Poetry & Environmental Rap Battle

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Words for a changing world.

MOTE is inviting poets, spoken-word artists and environmental rappers to take part in a live performance event exploring our relationship with the environment through words, rhythm and storytelling.

From climate change and consumerism to wildlife, our communities and the future of our planet, we want to hear different perspectives on the world around us.

Whether you write poetry, perform spoken word, create environmental rap or combine different styles, we want to hear from you.

You don’t need to be an environmental expert or an established performer. We’re looking for original voices, creative ideas and work that encourages people to think differently.

The Challenge

Selected performers will be invited to perform their original work at a live MOTE Poetry & Environmental Rap Battle showcase.

This is a prepared-performance event, giving you the opportunity to write and rehearse your piece in advance. We welcome performances that are personal, political, humorous, challenging, hopeful or experimental.

Poets and rappers will perform alongside one another, celebrating the different ways words can communicate ideas, challenge perspectives and inspire change.

Six Creative Categories

When applying, please choose the category that best reflects the subject of your proposed performance. These categories are intended to inspire your work rather than restrict it.

1. Nature & Biodiversity — The Living World

Explore wildlife, habitats, biodiversity, extinction and our relationship with the natural world. What can we learn from nature, and what do we stand to lose?

2. Climate & Our Changing World — A Changing Planet

Explore climate change, extreme weather, environmental injustice, climate anxiety and the consequences of inaction. You might question political promises or imagine a world transformed by climate change.

3. Waste, Consumerism & Reuse — The Things We Throw Away

Question our throwaway culture, fast fashion, overconsumption, planned obsolescence and the value we place on objects. What happens to the things we discard, and could we learn to value them differently?

4. People, Place & Community — Our Place

Explore how our surroundings shape us, from local green spaces and urban development to pollution, access to nature and environmental inequality. What does a fairer, more sustainable community look like?

5. Resources, Energy & Our Way of Life — The Cost of Living

Consider the resources we depend on every day, including energy, transport, food, water and housing. Explore the choices we make, the systems we rely on and the possibilities for change.

6. Hope, Resistance & The Future — Tomorrow Is Ours

Look beyond the problems to explore solutions, activism, responsibility, imagination and hope. What kind of future do we want to create, and what might it take to get there?

Six MOTE Environmental Themes

Our environmental displays explore practical changes to the way we live, travel, produce energy, grow food and use the land. Performers are also welcome to draw inspiration from these six MOTE themes:

  • Moving Towards Change: Transport, cycling, public transport and more sustainable ways to travel.
  • Building a Better Future: Sustainable buildings, insulation, retrofitting and the spaces we live and work in.
  • Powering the Future: Electricity, renewable energy and how we power our lives.
  • Working with the Land: Farming, food production and how we grow what we eat.
  • What We Leave Behind: Materials, manufacturing, production, the things we create and the things we throw.
  • Working with the Land: Landscapes, soil, biodiversity and how we care for and regenerate the land.

You can respond to one of these themes directly, connect several together or take an entirely different approach to an environmental issue. We encourage performers to bring their own experiences, questions and interpretations to the subject.

The Live Event

The MOTE Poetry & Environmental Rap Battle will be divided into three live segments, creating an evening of original performances, music and audience participation.

Each night will feature a minimum of two performers, with each performer given approximately 5–8 minutes per segment to present their work.

The evening will include:

Segment One — First Performances

Musical Performance & Break

A live musical performance will provide an opportunity for the audience to relax, enjoy some music and prepare for the next segment.

Segment Two — Second Performances

Segment Three — Final Performances

Audience Vote & Winner Announcement

Following the performances, audience members will vote for their favourite performer. The winner will receive the MOTE Poetry & Environmental Rap Battle Audience Award.

The final running order and musical performer will be confirmed closer to the event.

Who Can Apply?

We welcome applications from:

  • Poets and spoken-word performers.
  • Environmental rappers and lyricists.
  • Emerging and established performers.
  • Artists working across poetry, music and performance.

You must be able to attend the event in person. Your performance must be original and explore an environmental theme or our relationship with the world around us.

You do not need formal qualifications, previous competition experience or specialist environmental knowledge. We are interested in your ideas, your voice and the way you communicate them.

What Selected Performers Can Expect

  • A place in the live MOTE showcase.
  • The opportunity to perform original work in front of a live audience.
  • The chance to connect with other local creatives and performers.
  • The opportunity to win the Audience Award.
  • £15 entry fee per performer

Further details about the event date, technical arrangements, performance order and participation terms will be provided to selected performers.

How to Apply

This is a rolling open call and will close once all performer places have been filled.

To apply, please submit:

  1. Your name and contact details.
  2. A short biography introducing yourself and your creative practice.
  3. Your chosen creative category from the six categories listed above.
  4. A description of your proposed performance, including the environmental theme it explores.
  5. A sample of your work, such as a video, audio recording, written poem or lyrics. If you don’t have a recording, a written sample is welcome.
  6. Any technical requirements, including backing tracks or microphone preferences.

Application deadline: Rolling open call — closes once all places are filled.

Event date: To be confirmed.

Application link: HERE

For questions or further information, please contact hello@mote-uk.org or give us a call on 01473708266

We look forward to hearing your words and discovering the different ways you interpret the world around us.

MOTE — Museum of the Environment
13 Museum Street, Ipswich, IP1 1HE