Congress

A citizens’ assembly. A curatorial match making project across words, intention and representation.
A series of political first speeches from those often unheard. Personal visions for our collective future.

Congress is a citizens’ assembly provides a platform for people to have their say and be heard. Congress connects the personal with the political by matchmaking diverse citizens with professional wordsmiths. Ten professional writers and ten community members will be invited to meet, work together, write and deliver their own first speech (previously maiden speeches). These writers and speakers will be curated by All The Queens Men, guided by principles of gender diversity, culturally diversity, pan-demographics, geographic diversity and inclusive of abilities. Together, they will create first speeches for those often unheard; public declarations that address personal visions for our collective future.

Presented as the closing ceremony of the 2017 Melbourne Fringe Festival in the Northcote Town Hall, CONGRESS takes the form of a ritualised performance; providing opportunity and audience to those that may not be represented in the current political system. CONGRESS presents a democratic counterpoint; a creative action that encourage citizens to participate, to agitate, to inspire change and transformation.