Tomorrow night (21st November – how did it get so late in the year already?!) is the Season’s Finale of the Canterbury Poets’ Collective Spring Poetry in Performance Readings series. And the special guest readers are … the winners of the Open Mic, as chosen by the audience! Yay!
I think it’s a really nice touch, this. Back when the readings were held in the Madras Cafe Bookshop, the winner and runner-up got book vouchers, which was great. But in many ways this is even better – perform well, and win the opportunity of reading again, but this time for a much longer slot. A chance to prove that your win was no fluke, and to stand up there feeling proud. A bit like a poetry slam, but less aggressively competitive. And with multiple winners.
There will still be an open mic for the first half of the evening, although I don’t think there’s a vote on this one. 
Then your Official Guest Readers are (drumroll please):
Teoti Jardine
James Norcliffe
Rosa Hughes-Currie
Jane Simpson
Justine de Spa
Jeni Curtis
Catherine Fitchett
Sarah Amaziannia
Phoebe Wright
Marisa Cappetta
(For those of you who are wondering why poet X isn’t on the list, a couple of winners chose not to take part. Life has a habit of getting in the way at this time of year.)
Bring your friends, bring your workmates, bring anyone who could use a dose of culture (and who can’t?). Hooray!
A Dark Feathered Art 