What the hell is spoken word?

Spoken Word is the more sedated version of its competitive elder sibling, Slam Poetry, which has a repetitive rhythm and more aggressive delivery. On the other hand, Spoken Word is more energetic than it's scholarly cousin, Poetry Recital, who prefers the quiet ambience of libraries and bookshops. And while it is indeed musical, it should never be confused with Uncle Hip Hop. It sits comfortably somewhere in the middle, incorporating a range of different theatrical and oratory influences. Artists usually write their own (unpublished) work, and then perform it with thespian flair.

Jess Cook is the co-founder of Token Imagination, a group that puts on arts-based events and installations, and has been running spoken word events since 2003. From humble beginnings in a Balmain café, Token events became so popular within a four year period that the artists pretty much ran out of room. "In 12 months we moved across five venues," Cook explains. "Space after space closed until we just couldn't do it anymore."

Cook cites the lack of appropriate performance spaces as a key hindrance to spoken word's expansion and public appreciation in Sydney. While it is more established and understood in the US, UK and Europe, in Australia it has largely gone under the radar.

But despite multiple shut downs of artist-run spaces, spoken word has shown tenacity in neighbourhood haunts like Parramatta's Mars Hill Café and the Friend in Hand Hotel in Glebe, where it has thrived on the support of regular local audiences. As Sydney's underground arts scene now slowly re-emerges, interest in this performance style has been refreshed with more prominent, regular events surfacing.

Cook touts Mersey Sound Collective as the next big thing. After quickly outgrowing their original space at Enmore's Oh Really Gallery, their monthly open mic nights have now moved to artists' co-op Alpha House in Newtown.

Token isn't quite out of the game either. In April they hosted a one-off spoken word night featuring popular but elusive Sydney artist Thomas Keily (AKA Thomas Jack of Hearts, for any fans out there) and UK import Rosy Carrick. Beyond that, Cook feels the frequency of these affairs will depend on the availability of "a safe, secure venue that's not going to go anywhere."

"There's definitely an audience for it," Cook affirms, "it just needs a home."

To find out about upcoming events, join the Token Imagination mailing list by emailing info@tokenimagination.com. Mersey Sound Collective can be found on Facebook.