Writing Beyond the Lines
Saturday, November 8 | 12:00pm - 1:30pm
ODD Box
Award winning spoken word artist and theatre creator Billie Nell invites writers of all levels to explore how vivid metaphor and striking imagery can unsettle dominant narratives and normative paradigms and create moments of deep connection across difference. Through reflection, writing, sharing, and connecting to our senses, we will delve into the ways the visceral and unexpected can open new pathways towards empathy, understanding, and change.
While this workshop will apply a queer lens, participants of all genders and sexual orientations are welcome. At Urban Legends Poetry Collective, we recognize that all forms of oppression and struggles for liberation are interconnected, and believe in the power and value of sharing creative space.
If you have any questions about the workshop, please reach out to urbanlegendspoetry@gmail.com.
Presenters
Billie Nell
Billie Nell (he/him) is a transmasculine award-winning theatre creator, actor, arts organizer, and spoken word artist who has performed on national and international stages including: the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam, Scottish Poetry Slam Championships, Scotland’s International Poetry Festival StAnza Slam (2020, 1st place), and the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. His one-person play, The Remembering, was awarded the Ottawa Fringe Awards of Excellence for Outstanding New Work & Outstanding Solo Performance and the Prix Rideau Awards for Outstanding Performance & Outstanding New Creation. Billie currently serves as Co-Director of Urban Legends Poetry Collective. With over a decade of experience in the Canadian arts scene, and cross-disciplinary expertise spanning spoken word poetry, theatre, and dance, Billie is a seasoned arts organizer who champions arts education, community-building, and accessible arts programming through grassroots, equity-focused initiatives that bridge disciplines and build meaningful connections with diverse communities.
Urban Legends Poetry Collective
Urban Legends Poetry Collective’s Mission is to give every poet in the city of Ottawa the opportunity to share their work on an accessible platform.
ULPC is keeping poetry alive by providing a 1) safe, 2) culturally appropriate, and 3) well resourced space for poets looking to share their personal stories and more intimate experiences. These three points are all necessary to create the platform ULPC believes will gather the most impactful poetry to the stage. This exposing of more, different, lived experience is done with the hope to establish a more empathetic understanding of the world. Our aim is that overall, this facilitates a more accepting society.