A sold-out beginners’ workshop to be held at USC Sunshine Coast this Saturday 17 August will launch a series of events showcasing spoken word performance, as part of the 2019 Sunshine Coast Horizon Festival.

USC Creative Industries academics Robin (Archie) Archbold, who also has a USC Master of Professional Practice (Creative Writing), and PhD graduate Nycole Prowse will nurture aspiring poets and storytellers at the workshop on campus at Sippy Downs.

“It’s designed as an introduction to this exciting lyrical form and anyone feeling confident after the workshop may enter a heat to qualify for one of 10 spots in the grand final of the Bunker Spoken Word Series,” Dr Prowse said.

The series is produced by the Bunker Collective, a collaboration between arts organisations Writers Republic and Peripheral Arts. Dr Prowse is director of Peripheral Arts.

Heats will be held at various venues on 26 and 28 August before the final at the Imperial Hotel, Eumundi, on Saturday 31 August from 2.30pm.

Guest performer at the final in Eumundi will be 2018 Australian Poetry Slam Champion, Melanie Mununggurr-Williams, who will also lead a masterclass workshop on 29 August in Maroochydore.

USC is sponsoring the series, including cash prizes for the final. Academics Dr Melanie Myers, Dr Ginna Brock and Dr Clare Archer-Lean will be involved as judges.

For details or registrations go to Horizon Festival.