Poetic excerpts from Red Room poets Joel Davison (Gadigal) and Jeanine Leane (Wiradjuri) with evocative artworks by First Nations artist David Cragg will brighten Sydney’s train lines until February 25. Presented by Red Room Poetry, NSW Government, Australia Council for the Arts and S & J Media. For more information see https://redroomcompany.org/projects/first-nations-poetry-trains/

February 1 – February 28:    Cookaroo Flow Art Installation at Royal Botanical Gardens. Underwater audio installation incorporates poetry written and spoken by First Nations children in traditional Aboriginal languages of Gadigal (NSW) and Western Arrernte (NT).  The installation has been created in conjunction with Red Room Poetry, City of Sydney, NASCA & NZ artist Allan Giddy.  Located at the Cunningham Pond next to the Botanical Gardens restaurant. For more information, see https://redroomcompany.org/projects/cookaroo-flow/ 

February 19:     Narellan Poetry Slam feat. Philip Wilcox (2015 Australian Poetry Slam Champion), with Sam Schroder (2018 NSW Poetry Slam Finalist) and open slam. Harry Hartog Bookseller, 326 Camden Valley Way, Shop T201- 202, Narellan, NSW. 6.30pm-9pm (slam 7pm). 3 minute limit, original work, no props, costumes; can include singing & acapella but no background music. Judges selected randomly on night. Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/narellan-poetry-slam-feat-philip-wilcox-tickets-55455449743

February 20:      Mosh Pit Open Mic Night. Hosted by Benito or Hiske. Songs, jokes, poems, performance art, etc, from 7pm. Mosh Pit, 642A King Street, Erskineville, Sydney. Free entry. BYO instrument or use house guitar. Open mic slot bookings and enquiries email moshpitopenmic@gmail.com. Discounted house red wine and pizza. *Strictly 18+ patrons only.

February 21:     Poets at Petersham Bowlo. Open mic soirée: poems, short stories, comedy, acoustic music. 6.30-9.30pm. Free entry. Petersham Bowling Club, 77 Brighton St Petersham. 5 mins walk from Petersham station. Parking in surrounding streets. Contact Mark Marusic 041 005 4756 or Barry Sargent 043 297 1710. Open sign-up on the night. Disabled access through cellar to the downstairs Green Room. See https://www.evensi.com/poets-petersham-bowlo-open-mic-soiree-77-brighton-st/286360003 

February 22:     Eminescu – 130 Years of Immortality: Symposium and Recital Celebration of Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu (Dual Language event). 3.45pm – 5pm (approx.), the Dixon room of the State Library of NSW (entry from Shakespeare Place). Poetry readings, songs and short presentations on the challenges of translating Eminescu. See https://pixel.facebook.com/events/729448450782309/.

February 23:     Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival – Girls on Key Presents Poets at Sunset. The Deck at De Salis Wines, 125 Mount Lofty Road, Nashdale NSW 2800. Guest poets: Anne Walsh, Anna Forsyth, Ali Whitelock, Paula Convery, Jenny Markwell. Doors open 6pm; reading 7.15pm, close 9pm. $40 includes meal. No open mic. Presented in association with DeSalis Wines and Orange360. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2233545333555759/; tickets: http://www.desaliswines.com.au/pages/events. For more Banjo Paterson Festival events (February 17 – 24), see https://www.visitorange.com.au/whats-on/festivals/banjo-paterson-australian-poetry-festival.

February 23:     Book launch. Launch of Tricia Dearborn’s Autobiochemistry (UWAP). 5–7 pm, Stanley Street Gallery, 1/52–54 Stanley Street, Darlinghurst. Tricia’s third collection will be launched by Benjamin Dodds, Maggie Joel, Meera Atkinson and Michele Seminara. Free entry, drinks and light refreshments provided. Wheelchair accessible. Some street parking, parking stations nearby, less than 10 minutes’ walk from Museum Station/buses at Hyde Park. RSVP: mail@stanleystreetgallery.com.au

February 24:     Book Launch. The End of the Line, the last collection of poems by the late poet, activist and former Mayor of Ashfield Rae Desmond Jones, will be launched by Rochford Press. 1.30pm, Exodus Foundation, the Burns Philp Hall, 180 Liverpool Road, Ashfield. Entry: gold coin donation to Exodus. Pre-purchase the book via sales@rochfordpress.com.

