We’re developing an exhibition in collaboration with Naviar Records and you’re invited to join!

The Stay Cool project will bring together photography, poetry and music from around the world.

Wherever you’re based, we want you to share your favourite locations in words or pictures.

Our first steps are a series of workshops that introduce short-form poetry styles, such as haiku.

A selection of these short poems will be shared with Naviar Records’ community of musicians in coming months, then a large collection will be the basis of the exhibition planned for later this year.

You can join one or all of the online workshops that are planned for 7pm AEST on Tuesdays in March and April:

  • Hear from Jason Richardson on 11 March, who will outline the Stay Cool timeline and how to get involved. Jason is a curator based in the Australian Riverina, as well as a published writer and artist and musician.
  • Lisa Germany will be introducing haiku poetry writing on 18 March. Lisa is a published Australian poet and photographer currently based in Arctic Greenland, who will guide you through the process of writing your own haiku poetry.
  • Marco Sebastiano Alessi is discussing the four masters of haiku on 25 March. Marco is based in Italy and the founder of Naviar Records, who use haiku as a creative prompt with musicians from around the world.
  • Sherry and Zoe Grant will be sharing their enthusiasm for rengay on 1 April, which is a form of collaborative poetry. They are based in New Zealand and published poets, among other creative pursuits.
  • Dr Greg Pritchard will be concluding our Zoom-based workshops on 8 April. Greg will share the art of bringing an image to life in a few words and promote how verse forms like haiku and senyru are a good practice for writing, in that they teach both to be economical with language, and inventive.

The theme of the exhibition will explore connection with landscape through asking participants to share their favourite places.

To get involved please email staycoolexhibition@gmail.com to register your interest in attending these workshops.

For further information see the media release at ree.org.au/2025/02/11/stay-cool/

This poem by Dr Pritchard was part of the Crossing Streams exhibition in Narrandera during 2017, which was an earlier collaboration between Jason Richardson and Naviar Records.

This project is supported by the NSW Government through Western Riverina Arts and Create NSW