It's Your Shout! National Poetry Day at the Huer's Hut

SproutSpoken invites you to a very special gathering of community, creativity and connection at one of the town's favourite places: The Huer's Hut. For the third year running, the event will coincide with National Poetry Day - and we'll be honouring this iconic Newquay landmark with songs, poetry and spoken word that conjure up the spirit of the Huer at this special place.

What do you want to shout about?

IT'S YOUR SHOUT is your opportunity to tell the world through your crafted words at the top of the cliff, at the top of your voice! Get involved - bring your voice, your words... and maybe an instrument! Sign up for the open mic - or come along and watch :)

Check out this brief video of last year's event for a flavour of what to expect!

Please note: the ground around the hut is not always level in places, so please wear sensible footwear. The location is also exposed and the event will continue despite the weather, so please dress ready!

Parking: there is none on site but Dane Road Car Park is a few minutes walk away. Please be mindful of cars on King Edward Crescent when accessing the Hut.

Age guidance: 14+

[evening likely to contain mature themes]

IMPORTANT INFO ON 'TICKETS', DONATIONS AND ACCESS...

We've developed this event with the public realm in mind. As we see it, both those attending and taking part at the Huer's Hut will, for a short while, simply inhabit a space that day-to-day is freely available to the public. And on the night of It's Your Shout, this will be no different. 

With this in mind, it does not feel right to 'sell tickets' for the event. This approach also means that It's Your Shout is potentially extra-accessible for those in the locality who (1) might be passing/turn up on the night; (2) who might not be able to afford to come or want to risk limited resources on something like this; (3) who might not make up a typical audience for an event of this kind.

However, we are still asking you to 'book tickets’. We're doing this so that we can keep you updated about the event and to help us learn more about who the It's Your Shout audience is. There is a maximum capacity and a ticket is only a condition of entry because there is limited space around the Hut before people start spilling out onto the road - and we want to keep people safe. So we will 'check you in' at the event - which will also help us keep track of our audience numbers and who came etc.

There is of course a cost to putting an event on like this - which has no funding behind it. When you 'checkout' you will notice that we have included an option for you to make a donation alongside your 'free ticket’. If you have neither the means nor the inclination - please disregard this. We certainly won't be judging... or indeed checking! However, if you wish to we would welcome your generosity - particularly if you consider yourself someone who supports the arts in Newquay, or (someone who might still be reading at this point!) and can hear the heart behind our thinking. Whilst it might sound odd for us to be pedantic about the semantics around ticketing/access - we have felt it important to separate things out... a stake in the ground establishing our ethos and mission.

Newquay Town Council (together with Hut 'custodian' - Jon Goodman) kindly facilitate the event taking place at the Huer's Hut and do not charge us a fee for using the space. However, we are keen to make a donation to the ongoing upkeep of the landmark, not least in recognition of the wonderful role it plays in conjuring the magic on the night.

Thanks for your support!

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE HUER'S HUT...

This small Grade II listed building perched high above the sea at Towan Head is of uncertain age. Some estimates put its origins as early as the 14th century however the current building is probably mid 19th century. It may have originally been used as a hermitage. Named after the Huer, an important figure in the pilchard fishing industry that once thrived in Newquay. The Huer would watch out from his high vantage point for the shoals of fish to arrive in the bay and then call out to the town by shouting 'Heva, Heva'. The seine boats with their long nets would be launched at once but then had to rely upon the Huer for directions. Holding 'Furze bushes' in his hands the Huer would direct the boats so they could first locate and then surround the fish.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT NATIONAL POETRY DAY... 

National Poetry Day is the annual mass celebration on the first Thursday of October that encourages all to enjoy, discover and share poetry. It generates an explosion of activity nationwide, thousands of amazing events across the UK – on doorsteps and at kitchen tables, in gardens and streets, in schools, libraries and public spaces both online and offline – all celebrating poetry’s power to bring people together. The Day starts conversations, it encourages love of language – and best of all, it’s open to absolutely everyone to join in, quietly or noisily in rewarding and enjoyable ways. As the artform’s most visible moment, it showcases the ways in which poetry adds value to society.

www.nationalpoetryday.co.uk