New Chichester virtual poetry Zoom night launching

Ken explained: “For the past ten years I’ve lived in California, and in Ventura, where I lived, there is a very active poetry scene. I worked with public libraries and with the poet laureate of Ventura County, Phil Taggart, to establish open mic poetry readings in two locations in 2016. “These complemented the events that Phil was running in the city of Ventura. We gained quite a large following and when the pandemic hit we moved out of the libraries and onto Zoom.

“Interestingly our audience grew since physical location was not a factor and we had poets from much further afield join in the readings. These readings continue still but obviously with a different host!

“Now, back in Chichester since July, I am keen to establish the same virtual open mic events here and people I have contacted seem to like the idea.

“The format is quite simple. I send out a link, people connect and we can all see each other on the Zoom platform. I’ll call on people to read a poem and in the one-to-two-hour slot. Everyone will get to read at least one poem. Everyone is welcome, regardless of the stage they are at with their writing, and we have found in the past that the audience is tremendously supportive, especially of new writers and of younger authors who may be reading for the first time. Some people just turn up to listen.

“I have used Facebook to publicise the event. I am also trying to engage with students in the creative writing courses at the University of Chichester and Hugh Dunkerley, a reader in Creative Writing and Contemporary Poetry, has been very supportive.”

The first online reading will take place on January 27 at 6:30pm and the Zoom link is:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6417849483?pwd=SzlsWUVmMnBYa3pjeFI5OFBkNTZHdz09

Alternatively people can use their own link to zoom and find the meeting using the id: 641 784 9483 and passcode: 596228.

“This link should take readers to a waiting room from where I will let them in!

“I really hope that this reading can be successful and will continue throughout the duration of the current restrictions; we may be able to support one or two readings a month. After that we shall see but I hope to be able to continue a collaboration with Laurel Collishe, the owner of Wagtail Coffee and Yoga in Chichester, and take the readings indoors. Wagtail Coffee and Yoga has generously sponsored a poetry competition that runs until February 20 with the theme Locked Down but not Out and we hope for a large number of entries to the email address events@wagtailcoffee.com. Further details are online at wagtailcoffeeandyoga.com.