jess holly bates

Jess Holly Bates is a Pakeha creative with a will to make (and encourage others to make) work that is challenging, beautiful and local.

 

She has a First Class Masters of Arts from Auckland University, specializing in the ways in which colonialism is a continuing force in New Zealand identity.

 

As an actor, she has performed for both Auckland Theatre Company and Silo Theatre, and in 2013 won awards in the Short and Sweet Festival for Best Actress, and two script awards for her self-directed piece “Lucky C*ntry.”

 

Jess’ creative work is based around creating opportunities for performance poetry that is inter-disciplinary, theatrical and innovative. Poetry for Jess is a way to critique cultural and social norms in a way that is both accessible and entertaining.

 

In 2014, she has been invited to perform her solo performance poetry show MULTI-TUSK, made under the mentorship of Rosanna Raymond, which will be shown in London, and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

 

Jess wants to utilize this opportunity to both represent NZ on an international stage, and to develop her own practice at the Philippe Gaulier school in Paris in August, in order to infuse New Zealand spoken word with exciting new pathways for making performance poetry.