Word Travels

 Empowers

  people internationally to write and perform their own poems, stories, lyrics and monologues. 

 Represents

  spoken-word artists, poets, hip hop artists, storytellers and monologists. 

 Presents

  in schools, theatres, festivals, youth centres, libraries, galleries and companies.

 Produces

  the 'Australian Poetry Slam', 'Spoken Four', 'The Rumble', the 'Macquarie University Poetry Slam', school

  shows and Wordshops.

 Partners

  with the Sydney Theatre Company, Art Gallery of NSW, State Libraries, Regional, Libraries, Macquarie   University, Sydney Writers Festival, Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (Indonesia), Copyright Agency   Limited, the Bookworm International Literary Festival (China) and many more.

 About Us

  Word Travels is a not for profit arts

  association that organises literary and

  literacy events for libraries, schools,

  festivals and cultural institutions. We are

  incorporated as The International

  Performing Writers Association.

  We believe that spoken-word artists, poets,

  hip hop artists, story-tellers and

  monologists can develop an

  industry equal to that of actors, musicians

  and writers.

  Our main objective is to inspire people to

  tell their stories in creative ways, primarily

  through live performance. 

  We develop, organise and host wordshops

  and events around Australia with a focus on

  developing new writers in both urban and

  regional areas. Our largest program is the

  national Australian Poetry Slam. The Slam reaches out to spoken word artists across Australia and gets them

  involved in a national competion. The Slam touches rural and urban communities inspiring a love of poetry

  and catapulting many spoken word artists into the international scene. ____________________________________________________  

Word History

 Word Travels was started by Miles Merrill in 2007. After working for 11 years performing his own stories,

 poems and monolgues, Merrill decided to offer opportunities to artists with similiar passions and abiltiies. 

Postcard for the Sydney Poetry Slam 2005                                                                                                     

Word Travels formed as a not for profit while Merrill worked with The State Library of NSW. A number of

spoken-word projects were born out this collaboration. Merrill needed to build an organisation to include

mutliple stakeholders and separate large group programs from his personal artistic career.    

From 2005-2009, the library assisted Word Travels in setting up Australia's first national poetry slam. In 2008,

Word Travels also produced Night Words, Australia's first spoken-word festival at the Sydney Opera House.

In June 2010, Word Travels incorporated as not-for-profit association.

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We empower Australians to tell their own stories.

Priorities

Word Travels have established five key priority areas:   

1. Exploration: Assist the literary arts community to experiment with and define spoken-word art forms.

2. Education and Training: Career guidance for writer-performers to manage and develop their creative and     professional practice. Inspire young people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to use     performance as an alternative to publishing.

3. Artistic Development: Provide opportunities for performing writers to show their work and offer their skills     to emerging talent.

4. Audience Development: Building audiences in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region for performances by     writers through multimedia, marketing, publicity and relationships with professional venues cultural     organisations.

5. Industry Development: Provide a network for local and international performing writers to link with artist     managements, agents, distributors, cultural institutions, festivals, venues and funding bodies.

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Beliefs

• People build personal strength and confidence through creative expression.  

• Communities build strength through unified creative expression.    

• Artists are catalysts for change.  

• An artist performing live for you and speaking with you is extremely valuable.

• Respect, explore, engage and attempt to understand a variety of cultures, languages and beliefs.  

• Responsibilty and accountability in dealing with clients, artists, staff and the community.