Ritual Flash Residencies with Syntax Poetry
Syntax Poetry is pleased to announce 13 one-day ‘flash’ residency opportunities for poets / spoken word performers as part of our ‘Ritual’ programme which is a year long project examining what rituals we have lost in the last year, grief and being at the mercy of powers that are outside of ourselves and what can we do now to heal ourselves and our communities.
Rituals are defined by these terms in the dictionary, the established form for a ceremony, specifically the order of words prescribed for a ceremony, a ritual observance. These are types of rituals, funerals, weddings, baby showers, festivals and wearing things for luck, or the thing we always like to do on repeat that makes life better, eg. We always have fish and chips on a Friday/ every Saturday I meet my friends for coffee in Queensgate. What ritual have you missed in Lockdown and are you re-establishing it at the moment.
These residencies are a way of contemplating what this has meant in the wake of the pandemic, what rituals are being re -established & what rituals give us comfort. The aim of these residencies is to reach and engage new audiences in poetry and to create new work and record experiences of individuals and communities and how they are thriving and surviving.
What is a Flash residency?
It's a chance for a poet or spoken word artist to be resident in a venue of their choice for a day, (Peterborough Based) this can be anywhere from a tattoo parlour, coffee shop, community centre, chicken shop, mosque, ice-rink etc. The more diverse and less arts based the options the better as Syntax believes in taking poetry and spoken word to diverse audiences with the idea that great poetry and good stories are everywhere, just waiting to be captured.
The poets who are successful will self nominate the venue, so if you have always wanted to take over your local corner shop this is a commission for you. On that one day residency, the poet would create new written / performative work.
Please visit Syntax’s website to see previous flash residencies at: https://syntaxpoetryfestival.wordpress.com/
The work produced as part of these residencies will also feature in a zine that culminates the whole project in January 2022.
There will be a launch event for the Zine in April 2022 and there will be a chance for live performances of the poems at this event.
When do the flash residencies take place?
The residencies will take place throughout August to December, the dates are to be confirmed with the successful poets, residency coordinator and venues where appropriate.
What Syntax expects from a Flash Residency?
There isn’t a fixed format to the residencies – we expect each poet will bring their own interpretation to the residency. Informal engagement of people in and around the venues is crucial e.g. through informal chats.
The expectation is that you will create a short 2 – 3 minute piece that can be read / performed to camera and shared via social media on the day of the flash residency or shortly after.
These residencies and the work produced from them will be featured in a zine that will be created in Spring 2022. Updates and work created from each of the residencies will also be shared on Instagram through short video, audio or text posts and you will be supported by the Syntax Residency Coordinator and also Poet in Residence of Peterborough Lido, Keely Mills.