Shape Shifters anthology lands at SECCA

There was a special night of poetry at SECCA, the South East Centre for Contemporary Art in Bega, for the launch of Shape Shifters, the latest anthology of writing from the South Coast Writers Centre on Friday 19 June.

Shape Shifters features ekphrastic poems from the 2025 Tideland: Art + Word project, a collaboration between SECCA, Bega Valley Shire Library, and SCWC, with works from shortlisted poets Ronald Araña Atilano, Erica Chester, Eileen Chong, Mark Friend, Pamela Goddard, Julie-Ann Henninger, Siân Lim, Brittany Riley, Paris Rosemont, Nathan mudyi Sentance, and Roger Vickery.

The launch evening included readings from poets Pamela Goddard, Kai Jensen, and Elizabeth Walton, as well as SCWC Director Sarah Nicholson reading works from Eileen Chong and Jenny Pollard. Peter Frankis, Chair of the SCWC board and guest judge of the Tideland: Art + Word ekphrastic poetry open call, performed the role of MC. The event also included an open mic, which was enthusiastically embraced.

This weekend of poetry was completed by Bega Library's hosting of the sold-out workshop Afterimage: A Poetry Workshop in Ekphrasis by award-winning poet Melody Paloma.

Photo credit: photographer Marcus Ward Curran.

Sarah Nicholson, Director of SCWC

Peter Frankis, Chair of SCWC

Mark Friend, contributor to the anthology

Pamela Goddard, contributor to the anthology

Kai Jensen, contributor to the anthology

Jasmin Brown (SECCA), Janice Falsone (SECCA), Sarah Nicholson (SCWC), Peter Frankis (SCWC), Linda Albertson (Bega Library)

Open Mic reading