Let the voices of local poets, storytellers and songsters move and inspire you at this evening of performance poetry and music. On the last Friday of each month (in December, it will usually be the last Friday before Christmas). For upcoming dates visit our calendar.
Moving Voices takes place in person with an online element enabling people to watch and perform from home.
Tickets are by donation with hardship tickets for those unable to pay and an option to pay-it-forward for those who have the means to offer more support. Booking is advised as we are a small venue – you can book here.
Moving Voices is a space where you can share other songs and poems you’ve written, or ones you like.
You are also very welcome to just listen.
For a taste of Moving Voices magic on Youtube, click here. ‘Like’ the Moving Voices Facebook page here
Founded in 2008 by local poet Harriet Green and now hosted by Winchester poet RKP. Moving Voices celebrates diversity, experimentation and first time performers.
We welcome performances of around 5 minutes long – whatever moves you and moves the audience, be it words, music or dance. Challenging themes and marginalised voices are common at this open mic!
Special guest artist slots also available if you want to perform for longer – usually one 10 minute and one 20 minute slot, please get in touch if you would like to feature as a special guest.
Moving Voices aims to create an intimate, encouraging space especially for voices that aren’t platformed in mainstream spaces and we particularly welcome LGBTQIA+, disabled, older people, immigrants and folks from the global majority.
Practical details for open mic-ers
Slots are around 5 minutes, we may have agreed a slightly different slot with you to suit your material.
Subject matter
As poetry, spoken word and music is often personal and vulnerable, this event assumes that potentially triggering topics may arise and the audience has been made aware of that. The event is aimed at an adult audience and adult themes and language often happen, as do controversial topics. We hold space for radical change and are accustomed to hearing less mainstream views, as well as being actively pro-queer, pro-black, anti-state-violence and anti-oppression. Our guideline is to ‘punch up’ and consider the target of any jokes, criticism or satire to ensure that we are not harming those with less privilege than the person performing – in short punching N@z1 jokes are fine, we’ll laugh, small dick jokes are body shaming and transphobic and we won’t.
We aim to platform a variety of voices here at The Art House, however, intolerant views and slurs* will not be tolerated – racism, misogyny, ableism, ageism, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia, r*pe jokes, jokes about harming children or joking about violence towards animals is not OK. If you’re worried about anything you intend to perform, please just ask and we can talk it through.
*Reclaimed slurs are absolutely allowed, though, go for it.
Timing
Doors open at 7pm and the open mic starts at 7.30pm, with a break around 8.30pm. Special guests usually go on between 8.45pm and 10pm and we usually have time for a couple of open micers to return at the end. Please let us know if you need to get away early to catch a train or any other reason, we’ll sort something out as we can be flexible.
Changing
We have space for you to change and do makeup if you need to before and after your perforamnce, also a quiet space upstairs if you need time out to warm up or prepare.
Filming and photography
We live stream this event to an online audience via Zoom and a recording is usually available, barring tech failure which does sometimes happen! We also like to live stream sections of the evening to our social media and take photographs to share on various platforms. You are welcome to use any of the footage and photos we take of you and your performance, giving us credit where possible.
We understand that people have differing levels of comfort with being seen online, so if you have any concerns please chat to us in advance so that we can respect your privacy and agency on this.
The Art House 