Poetry Giants: It's Bigger, Better Poetry.
We all have role models that help us pick our purpose and shape our identities, these role models are the heroes in our stories and we aspire to be like them. They pave the way and guide us, we are here because they dared to dream.
In my case, it was poetry giants like Tumi & The Volumes and Don Mattera that helped me discover my purpose.
As a youngster deeply in love with literature, dealing with a frustrating lack of opportunities, and platforms to explore and showcase my talent, and my family’s painful disregard for poetry. I needed someone successful to validate my choice of career, a reason to rebel against the engineer or miner path that stood menacingly in the way of what I wanted to do.
When I first discovered these Poetry Giants, my whole world changed, my path became clearer. There was a world for me out there, and I pledged to myself to discover and innovate it if need be.
In a creative world that gets more competitive by the day, what can we do to make sure that Poetry Giants are endorsed and young emerging poets have role models to look up to?
For the sustainability of the art form, how can we make the journey of Poetry Giants beneficial for stakeholders within and outside the creative sector?
Let’s look at some of the most inspirational Poetry Giants journeys, our very own Xabiso Vili was crowned world poetry slam champion, in a competition that hosted poets from over 20 countries globally.
Or Koleka Putuma, who wrote the first ever international bestseller poetry collection to ever come out of South Africa and is the winner of the inaugural Standard Bank Young Artists Award for Poetry.
Now imagine if these Giants had you to hold their hands throughout their journeys, from when they were just young gunns and emerging, to now in their superstardom.
Imagine if they had the resources to facilitate their uprising to greatness and the means to garner enough buzz for their achievements...can you see it? This is why Poetry Giants.
Poetry Giants 2023
At Notepad Poetry, our mandate is to bridge the gap between poets and their audience and transform them into superstars.
Poetry Giants pairs five emerging poets, Young Gunns, with their own Poetry Giant for the skills development and mentorship program, the journey of each participant will be documented and culminates in a final showcase where they will compete in an epic slam to claim the title of Slam Giant of the Year.
Our goal is to pioneer a new movement in the industry. This is poetry meets competitive sport. Find out more about Poetry Giants (Click Here)
Key Dates & Activities
These are the key dates for all the exciting activities and events of the first seasons of the Poetry Giants slam championship, do not miss out mark the dates on your calendar.