Difference, resistance and collaboration lie at the heart of Chilli Jam’s recipe, a monthly open mic night nestled within the labyrinth that is Fremantle’s Fibonacci Centre. Carved out by artists Judith Huang & Bobby Liow, recitations of OHS manuals, kinetic poetry and nascent ballads detail a typical Chilli Jam line evening. But it’s the creative community building that keeps punters and poets returning each month.
Is Chilli Jam responding to an absence in the poetry scene?
B: We wanted to make a diverse space. Somewhere where people of all backgrounds and skill levels could take part in something.
J: I had experienced racism in other performance spaces and it was not ok. Parts of Chilli Jam were borne out of anger. It was necessary to create a space that was run by and for culturally diverse peoples.
Was this something actualised from the beginning?
J: Yes. We are very conscious to curate a diverse range of performers that details the different voices which exist throughout Perth and Fremantle. We have always existed, it’s just that we have been kept out of spaces.
B: Most of the artists we have perform are either queer and/or people of colour.
What has the community response been?
J: Creativity and collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Since Chilli Jam began we have seen community members start their own events and work together on different projects through one another’s mediums.
B: We have regulars and that is the greatest compliment to the community we have built.
J: Creativity thrives in community. The image of the lone artist is false. We have always created together. We are here to grow, nurture and expand.
B: We just had a feature last month from poet Miriam Wei Wei Lo. She debuted her poem Return Flight here which went on to win the 2025 Tom Collins Poetry prize.
A group shot of the Chilli Jam poets
The Fibonacci Centre is such a kooky joint. How did Chilli Jam find its home here?
J: It was a bit of kismet. I am a regular at Hinata cafe because the food is delicious and one of our volunteers had posted photos of an exhibition there telling us to go. It was a textile exhibition from different artists in India. I got connected to the events manager Ross and we hit it off. It’s the perfect vibe there.
B: Huge shout out to Ross who has helped us from day one.
At my first Chilli Jam I listened to someone get up on stage in high viz and give me an OHS instruction for the mines. Last week there were slinkies and poems (literally) flying around the place. Has it always been the eccentric?
J: Oh yeah that was lucky and Andrew! Yes, a space where people are allowed to try and fail is what we want to cultivate. We have a ground rule that there is no criticism at Chilli Jam. Just come and give it a crack!
B: Chilli Jam is a space that people can openly share.
J: in the Singapore scene where we are both from there are poetry and music nights. People were getting together and crossing into one another’s genres, it’s amazing. Next Chilli Jam I am dropping a poetry album with a South Korean sound artist. Cross disciplinary work adds new dimensions to space. We want to see innovation.
You have zine in the works. What can reader expect?
J: We wanted a time capsule of this community, and we wanted to let people see themselves in print. Otherwise, its all lost to the air.
B: We created an ISBN for this zine which means it will get archived in both state and federal libraries.
Judith, you create monthly posters via your own illustrations
J: It usually begins with something incandescent and energetic. It’s meant drawing some really pissed off animals, an emotion that energised us to create Chilli Jam in the first place. Each animal appears to me in my head each month, usually on time. In the year of the snake this Cobra came to me wearing sunglasses. It looked like an old 90’s Mambo design. The first drawing this year was a hungover horse.
How do people get involved:
B: It’s an open sign-up process online via Instagram or Facebook but we ask for people to (literally) thrown their names into a hat on the night if they didn’t sign up but want to perform. We want to give everyone a go.
J: Keep an eye out for flyers around town!