‘Diversity Hire’, a spoken word performance by FELISPEAKS, commissioned for AMPLIFY


A still from the screening of 'Diversity Hire', a spoken word performance by FELISPEAKS commissioned for AMPLIFY

‘Diversity Hire’, a spoken word performance by Nigerian-Irish poet FELISPEAKS, commissioned by Safe to Create in response to the AMPLIFY: A Call for Transformative Action report, was screened at the launch of the research findings at Project Arts Centre in Dublin, on Wednesday 3 July.  

AMPLIFY presents the findings of a comprehensive research programme, designed to shed light on the lived experiences of disabled (including intellectually disabled), LGBTQIA+, and ethnically diverse artists and arts workers in Ireland.

The report is available for download from safetocreate.ie/research. 

VIEW ‘DIVERSITY HIRE’ by FELISPEAKS: 

‘Diversity Hire’, a spoken word performance by Nigerian-Irish poet FELISPEAKS.

FILM CREDITS:
Written and performed by FELISPEAKS
Film by Néstor Romero Clemente
Lighting and Sound by Patricia Delso
VFX by Santiago Alvarado
Sound Mix by Hicham Mansour
Music by Matan Franco
Produced by Safe to Create, Lightjar, Magno Pixel
With thanks to Róise Goan, Margo Temmerman, Maarten Dings and all at Viernulvier, Ghent

 

FELISPEAKS

FELISPEAKS (they/them) is a Nigerian-Irish Poet, Performer, Playwright from Co. Longford; currently based in Dublin City. FELISPEAKS has been nominated ‘Best Performer’ by Dublin Fringe Festival September 2018 and went on to win ‘Best Performer’ in 2022. As well as being a Member of the Poetry Ireland Board of Directors appointed June 2020, Felicia is a member of the Poetry Collective, WeAreGriot. FELISPEAKS is an Artist-in-Residence with Axis Ballymun and Visual Carlow, in addition to being an Associate Artist with THISISPOPBABY. FELISPEAKS’ poem: ‘For Our Mothers’ is in the English Ordinary Level Leaving Cert Curriculum for examination year 2023 and 2025, as is their poem “Rainbow Blood” for 2025. In 2020, FELISPEAKS was commissioned a new piece for RTÉ’s The Big Picture on the theme of ‘the New Normal’ – this poem, entitled “Still” captured the minds of the nation and has been performed to audiences all over the country. Of late, FELISPEAKS has been commissioned by the Irish Repertory Theatre and Fishamble: The New Play Company for the Transatlantic Commission for Black Irish Artists. FELISPEAKS ended 2021 as an Irish Tatler Woman of the Year with a win in the Catalyst Category – which recognises a woman who has affected change in Irish society in a pivotal way. FELISPEAKS became an ambassador for Laya Health Care’s Beats TV and Media Campaign.

SAFE TO CREATE

Safe to Create is a Dignity at Work programme looking to impact change on the culture and practices of the Arts and Creative sectors. It is managed by Irish Theatre Institute, in partnership with the Arts Council, Screen Ireland and Minding Creative Minds, on behalf of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

SUPPORTED BY