NOT HOME: Workshop One
11th September 2021Inspired by Rent Party’s focus on both community and co-creation, “NOT HOME” is a poetic legacy project by David Dykes looking to explore our emotions and concerns around the UK’s housing crisis. The idea of “home” is so central to our beings, and for many the core to our identity, that trying to wrap our heads around it can worry and disturb it.
Believing that the only way that poetry would be able to create an adequate response to this complicated subject, the “NOT HOME” project aims to pull together as many different voices and experiences as possible to form a single piece that reflects our contemporary ideas around housing and home.

Event Details
This two-part workshop series introduces the idea of co-creative writing and how it can be used as a tool to explore difference and unexpected similarities. After taking part, participants will, as well as having created their own poems or other artistic responses, come away with a greater understanding of a co-creative process and their own feelings towards “home”.
Workshop One: September 11th, 6pm–8.30pm
In these virtual practice-based and exchange-led workshops we first explore the concept of choral voices and layering ideas and thoughts on a unified canvas, writing together using Google Docs to see how ideas feed and breed off each other. The core concept of the sessions is “home”: whatever that means to the participants, whatever shape that fills.
After this session, participants are encouraged to take away the work of the sessions to continue in solidarity or union. Between sessions feedback will be given to those who want it and would like to have more development of their ideas.
Workshop Two: September 25th, 6pm–8.30pm
In the second session we will continue with other co-creative prompts. Willing participants can present their work, discuss what they have learnt from the experience and what practices they can take forward in future works.
These can be multi-disciplined work for creatives of all backgrounds and experiences: works can be as brief or as long as the imagination needs and audio, video and visual elements can all be used.
Facilitator: David Dykes
David Dykes is a practicing poet and spoken word artist. He has been living in Medway and performing across Kent and the UK since 2016. He has published two chapbooks with his first collection forthcoming.
David, with his partner, has been producing spoken word nights in Medway with their night Big Trouble and believes in supporting a wide range of poets and poetry styles and giving artists the space to develop their individual practice.
Lyrici Arts
Lyrici Arts is a Black led organisation creating theatre and arts programmes that amplify black and diverse stories, creating work and opportunities for local Medway residents.
“We know that the arts have the power to change lives. Everyone should have the opportunity to be creative and arts exist for all.”
Website: www.lyriciarts.com
Moving Roots Touring Network
Moving Roots is a three year project working with producers in East Cardiff, Medway, Peterborough and Wigan to deliver co-created projects to generate positive social change from 2019 – 2023.
The project is devised and led by Battersea Arts Centre and is funded by Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and the Garfield Weston Foundation.
This legacy project is part of The Moving Roots Touring Network.
Date: 11/09/2021 to 11/09/2021 |
Time:6.00PM |
Location:Online |
Cost:Free |
Suitable for:Age 16+ |