OmniVerse offers a dynamic program designed to engage, educate, and entertain. Whether you’re looking to develop your writing skills, connect with fellow creatives, or simply experience the magic of spoken word, there’s something for everyone.
Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester Information coming
Bridport OmniVerse
Brought to you by The Jawbone Collective in partnership with Bridport Arts Centre
As part of the Our Stories I Queer in the Countryside Program
Bridport Arts Centre
May 28th - July 12th 2025
The OmniVerse Showcase
12th July, Saturday 7.00pm Bridport Arts Centre Cost £12/£10
Headlining John McCullough and Kathryn O'Driscoll
An extraordinary evening of powerful words and performances reflecting the gritty realities of what it is to be an unheard or marginalised voice… our OmniVerse showcase, headlined by award-winning poet John McCullough alongside Bridport born spoken word artist and UK Slam Winner Kathryn O’Driscoll. Plus performances from West Dorset poets.
Compered by Megan Simson & Peter Roe
An evening of Poetry & Spoken Word at an Open Mic event produced by Bridport’s own Jawbone Collective. This event outlines and launches a series of performance events and workshops celebrating diverse and under-represented voices. 28 May 2025, 7:00pm
Details - Wednesday 28th May, 2025 - 7:00pm Bridport Arts Centre, 9 South St, Bridport DT6 3NR
OtherVoices I Out on the Page
With Poppy Jayne Jones & Laurie Page
'Other Voices - Out on the Page', an empowering full day workshop that explores personal identity through poetry. Poppy and Laurie will be drawing from their own experiences of navigating belonging and self-discovery, as they they create a nurturing space where underrepresented voices express their personal stories.
This transformative workshop invites participants to share their unique perspectives, diverse lived experiences and challenge societal norms through creative expression. Through guided exercises and supportive discussion, discover how poetry can become a powerful tool for embracing and sharing your true self.
June 7th, 2025 - 10am to 4pm
Cost - £45 / £35 Low Waged / £25 - bursaries 5 available
Four Seasons Studio, Othona, Coast Road ,
Burton Bradstock Bridport DT6 4RN
The Loom - Living Bravely and Boldly
Hosted By Megan Simson and Lu Orza
Join us for a powerful evening of storytelling where women and gender diverse people share their journeys of embracing uniqueness and finding strength in being different. A celebration of the beauty of our diverse experiences.
16th June, Monday 7pm-9pm
Bridport Arts Centre
Cost £8/£6
Write to Speak - With Mary Cecilia
Drawing from Mary's personal journey with Spoken Word poetry, "Write to Speak" is an empowering workshop that guides participants through the transformative process of crafting poetry for performance. Participants will discover how to harness their unique voice and emotional
depth through guided exercises that bridge written and spoken expression. This workshop creates a supportive environment where personal stories can flourish, helping writers overcome self-doubt and find confidence in their perspective. Perfect for both newcomers and experienced writers looking to explore the powerful connection between written word and vocal delivery.
Mary Cecilia is a A 29-year-old Northern poet currently residing in Dorset, she discovered her passion for Spoken Word during her university years. This transformative experience reshaped her approach to writing, empowering her to embrace both her voice and emotional depth.
As a sincere advocate for both queer and neurodivergent communities, her journey of self-discovery and acceptance deeply influences her creative work. When not crafting verses, she can be found teaching drama, occasionally treading the boards herself. She's a self-proclaimed chronic over-sharer, doing her best to stay true to herself.
22nd June, Sunday 10am-12.30pm
WI Hall North St. Bridport
Cost £15/£10
Other Voices I Beyond the Page
With John McCullough
Dive deep into the gritty realities of life and craft energetic, impactful poems ready for performance in Beyond the Page, a workshop led by Polari and Hawthornden Prize winner John McCullough1 . Through guided writing prompts and exercises, you will learn to craft words that gain unexpected momentum and channel that energy into your poetic voice. This workshop will help you move beyond the breathlessness of panic towards luminescence and solidarity in your writing, equipping you with the tools to create poems that resonate and are ready to be shared.
John McCullough, described as a poet with a "reputation for crafting lyric poems of the everyday with a surreal twist" , and one who "seeks out light and lightness to lift the weight of insecurity" , brings his award-winning experience to this workshop. As an experienced teacher of creative writing at the University of Brighton, the Arvon Foundation and New Writing South , McCullough offers a supportive and insightful environment to help you push your creative boundaries.
John McCullough - Winner of the 2020 Hawthornden Prize and the 2012 Polari Prize, McCullough's work encompasses everything from "lichen to lava lamps" and navigates "the white space of the page and the distance between people". His poems explore "personal and cultural anxiety" and are "full of things that shimmer, quiver and fizz", creating a "psychedelic, parallel world".
12th July, Saturday 10am-12.30pm
Bridport Arts Centre
Cost £20/£16 - Bursaries available on request
With Kathryn O'Driscoll Bridport born and bred gal !
OtherVoices I Page to Stage is a 2 hour workshop with a focus on taking your poems from the page to performance. UK Slam champion Kathryn O’Driscoll will help you think about what performance elements are for, and how they can help or hinder a poem depending on its meaning. Explore body language, silence, humour, breath and vocal techniques to enhance your poetry and
create an unforgettable, spoken word experience that is appropriate for you as an artist and your work.
Come armed with a couple of your poems that you want to share, and the knowledge that people want to hear what you have to say, this is already your space to claim.
Kathryn O'Driscoll is a spoken word poet, mentor and event organiser from Bath, England. She is a U.K. slam champion and a World Slam Finalist (2021). She was longlisted for the Outspoken Prize for Performance Poetry, and the Saboteur Award for Best Spoken Word Artist in 2022. In 2021 she was one of the featured poets on the (BAFTA winning) Sky Arts spoken word TV show Life and Rhymes. Her debut collection ‘Cliff Notes’ was released by Verve Poetry Press in February.
She talks openly about disabilities, mental health, LGBTQIA+ issues and joys and the sea in her wide range of poems.
12nd July, Saturday 2.30pm
Bridport Arts Centre
Cost £15/£12 - Bursaries available on request
Find Kathryn on Socials
@PoetryOD on Twitter
@KathrynODriscoll on Instagram
@PoetryOD on Facebook
To Keep Updated on OmniVerse Event Info and The Jawbone Collective
Our commitment to inclusivity goes beyond mere words -
it's woven into the fabric of everything we do.
Being a Neurodivergent, Disabled Person from Working Class roots and a proud parent of two non-binary adults, I know all to well the limitations and discrimination people in marginalised communities need to overcome to be accepted and have their voices heard and celebrated.
Peter Roe
Co Founder - Managing Editor - The Jawbone Collective
The Jawbone Journey
Cultivating an Inclusive Creative Community
The Collective was founded on the intentions of two poets, Tom Rogers and Peter Roe. They had a wish to share the skills they have learnt on their poetry journeys by offering their support to other emerging writers. Both Peter and Tom believed that it was vital to cultivate an inclusive creative community to to celebrate diverse, unheard voices.
To find out more of the story see you tube video below
Jawbone News
We are passionate about the Publishing of Poetry in all media forms. That's why we have establised Jawbone News our own media outlet dedicated to nurture and grow the creative output of all wordsmiths. We are endeavouring to create a robust platform which become a thriving hub. A place of community discussion on all things Poetry.
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1 Manor Farm Court
Walditch, Bridport
Dorset UK
DT6 4LQ
thejawbonecollective@gmail.com
+44 7876596184
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