It’s human nature to stretch, to go, to see, to understand. Exploration is not a choice, really; it’s an imperative.

(Michael Collins/Astronaut/Gemini 10/Apollo11)

Saturday 20 July this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Moon Landings. Apples and Snakes are launching a national programme of events inspired by this event, and by exploration in general. We are looking for 5 female-identifying or non-binary poets in the North of England to commission for our Deranged Poetesses event on Saturday 20 JULY 2019, at ARC Stockton. Artists are asked to respond to the theme of Space/Exploration, and the Michael Collins quote above, in whatever way they wish.

The format of Deranged Poetesses is inspired by PechaKucha. Poets are asked to perform their work to the accompaniment of a Power Point slideshow. The performance must be timed to last for 40 image slides x 20 seconds each (approximately 13 minutes). The poems used may be written specifically for the performance, or can be existing work re-configured to respond to the theme.

Performances may be anything from an academic presentation to live/performance art; the images may provide illustrations to specific points or act as a visual backdrop to create atmosphere – and all points in between. We’re interested in variety of content and style, from the lyrical and literary to the humorous, the experimental, and the highly performative. You may use audio, props, persona, etc.

The fee is £150 plus travel and accommodation costs.

To apply, please send a proposal by email to [email protected] by noon on TUESDAY 21 MAY 2019. Your proposal MUST include:

  • A description of your proposed piece, including a title
  • Up to 3 example poems as text
  • Up to 3 links to video and/or audio of you performing your work
  • At least 3 example images to give a sense of your piece’s visual aesthetic
  • A short professional biog
  • A high-resolution photo of yourself

Concerned or confused about the format? We are here to help! You can call Kirsten on 07585 223 162 during her working hours, which are 10am-6pm Tuesday-Thursday. She is available to talk through any aspect of your proposal.