Luka Lesson

Family - welcome to my patreon page: A place where a modern day artist like me can tap into an age-old process - hard working artists and generous patrons conspiring to change the world.

Leonardo Da Vinci had patrons, the city of Athens was full of them, and now - me.   

WHY THO?

Over the past 8 years I’ve learnt that STABILITY EQUALS CREATIVITY. I thrive off having a regular space and solid foundations - the more habitual my day-to-day life is, the more creative and crazy my art can be.  

WHY NOW?

1. COVID-19 and my livelihood. For the last 14 years I have funded my career by performing and giving workshops in schools, but with the recent COVID-19 situation, I have been told that, as a visitor, I can no longer enter school grounds. Over the past few weeks about a third of my yearly income has disappeared and it’s not going to get better anytime soon. 

2. I want to raise a family, and stay an artist. 3 years ago I got married to a beautiful human named Isa! She’s an artist as well - we want to have children, and be creative parents - that's important to us. It’s important to me to be a present, And not absent, as a father. I want to be able to earn a living without flying away every second weekend. 

3. I’m a hard working human. Anyone who has been following my work over the years knows that I’m not scared of hard work. I believe that with the stability good patrons will bring me - my output will increase and everyone will be satisfied. Win/win. 

4. Personal Health. Over the past 10 years I have suffered from chronic headaches. It literally drives me mad some days. This support network through patreon will help me get even closer to solving this issue and moving closer towards perfect health. 

SO - CREATIVELY, WHAT WILL I DO WITH ALL THIS NEW TIME ON MY HANDS?

MY THREE YEAR PLAN

1. ONLINE POETRY IN EDUCATION RESOURCE

With all the possible impacts of Corona Virus meaning that I may not be able to visit so many schools this year in person, I am using this as fuel to create a ‘Members Only’ section of my website which will become an online resource for teachers and education centres worldwide to access my poetry, workshops, writing process videos, tips, prompts, and downloadable teaching resources. This will be a culmination of 14 years of experience in the education sector. 

Outcome: Online Poetry Learning Resource for Education Centres Worldwide
 
2. AGAPE AND OTHER KINDS OF LOVE

“Agapi & Other Kinds of Love” is a solo theatre piece discussing the 7 different types of love in Ancient Greece. It is a joint commission from La Boite Theatre in Brisbane and Bleach* Festival on the Gold Coast. I have already completed the majority of the work, including a week of development in Brisbane in 2019 - and I have booked a premiere in Melbourne in early August. All going well I’ll tour this show across Australia in August/Sept 2020. 

Outcome: Agapi Book / Solo Theatre Show 

3. ODYSSEUS 

I have taken on the ‘epic’ task of making a reinterpretation of Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ in Hip-hop and Spoken Word - all performed with a live choir and orchestra. Sounds insane, but it’s been a labor of love I’ve chipped away at since 2016, and it is actually happening:


Let’s just say, it’s huge and precious and deserves to be done properly with no cutting of corners or false starts.

I could talk about this project all day, it is my life, but you can read more here: www.odysseus.live

Outcome: Odysseus Book / Album / Live Shows

4. ONGOING WRITERS PROGRAM: THE RHODES POETRY RETREAT 

Over the past 3 years I have poured my heart and soul into this poetry retreat. Set in my grandfather’s village of Monolithos on the island of Rhodes, Greece, the retreat is about to complete its fourth year.

The Rhodes Poetry Retreat is a deep creative escape, a chance for me to apply the last 14 years of workshop facilitation experience and give writers the opportunity to recharge, reignite their process, soak in the beauty and strength of my ancestral homelands and shine.

So long as the travel restrictions and fears around the Corona Virus subside, then we are still on track to hold this year’s retreat from October 4-10, 2020. Should the situation worsen, then we will be postponing the retreat until 2021. 


www.RhodesPoetryRetreat.com

Outcome: A Yearly Poetry Retreat in Greece every September.

FAQ

“OK, COUNT ME IN - WHAT DO I DO NOW?”

Click on one of the tiered options you’d like to commit to on the right of the screen and go from there... you’ve already done the hardest part: signing up to patreon - it’s actually smooth sailing from here to be honest.

“HOW MUCH OF MY MONEY DO YOU WANT, BRO...?“

Times are tough, you can donate any amount you like - literally a dollar makes a difference. A thousand people donating $1 each easily covers my meals for a month. This is NOT to be laughed at - it’s actually serious help and I thank you. 

Also - you can cancel anytime you want, no questions asked. I understand that times are tough, and that there are plenty of other great people and organisations worth donating too as well. Do your thing.