Coming Up –
Friday 3rd March, 6pm – AGITATION POETS. Hosted by Ross Donlon, this monthly poetry event features one poet reading their work (this time it’s moi), plus an audience Q&A. At the Hall at the back of the Uniting Church Castlemaine, 24 Lyttleton St. Doors open around 5.30pm, reading starts 6pm sharp. Entry by donation.
Sunday 5th March, 4pm – THE P WORD SESSIONS. Hosted by Anthony O’Sullivan & Amanda Anastasi. Feature poets are myself and Katie Lohner, plus a stunning open mic. At The Motley Bauhaus, 118 Elgin St Carlton. 4pm to 7pm. Entry $5.
Thursday 16th March, 6.30pm – AUSTRALIAN READING HOUR: REPRESENTATION MATTERS. ARH celebrates the joys and benefits of books and the community of reading. This is a disability-themed panel discussion, hosted by Sally Rippin, featuring myself, Eliza Hull and Matt Formston. It’s co-organised by Vision Australia, but will also be online. Details and bookings here – https://www.visionaustralia.org/services/staying-connected/events/2023-03-16/australian-reading-hour-representation-matters
Tuesday 21st March, 6pm – WORLD POETRY DAY @ THE BENDIGO LIBRARY. I’ll talk about how poems affect us, and read some of my own. At 259 Hargreaves St Bendigo. Free but bookings essential – https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/andy-jackson-human-looking-tickets-535136195767
Sunday 2nd April, 1.30pm – RAGING GRACE @ NEWCASTLE WRITERS FESTIVAL. A reading and panel discussion with myself, Gaele Sobott and Kerri Shying about collaborative poetry on disability and the future, and our forthcoming anthology “Raging Grace”. At University of Newcastle. Free! Details here – https://www.newcastlewritersfestival.org.au/events/raging-grace/
Online events (archive) –
- To celebrate the publication of my latest book, “Human Looking”, there was a special conversation & reading event – I discussed the book’s themes and forms with the widely-awarded poet Jill Jones, and read some poems from it. The event is viewable on the Crowdcast site, or YouTube.
- Last year, I was also interviewed by the brilliant writer & podcaster Astrid Edwards for her show The Garret. The discussion is available on The Garret website (and Spotify, iTunes, etc).
- There’s a short poetry reading for West Words Sydney here on YouTube.
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Previous Features
2022:
Crip Poetry from Three Continents – a Zoom reading at Tuesday 10am March 1st (AEDT), hosted by Jim Ferris (University of Toledo), featuring poems and conversation – Andy Jackson (Aust.), Khairani Barokka (UK) & Ekiwah Adler-Benedez (Mexico).
Human Sounding – live, featured event at the Bendigo Writers Festival, Sunday 15th May at 2.30pm. In conversation with Michael Leach.
Love and Vulnerability – live event on the power and politics of vulnerability, Friday 27th May at 6.30pm, featuring a conversation between Sarah Krasnostein and Rick Morton, plus performances by myself and Yorta Yorta composer, storyteller & musician Allara. Hosted by the Wheeler Centre, at the Conversation Quarter, State Library Victoria.
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2021
- Emerging Writers Festival – “Storming the Stage” (online, panel host).
- “Growing Up Disabled in Australia” events: To celebrate the publication of this important new anthology, edited by Carly Findlay, I appeared at a number of events (as one of the essayists). 1) Interview on ABC Radio Central Victoria, Breakfast with Fiona Parker 2) Profile on ABC TV’s The Drum (along with Fiona Murphy, Gayle Kennedy & Sarah Firth) 3) Afternoon Tea & Talk, with Astrid Edwards and Sarah Firth, State Library of Victoria (online), and 4) Growing Up Disabled at Castlemaine State Festival, in conversation with Carly Findlay and Eliza Hull
More information on the book is available here. It can be purchased online from Black Inc, or from your local bookstore.
2020:
- Creative & In Control Panel (and reading), Writers Victoria (online)
- Growing Up Disabled Panel, Wollongong Writers Festival (online)
- What’s Poetry Got To Do With It?, RMIT/Non-Fiction Lab (online)
- Poeticas, Maurocco Bar, Castlemaine
- Platform LIVE, Disability Arts Festival (online)
- Poet’s Corner, West Words Sydney (online)
- Couplet Poetry, Queensland Poetry Festival (online)
- Melbourne Spoken Word Festival (online)
2019:
- Leading the Charge: Climate Change, Disability & Storytelling, Wheeler Centre, Melbourne
- In Conversation with Lee Kofman, Castlemaine Library
- Bold & Brilliant: Disabled Writers, Common Rooms, Trades Hall, Carlton
- Word for Word Non-Fiction Festival, Geelong
- Cafe Philosophique De L’Amour, Esplanade Hotel, St Kilda
- Poetryspective, Pride of Our Footscray Community Bar, Footscray
- Celebrating Victorian Writers, Panel/Reading, Melbourne Writers Festival
- Disrupting the Ableist Narrative, Panel, Queensland Poetry Festival, Brisbane
- Disability Poetics, Panel, Emerging Writers Festival, Melbourne
- 30 Years of Victorian Writing, Art Is… Festival, Horsham
- Earth@Peace Cultural Evening, Centre for Theology & Ministry, Parkville
- The P-Word Sessions, Motley Bauhaus, North Fitzroy
- La Mama Poetica, La Mama Courthouse, Carlton
- Poetry at Chrissy Hills, Mechanics Institute Hall, Christmas Hills
2018:
- Final of the Melbourne Spoken Word Prize, Northcote Town Hall.
