Oct 24, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Lawson Flats

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Event photo by Philela Singama

Join us for a captivating night of poetry reading at Lawson Flats, featuring the poet Sihle Ntuli, alongside Vuma Phiri, Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’, Rafeif Ismail, Taonga Sendama and John Mateer.

This event promises to be a celebration of the richness and diversity of African poetry. Join us for an evening filled with powerful readings, insightful discussions, and a chance to connect with fellow lovers of literature.

Don’t miss this opportunity to witness these extraordinary poets and immerse yourself in the world of African literature! We look forward to sharing this unforgettable experience with you!

Sihle Ntuli is a poet, classicist and editor from Durban, South Africa and a recipient of the 2024 Patricia Kailis International Writing Fellowship. He received his MA in Classical Civilisations from Rhodes University, where he briefly lectured Classics at the University of the Free State and the University of Johannesburg. His writing has been supported by the Johannesburg Institute of Advanced Studies Fellowship in South Africa and the Centre for Stories in Australia through the Patricia Kailis Fellowship. He also served as the editor-in-chief of South Africa’s oldest literary magazine New Contrast in 2023. He is a 2024 Best of the Net poetry winner and a Pushcart prize nominee. His poems have appeared in ADDA stories, Poetry Wales, Poetry Ireland Review, Poetry London, and elsewhere.

The Patricia Kailis International Writing Fellowship aims to ‘support the work of talented individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to ideas and practices that foster belonging and better cross-cultural understanding’, ‘deepen and broaden the literary culture in Western Australia’, and offer Western Australian emerging writers access to writers of international reputation.

TICKETS

This event is free, but spaces are limited. Make sure to reserve your spot early to secure your place!

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LOCATION AND TRANSPORT

The event will be held at Lawson Flats 4 Sherwood Ct, Perth WA 6000. Lawson Flats is accessible for all mobility aids (wheelchairs, walking frames and scooters), prams, and assistance and guide dogs.

Lawson Flats is located on the main Perth city bus route of St Georges Terrace. The closest parking is City of Perth Parking (CPP) at 27 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000.

PHOTOGRAPHY CONSENT

This event may be photographed. By registering for a ticket, you confirm you are giving consent for any photos and recordings to be used by Centre for Stories materials and communications. If you do not wish to be photographed, you must contact us at info@centreforstories.com.

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  Sihle Ntuli

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  Sihle Ntuli is a poet, classicist and editor from Durban, South Africa and a recipient of the 2024 Patricia Kailis International Writing Fellowship. He received his MA in Classical Civilisations from Rhodes University, where he briefly lectured Classics at the University of the Free State and the University of Johannesburg. His writing has been supported by the Johannesburg Institute of Advanced Studies Fellowship in South Africa and the Centre for Stories in Australia through the Patricia Kailis Fellowship. He also served as the editor-in-chief of South Africa’s oldest literary magazine New Contrast in 2023. He is a 2024 Best of the Net poetry winner and a Pushcart prize nominee. His poems have appeared in ADDA stories, Poetry Wales, Poetry Ireland Review, Poetry London, and elsewhere.

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  Vuma Phiri

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  As a young woman living in Perth, Vuma has always found herself engaging with the stories around her as a form of entertainment, learning and to gain empathy. Her life began in storytelling, from the origin of her name, to living with parents who collect novels to add to their bookshelves at home. Migrating to Australia at the age of 7, Vuma has always felt disconnected to the stories from her home country, Zambia, and from the African continent overall. Vuma created her Instagram book account, @diaspora_reader, in 2019, to share reviews and recommendations for books she has read. In deciding she wants to read more from African authors, Vuma is hoping to bring other avid readers alongside her, so we can learn and share the works of Africa’s finest writers.

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  Rafeif Ismail

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  Rafeif Ismail is an award-winning, multilingual, emerging  Central Sudanese creative living as a settler-refugee in Boorloo, Western Australia. Rafeif is deeply committed to creating diverse works, spaces, and ethical storytelling with a practice that includes poetry, prose, theatre, and screenwriting. Rafeif's work has been translated and published in anthologies and literary magazines across Australia and internationally. Rafeif is the current Managing Director of Djed Press, a FNPOC literary platform, and co-founder of Long Trek Press, a speculative fiction publication. Rafeif is the 2023 Marten Bequest Scholar for Prose.

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  Mohammed 'Ayo Busari'

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  Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari’ is a Nigerian-born creative based in Boorloo, known for his diverse roles as a Creative Producer, Curator, Disability Support Worker, Writer, and Performer. With a background in Journalism & Media (BA Hons) from the University of Hertfordshire (UK) and a Master’s in Screen Arts from Curtin University (WA), Ayo is committed to continual growth as an artist. Since co-founding The Outsiders theatre group in early 2021, he has made significant contributions as a co-producer, writer, and performer, notably in shows like "An Evening of African Poetry & Storytelling" at The Blue Room Theatre and PICA. Ayo is also an active performer of poetry and live music, showcasing his work across various platforms and stages including Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle Town Hall, State Theatre Centre of WA, Story Lounge – Centre For Stories, Pigeonhole, Cool Change Contemporary, Paper Mountain, The Rechabite, Freo Social and more. His writing and visuals have appeared in multiple publications, including the second print edition of Pulch Mag (WA) and various online outlets like Grok Magazine (WA), Trident Media (UK), Lucid Lemons (Nigeria), Awe Lagos (Nigeria), and Native Mag (UK & Nigeria). Ayo embraces a multidisciplinary approach to creativity, exploring different art forms and genres. In addition to his artistic pursuits, he serves on the boards of the Western Australian Youth Theatre Company (WAYTCo) and Regional Arts WA, further contributing to the cultural landscape of the region.

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  Taonga Sendama

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• John Mateer

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  John Mateer is a poet, writer and art-curator. His works have been published in Australia and elsewhere. They include books of poems, essays and reviews, a prose travelogue on Indonesia and an experimental fiction about the founding of the Malay community on the Coco-Keeling Islands. For more than two decades he has published criticism on contemporary art. He curated the exhibitions In Confidence for Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts and Invisible Genres for the John Curtin Gallery. His poetry collections include Southern Barbarians, which was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, Emptiness: Asian Poems 1998–2012, and Unbelievers, or ‘The Moor’, which was published in Portuguese and German-language editions, and also João: sonnets, the first volume of a two-volume work. His latest book, That Nostalgia, is an overview of twenty one years of travel. As an editor, he prepared issue 10 of Portside Review last year. In it he showcased recent poetry, prose and visual art from South Africa.

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