Technical Knockouts (TKO) is a workshop program on spoken word, electronic music, and DJing for Two-Spirit, gender diverse, queer, and allied young artists, at the annual Queer Arts Festival (QAF) in June 2019. Led by queer female-identified Indigenous artists— Kinnie Starr (mixed-race Mohawk), Tiffany Moses (Dene), and DJ O Show (Squamish and Black)—participants will learn to integrate spoken word and poetry into electronic music and DJ processes.

TKO provides a free, creative environment where youth tell their stories, experiment, and access professional resources and mentors. Participants are encouraged to bring spoken word and poetry works-in-progress, and develop and experiment with the cross-over into electronic music, with the guidance of professional artists. The program culminates with a performance opportunity on the QAF mainstage alongside the mentors.

TKO is a two weeks (10-day) workshop, June 12-22 at Trout Lake and The Roundhouse community centres in Vancouver, with Kinnie Star, Tiffany Moses and DJ O'Show. Attendance at the introductory workshops is free of charge, and honoraria will be offered for each intensive session attended. Meals are provided during the sessions.