Access, equality, social impact – infusing daily life with poetry

Poetry in First Languages on Buses. Image courtesy of Red Room Poetry.

Red Room Poetry creates poetic projects and learning programs in collaboration with poets, schools and communities for positive social impact.

Their mission is to make poetry accessible to all, especially those who face the greatest barriers to creative opportunities. Moving beyond words on a page, their work immerses young people and the public in poetry in interesting and surprising ways.

In 2018, poems written by four Illawarra students were published on the back of buses. The poems incorporated Dharawal language and travelled through the Illawarra from June to September 2018 spanning both Reconciliation and NAIDOC weeks.

The project instilled pride in the students while keeping language alive and enriching public spaces with culture – public programs by the Red Room reached an estimated audience of 3.8 million in 2018. 

Red Room Poetry receives Four Year Funding (2017–20).

Learn more about the Translation Fund for Literature.