poetic futures

Cass Lynch 
Speaker  

Cass is a Koreng Wudjari Noongar woman and is descended from the families of Ravensthorpe in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. She is a writer and Research Fellow, and has a PhD in Creative Writing that explores Noongar stories that reference climate change. She is a member of the Wirlomin Noongar Language and Stories group who focus on the revitalisation of culture and language connected to south coast Noongar people. She is the co-founder of Aboriginal literature project Woylie Project, which facilitates bringing Noongar stories into print and training community members to be presenters. She has published short stories, essays and poems, and her multimedia storytelling works have been featured at Perth Festival, Fremantle Biennale, PICA, Arts House Melbourne, CCA Glasgow and more. Her Noongar language haikus, published in Westerly 64.1, won the 2019 Patricia Hackett Prize. Her short story ‘Split’, a creative impression of deep time Perth, is a key text for high school students studying VCE English in Victoria and can be found in the UQP publication Flock: First Nations Stories Then and Now. 

Loki Liddle
Speaker  

Loki is a proud Jabirr Jabirr man, a storyteller, poet, musician and professional wierdo.  

Bebe Oliver
Speaker  

A Bardi Jawi award-winning poet, author and illustrator, Bebe is all heart and hustle. A leader in Blak storytelling, he’s written and created work across stages, streets and seas, from Australia to Europe. 
 
Bebe’s debut poetry collection more than these bones (Magabala Books, 2023) won praise for its raw beauty, while his latest collection if this is the end (Magabala Books, 2024) was labelled "an instant queer Blak classic". 
 
Living on Kulin Country, Bebe is a fierce advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives. 

Agatha Caracciolo
Host

Agatha (Aggie) Guadalupe Manel-Caracciolo is a talented Yidinji/Mer Island/Quechuan multidisciplinary artist. Aggie channels the intersectionality of her identity through various creative mediums, including her vibrant performances as DJ Agapantha. 
 
Aggie is known for curating queer-safe events in the Kimberley, hosting the Kimberley Queer Blak Hour on Radio Goolarri in Broome and producing captivating mixed media artwork. She has also previously worked at Australia’s leading Indigenous publishing house in Broome, Magabala Books. With a commitment to fostering inclusive and celebratory spaces, Aggie’s work reflects her deep connection to her diverse cultural roots and her dedication to community.