What is VOICEBOX?
Voicebox Fremantle is a monthly poetry event featuring two invited guests and 10 x three minute open mike slots.
Voicebox is a creative and welcoming event where established, emerging and new Western Australian poets meet and have the chance to showcase their work.
Voicebox also gives International and Interstate poets a venue to perform for local audiences.
Voicebox is a lively community of writers and readers. Our book stall does a brisk trade in chapbooks, collections, anthologies and the occasional zine.
VOICEBOX at The Navy Club
Voicebox is held on the last Monday of the month at
The Navy Club, 64 High St (Corner of High & Packenham Sts) Fremantle.
A review of VOICEBOX
Read Cate W's review of Voicebox at the Fib on Weekend Notes (6 September 2015) here.
VOICEBOX has a history:
Food, wine and poetry are a great mix. They’ve all been part of Voicebox from the beginning.
Founded in 2004 by Desmonda Kearney, Voicebox started out at La Tropicana Cafe in High Street in Fremantle. Peter, the amazing proprietor of the time, served up high quality coffee and cakes. The poets offered a smorgasbord of literary treats.
Desmonda was joined at La Tropicana by Nandi Chinna in 2005. Nandi expanded on this great beginning with able assistance from Jaya Penelope and Lilly Chan. By 2008, Voicebox had established a strong track record and it was time to welcome more enthusiastic volunteers. In 2008, Annie Otness, Liana Joy Christensen, Sarah Leighton and Josephine Clarke joined Nandi on the Voicebox Collective to help keep the poetry flowing in Fremantle.
All good things must come to an end, alas, and La Tropicana was sold in 2010. But we were determined that this would not be an end to Voicebox. It took some time and creative effort, which eventually paid off when Clancy’s Fish Pub said ‘Why not?’ Our first gig there was on the 1st of July 2010. We were so lucky to have wonderful food and a bar to enjoy while we listened to our monthly dose of poetry. Anna Kiss-Gorgy stepped up to help when Annie Otness retired from the collective. Meredi Ortega then created a new logo and artwork for our flyers.
Once again, changes were rung when, after two great years at Clancy’s, we discovered The Fly Trap. It was love at first sight. The Fly Trap, we felt, was Voicebox's perfect venue and true home. After an enthusiastic response from John Reid and The Fly By Night Musicians’ Club, we received funding from The City of Fremantle which enabled us to establish ourselves as a professional monthly poetry event. Our first gig at The Fly Trap was held on June 24th, 2014.
In 2015, Voicebox moved to the Fib on Blinco Street, Fremantle. Thanks to Robby Lang from the Fib and Steph Hendriks from the Blinco St Cafe and then Scott from Roark and Co for making us so welcome and for taking such good care of us!
In October 2017, we moved to Café @ The Rose, North Freo. A really special thanks to Robby Lang at The Fib for providing Voicebox with a great venue the last few years!!
Moving on from The Rose after the April 2019 reading, in May 2019, Voicebox was at The Navy Club and in June 2019 moved to Threeo Cafe and Eats. Our thanks to everyone at The Rose for their hospitality during our time there.