Entertainment
9 August, 2026
Poetry in motion at gallery
CAIRNS Art Gallery celebrated poetry month with an evening of feminist poetry, live music and art on Thursday as it hosted ‘Open Late with Red Room Poetry’.
The free event continued the gallery’s series of monthly evening programs following the success of ‘Lawn and Live’, which attracted more than 500 guests. Visitors explored ‘Brush: Women Painters’ across the Public Curators Building’s three floors while enjoying live music, drinks, nibbles and late-night shopping.
The evening’s centrepiece was a feminist poetry recital presented in partnership with Red Room Poetry, Australia’s leading organisation for commissioning, creating, publishing and promoting poetry.
The performance featured local GP and poet Dr Eileen Rafter, Cairns multidisciplinary artist Maja Amanita and interstate poets Amanda Anastasi, Leila Lois, Thuy On and Vasilka Pateras. Together they presented works on the theme “be brave”, spanning monostich, free verse and spoken word.
The recital was bookended by an open mic featuring local poets, including 17-year-old year 12 student Jessica Mupenzi.
