We are excited to launch Out Loud – Poetry without Permission, a new 18 month project to share the creative skills, ideas and perspectives of people with learning disabilities.
Funded by Arts Council England, John James Foundation, The Society of Merchant Venturers, Baily Thomas Charitable Trust and a legacy donation from a former Misfits member, Out Loud will see 10 artists with learning disabilities create six new poetry films and new work for exhibition and print.
Inspired by our recent films Missing Kissing and Fast Talker, Out Loud will allow the voice of our members to reach bigger audiences. Using creativity and humour to tackle everything from the mundane to monumental, the things that create barriers, the things that create joy and the things that can inspire others living with disabilities to see themselves as artists too.
“I’m really excited about this project, our members have bold, funny and surprising things to say and they deserve to be heard beyond the Misfits. Out Loud gives us the chance to make ambitious work, take up space and show that people with learning disabilities aren’t just participants in the arts, they are artists”. Anita Karla Kelly – Artistic Lead.
“It’s really good that people know who the poetry group are. We do poetry performances in places in Bristol so people can hear us reading our poems, people can watch our poetry films like Missing Kissing and Fast Talker. I really enjoy being part of the poetry group” – Claire Brennan, Out Loud Poet
Centring people with learning disabilities as the curators, authors and artists, throughout this project we will collaborate with wider artists who work in music, sound, visual arts, movement, animation and film to bring their poetry to life whilst members of Misfits Drama and Movement workshops will also have the opportunity to take part.
If you’d like to find out more about the project or want to get involved you can contact Artistic Lead – Anita Karla Kelly, or sign up to our mailing list for regular updates.