- “Cafe Philosophique de la Mort” at the Alex Theatre, St Kilda
- “Halifax Featured Poets” at Halifax Cafe, Adelaide
- “Poetry at the Pub”, Newcastle
- Poetry on the Move” Festival, Canberra
- “The Ostler” at “Present Tense” at RMIT University
- Eltham Courthouse Poetry, Eltham
- Melbourne Poets Union at The Taproom, Castlemaine
- Going Down Swinging presents “In Full Swing” at Rokeby Studios, Collingwood
- 3CR Benefit at Grub Food Van, Fitzroy
- Poetry at the Dan O’Connell Hotel, Carlton
- David Stavanger’s “Electric Journal” plus “Page vs Stage” at The Wheeler Centre, Melbourne
- “Castlemaine Pride” community day at the Botanic Gardens, Castlemaine
- “Risky Business” at the Malthouse Theatre, Southbank
- “Cafe Philosophique Des Toilette” at the Alex Theatre, St Kilda
- “Books Plus Poet” at Books Plus, Castlemaine
- Launch of “Music Our Bodies Can’t Hold” at The Taproom, Castlemaine
2017:
- Launch of “Music Our Bodies Can’t Hold” at Collected Works Bookshop, Melbourne.
- Queensland Poetry Festival.
- Perth Poetry Festival.
- Williamstown Literary Festival.
- Christmas Hills Writers and Readers Festival.
- Writer-in-Residence, RMIT University, Melbourne.
- Castlemaine State Festival.
2016:
- Castlemaine Poetry Festival.
- The Owl and the Pussycat, Richmond.
- Little Windows Chapbooks Series 1 Launch at Booknook & Bean, Adelaide.
- The Lee Marvin Readings, Adelaide.
- Sporting Poets at the Charles Weston Hotel, Brunswick.
2015:
- “The Fractured Self” at the Immigration Museum, Melbourne.
- Chamber Poets at the Chamber Art & Coffee House, Woodend.
- Poetry at the Dan O’Connell Hotel, Carlton.
- Brisbane Writers Festival.
- La Mama Poetica at Carlton Courthouse.
- PoetiCas at Food Garden, Castlemaine.
- Melbourne Poets Union at Hares & Hyenas, Fitzroy.
- Eltham Courthouse Poetry.
- “Captured Whispers” by Black Hole Theatre at 1000£ Bend Gallery, Melbourne.
- Three Poets & a Book Launch at Hobart Bookshop.
- Launch of “Immune Systems” at Collected Works Bookshop, Melbourne.
2014:
- House of Bricks Spoken Word, Collingwood.
- “Quippings Freaktastic” at the Melbourne Fringe Festival at the Spiegeltent, Collingwood.
- Launch of “the thin bridge” at Collected Works Bookshop, Melbourne.
- “Poetry for the Soul” at the Carmelite Centre, Middle Park.
- “Laneway Words” with Bill Moran (USA) and Fury at Toot Fanute, Melbourne.
2013:
- “Over the Edge Writers Gathering” at Galway Arts Centre’s Nuns’ Island Theatre, Ireland.
- Clifden Arts Week at Station House Theatre, Clifden, Ireland.
- “O’Bheal” at The Long Valley, Cork, Ireland.
- Poetry at the Dan O’Connell Hotel, Carlton.
- “Strip Fest”, various outdoor locations, St Kilda.
- “Poetry at the Comma”, Castlemaine.
- “Readings at Red Wheelbarrow”, East Brunswick.
- “La Mama Poetica” at the Carlton Courthouse.
- “Bar Stanza” at the Owl and the Pussycat, Richmond.
2012:
- Write Around the Murray, Writers Festival, Albury.
- Words in Winter Festival at Daylesford.
- Travel Ideals Conference at the University of Melbourne.
- Poetry and Conversation at the Geelong Library.
- Sweetalkers at the Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood.
Andy Jackson 
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