l to r ChewSLAM facilitators: Chris Astwood and Stephan Johnstone

In these challenging times young people need to find healthier ways to express feelings of fear, love, loss and triumph, ChewSLAM is an opportunity to do just that.

ChewSLAM is a spokenword poetry club that will take participants on a journey through poetry, creative writing and spokenword performance. It is designed to tap into young people’s creativity and give it a new medium to voice itself and to share it with the world. No experience is necessary to join, but great experiences will be gained. ChewSLAM participants will be challenged to write poetry that is inspired and tells a story that only they can. They will then be given opportunities to perform their pieces; to each other at first and then publicly. Poetry has always been a great medium for expressing oneself and developing literacy and creativity. Spokenword builds off of this tradition by adding performance to the written word. This aids in developing confidence, performance skills, self-worth, teamwork and so much more.

ChewSLAM will be lead by two prominent local poets and long time Chewstick family members Chris Astwood and Stephan Johnstone. Chris recently received his Masters in Creative Writing and Poetry and has been published in several international journals and has performed in The Bermuda Festival and just about every local stage. Chris adds “Participants can expect to have both their composition and performance skills enhanced in a cooperative group environment, where they’ll gain the confidence to rock the mic! Stephan Johnstone is no doubt Bermuda’s most prolific spokenword artist regularly performing at Chewstick as well as every other stage locally including The Bermuda Music Festival. He has even gone on to develop his career in Canada where he is well known in the spokenword community. He has released two spokenword albums and is currently working on a third, while moving towards his first written publication. Stepan says “It feels great to be a part of a program that inspires younger generations through poetry and spokenword, and hopefully i can pass on what i have learned over the years”.

To find out more about Chris Astwood visit his website www.chrisastwood.com

To find out more about Stephan Johnstone visit his website www.poetry.sjdworld.com

ChewSLAM will take place weekly starting Saturday, April 30th from 2pm-4pm at the new Chewstick Headquarters on the corner of Eliot Street and Court Street (on the other side of the parking lot by Jamaican Grill). ChewSLAM is free and open to participants 18 and under and it doesn’t matter how much experience you have, come as you are! Keep in mind however, that this is an intensive and fun program where participants are expected to work hard, perform hard, and commit to their participation consistently.  If you or a young person you know are interested please sign up below, we would love to work with you.

If you have any questions please give us a shout at 292 2439 or drop an email to chewslam@chewstick.org.