Listen to our community.
A passion for rhetoric, speechwriting, and debate seems to have been lost in modern society. Many question whether speechwriting is the anchor it once was in modern politics, as state schools breeze over the topic of rhetoric. DASH ARTS has come together to reignite a passion across local communities in England.
The culmination of ‘Speech Speech,’ a year of AHRC-funded workshops with the University of Birmingham and the University of East Anglia, has been presented as ‘Speak Out!’. This series of presentations brings together experts in speechwriting with candidates who have utilised this program to showcase high-quality speeches that touch on their deepest passions.
Night one of ‘Speak Out!’ began with dramatic readings of the infamous Cicero and Churchill speeches by Ciaran Kellgren before an introduction to the esteemed panel and guest speakers. Josephine Burton opened the discussion around the crisis of rhetoric in speech and how Edith Hall, Jess Cunniffe, and Henriette van der Blom were thought leaders united by the desire to enable access to speechwriting and the importance of providing this neutral weapon to people across society.
There then followed a series of speeches from candidates of the program. We first heard from Michael McKeown, whose passion for his community, deeply rooted in his family history, has led him to establish a community hub to tackle loneliness in the male population of East Yorkshire. Kate Lord challenged modern education, emphasising the importance of allowing for creative freedom and thinking to truly bring out the best in a young person. Kayleigh Roach empowered people with the knowledge of the importance of Education Healthcare Plans and how transformative accessing these can be to those most in need. Craig Bird explained how cutbacks in public services have truly impacted the lives of the community. Janine’s story was told through Cristina Catalina, highlighting how refuge centres can help change people’s lives for the better at a cost lower than sending people to jail. Ciaran then represented Tony, who challenged the way news was fed to society.
All of these powerful speeches were delivered with confidence, strength, and style. The rhetorical mechanisms were tastefully used to convey messages about groups in the community that kept the audience hooked. Between speeches, the panel deep-dived into the history of rhetoric, the importance of speechwriting through the ages, and what it was like to work as a speechwriter for leading politicians, which complemented the speeches well.
The clear passion from the panel, those involved in the program, and the speakers themselves radiates through the room. You leave feeling a connection to the community and empowered by the knowledge that speech can truly be one of the greatest tools society can unlock.