THE City of Swan's September to October Writer-in-Residence is entertainer Jake Dennis, a Burmese-Australian singer, poet, and actor keen to inspire locals with poetry.

Mr Dennis, who has lived in the City of Swan for 26 years has an extensive publication, performance, teaching, and study history and his award-winning poetry is published internationally in journals, anthologies and newspapers and he regularly performs as a featured artist at poetry events.

“Sharing skills, empowering others to succeed, and making education affordably accessible drive me as an author so I love delivering poetry workshops for the community,” Mr Dennis said.

Promoting himself as ‘PoetOfJazz’ on social media, Dennis began publishing poetry in local newspapers as a schoolkid and has now been published in over 100 publications across four-teen countries.

“Poetry provides opportunities for creative self-expression, cultural critique, and community connection,” he said.

Recognised by judges of twelve poetry competitions in the past two years, Jake Dennis became the only 2024-2025 Writing WA Emerging Writers Program graduate to have his debut poetry collection Journeying (Fremantle Press, 2027) shortlisted for a national prize, Vagabond Press NSW's Noel Rowe Poetry Award.

“Everyone has a story to tell, creative potential, and talent to share,” the crooner turned carer believes.

Thanks to the City of Swan libraries, you can catch him every Monday 10am-12pm this Sep-tember and October at the Midland Courtyard Studio and enjoy free poetry workshops on art, haiku, and performance at the Ballajura, Guildford, and Midland libraries.

Workshop Information:
• Painting with Words: Ekphrastic Poetry Workshop Thu Oct 9 2-4pm @ Goldfields Arts Centre Art Gallery.
• Painting with Words: Art-Inspired Poetry Workshop Sat Oct 11 11am-1pm @ Guildford Library: Contact programs.library@swan.wa.gov.au
• Garden to Globe: Haiku Writing Workshop Tue Oct 28 3-5pm @ Ballajura Library: Contact programs.library@swan.wa.gov.au