By Mel Cooke, Freelance WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
FACED WITH dwindling intake as attendance for Tuesday night poetry at Weekenz Bistro and Bar, Constant Spring Road, St. Andrew fell, the weekly gatherings were suspended at the end of August.
The four-week break comes to an end next Tuesday, says the event's host, Connie Bell, of Voice Productions, which stages the weekly gatherings.
Andrew Miller and Sage are among the poets invited to present next week.
"It is largely funded by Voice and it was not making much money. We thought to reassess it," she said.
"It is poetry, not dancehall or reggae," she said, in stating the difficulties of marketing the event. "Because it demands more in terms of listening, in terms of consciousness, it does not appeal to the masses.
HARD TO SUSTAIN
"It is a hard package to sustain. It is a package that is being sustained every week," she said, noting that this is far different from putting on an annual event, for example.
There will be some changes though, as Voice seeks to attract more persons.
"We are going to start the programme a little later," Bell said, noting that as it is a weekday event, many people will want to take an after-work breather before going out. The new start time is 9:30 p.m., half-hour later than previously.
There will also be books on sale, with literature from Mutabaruka's store being in stock next week. "We will be having books that you may not get in the stores and people can come out to meet the authors," Bell said.
The night's line-up, complete with time slots, will be posted outside the venue and "It is hoped that when people see what is going on they will be more motivated to come inside."
STEADY HOUSE BAND
In addition, it is hoped that
a steady house band will
eventually be in place.
The poetry format, with guest poets being allowed about 20 minutes and persons doing open microphone asked to keep it short. The admission price of $250 also stays the same.
Connie Bell said that there
are some plans for the remaining months until Christmas,
including trying to get an
internationally noted poet to
perform. There will also be a one-day, all-day workshop, which will include discussions on topics such as copyright, as well as performances. There will be another poetry competition, following the 'Poetry Klash' which Ishion Hutchinson won just before the suspension.
"It is a really hard market," Bell emphasised, saying "We
are definitely looking to get funding."
There is always the possibility that the audiences will not pick up. If so, "My spirit will still continue," Bell says. This is so even if the event will have to be downgraded to once monthly.
"It is my dream to have a
consistent poetry
people from all over the island and abroad can come to and have an audience for their poetry, even if it is two people. I have been doing it for five years and it started out as something small, at my yard, so even if it has to go back to that.
"It is part of our culture. We have to keep it alive," Connie Bell said.