February 24:     Newcastle Poetry Reading 2019 Kick-off! Hosted by Girls On Key. The Fernery Community Space, 84 Fern Street, Islington. 4pm-6pm. Entry: $8-$10 (mobile EFTPOS available). Doors open 4pm, reading starts 4.15pm. Open mic 5 minute slots, sign-up on day. Light refreshments, wine for gold donation. Disability accessible venue. Transport: walking distance Hamilton Station. Children under 10 free; a raffle supports grassroots work with refugees and asylum seekers through Friends of Writing Through Fences. For more information see: https://www.facebook.com/events/385892538841763/

February 24:     Poetry Port Kembla Kick-off 2019 – Poets In The Round. Hosted by Girls On Key and Servo Food Truck. Servo Food Truck Bar, 6-8 Wentworth St, Port Kembla, NSW. 5pm-7pm, Reading from 5.30pm. Entry: $8-$10 cash on door. Share your original poems in three rounds. All styles and genres welcome. A great place to discuss poetry and get feedback. Drinks, snacks available; books for sale through the Poetry Portal Bookshop and a raffle for refugee charities. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/350073045575568/

February 24:     Bush Poetry and Music, presented by Willoughby Council. Celebration of Henry Lawson, Banjo Paterson and other bush poets, with guest readers and music. 5.30pm-7.30pm, Henry Lawson Cave, Bicentennial Park, Small Street, Willoughby. Free entry, tickets available. Bring a rug/cushion and own refreshments. If you wish to read a poem, ring 9777 7873 or email Diana.Bates@Willoughby.nsw.gov.au. For more information see: https://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/EventDetails.aspx?PageID=1892&eventid=5792

February 25:     Unspoken Words Poetry Book Club. Hosted by Unspoken Words & Better Read Than Dead Bookshop. 6.30pm-7.30pm, upstairs at bookshop, 265 King Street, Newtown, Sydney. Elevator access. Selected book: The Odyssey (trans. Emily Wilson). Free but register through ticketing link. Drinks, nibblies; members receive 10% off book club titles. Transport: King Street buses; walk from train station. Contact: Zachary Moore-Boyle or Emma Rose unspokenwords.festival@gmail.com

February 26:     Poets Picnic, presented by Woollahra Municipal Council. 30thPoet’s Picnic with compere Simon Marnie (ABC Radio 702) and guest poets Fiona Wright, Holly Friedlander Liddicoat, Mark Tredinnick, Geoffrey Lehmann, Toby Fitch and student performers from Ascham, Kincoppal Rose Bay, Kambala and Moriah College. Blackburn Gardens. Free entry, bring own rug. Live music from 5pm.  Poets Performances from 6-8pm. With outdoor games and activities. For more information:  https://www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/library/whats_on/poets_picnic

February 27:     Live Poets at Don Bank. Special Guest Poet Tug Dumbly performs his new book Sun Songs (Flying Island Press), plus the launch of Live Poets’ Short Fiction Cup Chapbook and an Open Section. 7.30-10.30pm approx. $10 entry includes supper and drinks.  Don Bank Cottage, 6 Napier St North Sydney (walk from station; Pacific Highway buses; some free parking after 6pm nearby). Contact: Danny Gardner 0422 263 373 or (02) 9896 6956 or dannylivepoets@yahoo.com.au.

February 28:     Seniors Poetry Slam Performance @ Lane Cove Library. 6.30-7.30pm, Lane Cove Library, Library Walk. You are invited to hear participants of the Poetry Wordshops perform their pieces. Discover who will be the Lane Cove’s Seniors Poetry Slam Champion. More information: see Lane Cove Library Events or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/seniors-poetry-slam-performance-lane-cove-library-tickets-53800354308. 

March 3:      Poetry Sydney and Art Gallery of NSW presents The Brett Whiteley Readings: Richard James Allen: Natural Disasters. 2-3pm, Brett Whiteley Studio, 2 Raper Street, Surry Hills, Sydney. Free entry. For more information see https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/calendar/poetry-sydney-2019/ or email mail@poetrysydney.org 

March 10:      Poetry At The Lake Mac Pub, presented by Blue Room Poets. 3-5pm, Lake Macquarie Hotel, 83 Dora Street, Morisset, NSW 2264 (main street of Morisset, opposite the railway station). Open mic with original work OR readings of work from other poets. Gold coin donation. Afternoon tea available. For more information, contact Linda Ireland on wordtragics@gmail.com. 

March 10:      Vanessa and Friends at El Roco. Poems by Charles Freyberg from his book Dining at the Edge (available from www.ginninderrapress.com.au or for $20 at performance). With Ross Johnson on piano, Peter Urquhart on violin. From 4pm, El Rocco Bar, 22/154 Brougham St Potts Point, Sydney. Nearest station: Kings Cross. Enquiries: text 0408928535. 

