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The Lydiard Street Soapbox, with The Ballarat Poetess

Footpath

Lydiard Street,
Ballarat Central VIC 3350

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  • 24 & 25 May

11:30am–1:30pm

Be inspired by literature over lunchtime on Lydiard Street with The Ballarat Poetess.

In an impossible collaboration spanning 175 years, Megan J Riedl steps into her power - and onto her soapbox - as the voice of the city. Award-winning spoken word poet Megan J Riedl will showcase how impactful moments of social change can be marked by the carefully crafted voice of The Ballarat Poetess.

The performance will feature the embodiment of her predecessor Ellen Young's written poems about gold-rush era Ballarat and original spoken word poetry by Megan J Riedl.

Writing at the heart of the political upheaval in Ballarat in the 1880s, Ellen Young's works were "controversial, political, feminist and questioning the status quo". Megan's writing combines the personal with the political, and she leads by example in standing up, showing up and speaking up, sharing the messy, human experiences that often go unspoken.

Artist Bio - A professional wordsmith, prolific creative, super solo mum and autistic woman, Megan J Riedl is an award-winning spoken word poet and feels out loud in a range of mediums including collage, zines, theatre and podcasting.

Content: NLB CREATIVE & EVENTS

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Visitor Information Centres

Ballarat Town Hall
225 Sturt Street
Ballarat VIC 3350

Ballarat Botanical Gardens
401-405 Wendouree Parade
Lake Wendouree VIC 3350

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Across Victoria’s Midwest, we acknowledge that we travel across the ancient landscapes of many First Peoples communities. These lands have been nurtured and cared for over tens of thousands of years and we respect the work of Traditional Custodians for their ongoing care and protection.

We recognise the past injustices against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in this country. As our knowledge grows, we hope that we can learn from their resilience and creativity that has guided them for over 60,000 years. As we invite people to visit and explore Victoria’s Midwest, we ask that alongside us, you also grow to respect the stories, living culture and connection to Country of the Ancestors and Elders of our First Peoples.


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