BU Research Blog

Students at the Victoria Education Centre in Branksome, Poole,  have been taking part in poetry workshops and will be performing their work as part of the Paralympics celebrations in Weymouth.

Seen but Seldom Heard, is an on-going  collaboration between academics from the Media School and the School of Health and Social Care, artists and the school using creative participatory methods to help young disabled students to find a voice through poetry.

The project, which has received funding from the BU Fusion Fund, BU Aim Higher and the BU Foundation, aims to give the students at the Victoria Education Centre the creative tools to explore perceptions and representations of disability within society using their own individual and collective experiences.

The students involved, working with Performance Poets Liv Torc and Jonny Flufflypunk, have produced some startling and surprising work drawing inspiration from Paralympic symbols and media portrayals of Paralympic athletes. This work will then be showcased at three major events via live performance and film:

1.            Thursday 30 August, 7.30pm – Live performance at ICCI 360 Arena in Weymouth as part of the Paralympics celebrations in Weymouth.

2.            Friday 21 September   – Live performance and first public viewing of the documentary of the project. Allesbrooke Lecture Theatre, Talbot campus at Bournemouth University.

3.            Wednesday 10 October– Live performance at the Bridport Open Book Festival 2012

Videos of the students performing their work as well as a blog detailing the workshops and a selection of poems can be found on the Seen but Seldom Heard website.

A poetry book will also be available for purchase from the end of August with proceeds going towards the funding of a Poet in Residence at Victoria Education Centre.

Seen But Seldom Heard Live featuring guest poet John Hegley will be held on Thursday 30th August – 7.30pm Weymouth Pavillion. Tickets are just £5 and are available now from the Weymouth Pavilion Theatre Box Office. Contact 01305 783225 or click here to purchase online.