March 20:      North Sydney Poetry Project Poetry Dinner. Dinner and reading. $36 a head with $5 to NGO Westwords. 7-10pm, The Incinerator Restaurant, 2 Small St, Willoughby, Sydney. Contact Philip Porter on philippi@optusnet.com.au. Bookings only and pre-pay arrangements through bank transfer. Details given on booking. Bus access from both the city and Chatswood. Free parking near venue. See also: www.northshorepoetryproject.com

March 27:      Reading. Word Salad and South Coast Writers Centre presents visiting Scottish poet Magi Gibson. 6.30-8pm, Philanthropy Tribe Café, 151 Crown St Wollongong (in mall; see https://www.facebook.com/philanthropytribewollongong/). Entry: $10/$5 at the door. Food and coffee are available from the cafe. For more information:  https://www.facebook.com/events/389731504920371/

March 31:      Book launch. Alison Lyssa will launch Sculpting a landscape (Feakle Press), the 12th collection of poetry from Colleen Z Burke. 2.30pm for 3 pm start, Gaelic Club, 1st floor, 64 Devonshire St., Surry Hills, Sydney, just behind Central Station. Drinks available at the bar. Lift is accessed via a couple of small steps. Enquiries: 02 95573248.

POETRY SUBMISSIONS

FEBRUARY 26 (closing):   Meanjin Quarterly Journal: Submit up to three poems online, original unpublished work, via https://meanjin.com.au/about-meanjin/contribute-to-meanjin/

FEBRUARY 26 (closing):   Ibis House:  Submit up to three poems online, original unpublished work. More information, see https://subbed.in/ibishouse/666. 

FEBRUARY (ongoing):       The Bush Retreats for Eco-Writers (BREW) 10-Day Residencies. Free for writers, poets, students and artists who explore ecological themes. Applications open for five sites located on ecologically significant private properties around Australia. Details: https://thebrewnetwork.org/ 

MARCH 1 (closing):             The Australian Prose Poetry Anthology (Melbourne University Press), edited by Cassandra Atherton and Paul Hetherington. Up to four poems; all submissions MUST have been previously published. Please include a 50-word biographical note and your contact details, including address, email and phone number. Enquiries, submissions: prosepoetryanthologymup@gmail.com 

MARCH 1 (opening):         Other Terrain Journal and Backstory Journal (Swinburne University, Melbourne). The theme for the next issue of both journals is: ‘#WeToo: Rewriting the narratives of the patriarchy’. Past contributors include Judith Beveridge, Michael Farrell, Anne Elvey, Lizz Murphy, Richard James Allen. See: http://www.otherterrainjournal.com.au/category/genres/poetry/ and http://www.backstoryjournal.com.au/category/issues/issue-six/

MARCH 4 (closing, 5pm):     The Red Room Poetry Fellowship. Applications open exclusively to poets previously commissioned by Red Room Poetry. There is no cost to apply. The successful Fellow will receive: stipend, commission, two week residency at Bundanon Trust, paid employment, travel assistance and more. See: https://redroomcompany.org/projects/fellowship/

MARCH 8 (closing, 5pm):     2018 Anne Elder Award: National, annual award for a sole-authored first book of poetry of 20-minimum pages in length, published in Australia. Books published between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2018 are eligible for entry. See https://www.australianpoetry.org/australian-poetry-publications/australian-poetry-announces-the-2018-anne-elder-award-call-out/

MARCH 11 (closing):          Woollahra Literary Digital Award: Poetry. 
Works of poetry published in the first instance online or in an electronic format that can be accessed on a computer, tablet or mobile device. The maximum word count is 3,000 words, or 100 lines, whichever is greater. There is no minimum word count. See https://www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/library/whats_on/digital_literary_award

MARCH 31: (closing):        Eucalypt: a tanka journal Issue 26. Submit up to 6 tanka, original, unpublished. See http://www.eucalypt.info/E-submit.html

MARCH 31 (closing):         Mascara Journal: Issue 23: Class Fetish. Send 3-5 previously unpublished poems and a short bio in a single Microsoft Word doc as an attachment, labelled with your name, to submissions@mascarareview.com. Details: http://mascarareview.com/submit 

MARCH 31 (closing):         The Best Australian Science Writing (9th Edition): Up to 3 previously published poems, Australian residents/citizens only. Enquiries and submissions: scienceprize@newsouthpublishing.com. More information: http://www.newsouthpublishing.com/articles/best-australian-science-writing-2019/. 

APRIL 12 (closing):           RABBIT Journal is currently accepting submissions of nonfiction poetry for Issue 28: The POLITICS Issue, to be guest co-edited by Alan Wearne and Ella O’Keefe. Send up to 3 poems (short or long) in one document. See: http://rabbitpoetry.com/?page_id=35

MAY 5 (closing):               Cordite Journal Issue 91: NO THEME VIII, with poetry guest-edited by Nathan Curnow. Online submissions close at 11.59pm today. Submit up to 3 poems (prose, comics, visual, concrete) or works of micro-fiction (500 words maximum). See http://cordite.org.au/submissions/

MAY 31 (closing):            Growing Up Disabled Anthology, published by Black Inc. Books: Call for submissions from all writers in Australia who identify as disabled, deaf or chronically ill (under the social model of disability). Edited by blogger/author/activist Carly Findlay. Poems up to 70 lines accepted if based on lived experience. See  https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/news/call-submissions-growing-disabled-australia