WA Poets Inc (WAPoets) was established in 2006 as an incorporated, not-for-profit organisation managed and operated by volunteers.
WAPoets is dedicated to the support, promotion, presentation and professional development of poets and poetry in Western Australia, and introducing Western Australian poetry to local, national and global audiences.
WAPoets has a strong commitment to promote poetry in new and innovative ways, to increase poetry audiences and to raise public awareness of the contemporary relevance of poetry. WAPoets aims to strengthen and build relationships between local, national and global arts communities.
Mission
The support, development and promotion of Western Australian poets and poetry
Goals
- Establish WA Poets Inc as the umbrella organisation for poetry activities in Western Australia
- Encourage, support and develop poets and poetry by providing competitions, readings, events and workshops locally and regionally in Western Australia
- Create inclusive and thriving community through poetry events
- Build alliances and partnerships with other local and regional poetry and art organisations
- Support diversity through mentoring and showcasing disadvantaged and marginalized poets/ voices
- Promote poetry as fostering wellness
- Increase awareness of poetry as an art form within Western Australia by including poetry in public places and spaces
- Preserve and share Western Australia’s unique poetry culture and heritage
- Collaborate with other arts and Government agencies to deliver poetry workshops and events.
- Maintain a knowledge of the market and industry of poetry
Objectives
- Organise an annual Poetry Festival
- Organise public poetry events throughout the year, independently or in conjunction with other community and writers’ groups
- Showcase members’ poetry in the e-journal Creatrix
- Encourage and foster developing and emerging poets
- Form partnerships with community groups and organisations to highlight creative connections between poetry, visual arts and other forms of media
- Liaise with national and international poets and poetry groups to form reciprocal arrangements for mutual benefit
- Develop a poetry culture in WA that will help promote local poets and improve opportunities for professional development
- Provide avenues for poets at all levels to engage with a broader public audience
- Encourage active participation by the public in local writers’ groups and expose them to the personal and social benefits of poetry writing and performance
Email:
— To email WA Poets Inc click here
Office
— Level 2, Room 23
— Bon Marche Arcade
— 80 Barrack St
— Perth WA
Office Hours
— by appointment.
Postal Address:
— 9 Bushland Rtt
— Carramar
— Western Australia. 6031
Chairperson
— Lakshmi Kanchi
Deputy Chairperson
— Samantha Melia
Secretary
— Gary De Piazzi
Treasurer
— Ian Casey
Social Media/Publicity Officer
— Scott-Patrick Mitchell
Fundraising Officer
— Lakshmi Kanchi
Committee Members
— Mar Bucknell
— Zac Cawdron
— Gillian Clark
Natalie D-Napoleon
— Mike Greenacre
Rhian Healy
Jill Taylor Neal
Lee van Niekerk
—
Associate Committee Members
— Primo Lux: Veronica Lake
— Woman Scream: Miriam Wei Wei Lo
Project Manager: Lakshmi Kanchi
Festival Director: Samantha Melia
Pathways Program Coordinator: Jill Taylor Neal
Administration: Jaya Penelope
Web and Technology Manager: Rohit Kanchi
Outline of WAPoets Structure 2024
