Programme of Activities
January - April 2016
SUPPORTING
CREATIVE WRITERS AND CREATIVE WRITING
IN THE WEST MIDLANDS.
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WWW.WRITINGWESTMIDLANDS.ORG
WELCOME
NEWS FROM US
Welcome to the spring season of Writing West Midlands’
events and activities.
We are the region’s literature development agency, a registered charity and one of Arts Council
England’s National Portfolio Organisations. We work with writers from the age of 8 upwards to
encourage and develop creative writing and creative writing activity across the West Midlands.
In this brochure you’ll find information about our key projects and events. There’s plenty more, plus
contact details, at www.writingwestmidlands.org.
Image © Paul Stringer
WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO
We support creative writers and creative writing in the West Midlands region through;
Developing Writers
We work with aspiring, emerging & established writers providing workshops, courses, toolkit
events, residencies and networking or creative development programmes like Room 204.
Young Writers
We provide opportunities for young people to develop and road-test their work through our Young
Writers’ Groups, online magazine and work in schools.
Festivals and Events
As well as producing the annual Birmingham Literature Festival, we also produce and partner on a
rich calendar of other events across the region.
Regional Activity
We partner with publishers, universities, arts and non-arts organisations to help create
opportunities for writers and a culture that supports creative writers in our region and beyond.
THE WRITING WEST MIDLANDS TEAM
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Jonathan Davidson
Chief Executive
Emma Boniwell
Development Manager
Joanne Penn
Learning and Participation Manager
Abigail Campbell
Programmer
Olivia Chapman
PR & Comms Manager
Peggy Long
Finance Manager
2016 marks the 400th anniversary of
Shakespeare’s death. You’ll not be surprised
to hear me claim him as a West Midlander
but also to reflect that in 2016 it isn’t quite
so necessary to go to London to be a writer.
Recent research suggests that he may have
actually written many of his plays in Stratfordupon-Avon, presumably emailing them down
to that London with invoice attached. And we
can reflect that, were Shakespeare alive today,
there would be plenty to keep him in the region.
We would certainly be inviting him to be part of
our Writer Networking Morning in Shrewsbury
in March and to be ‘In Conversation’ about
his work in much the same way that novelist
Jonathan Coe will be in April (to mark the
stage adaptation of The Rotters’ Club). And
although he probably wouldn’t have felt he
was quite right to run a short course on fiction
writing, such as William Gallagher is running
for us between January and March, he might
well have approved of our Arvon City course
in Wolverhampton also in January – and
is Wolverhampton with all its canals and
merchants not redolent of Venice?
Our support for Poetry by Heart, a national
competition to encourage young people to
perform poetry from memory, would certainly
have interested him, as it is to his work that we
look for models of how to recite poetry (‘Speak
the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it
to you, trippingly on the tongue.’). We would
certainly have asked him to join our panel
of judges at one of our four ‘county’ finals.
Shakespeare won’t be there but you are most
welcome, just as you will be at our Young
Writers’ Showcase at the Bournville Children’s
Book Festival in March.
It is a very busy season but if you are an
emerging writer do take a look at our Room 204
writer development scheme, about which I can
find no Shakespearean connection other than
it is for writers who want to make their way in
the world.
Finally, Saturday 23rd April 2016 marks the
exact anniversary of Shakespeare’s death and
we will be delivering our own contemporary
response to his writing, about which more
anon…
Jonathan Davidson
Chief Executive, Writing West Midlands
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JANUARY
FEBRUARY
SHORT COURSE: WRITING FICTION FROM START TO FINISH
POETRY BY HEART: BIRMINGHAM AND WEST MIDLANDS FINAL
Wednesdays 13 January - 17 February, 6 - 8pm
Friday 5 February, 6.30 - 9pm
Writing West Midlands, Unit 204, The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Birmingham, B9 4AA
Studio Theatre, Library of Birmingham, Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2ND
A six-week short course on both the creative and the practical side
of writing novels, short stories and scripts. You’ll create characters,
plan plots and discuss dialogue as you write from scratch or develop
work you’ve already begun. At the same time you’ll learn about what
publishers need and why – plus the essentials you need to know for
self-publishing. Then you’ll also find out exactly how to juggle your
writing alongside all the other commitments in your life. How to get
started, how to keep going and then how to finish.
This pioneering poetry recitation competition is back! On Friday
5 February, young people from across Birmingham, the Black
Country and Staffordshire will compete to recite two poems from
memory.
The course is led by Doctor Who radio writer and author William
Gallagher who’ll cover the practicalities of writing productively as
well as creatively. Sessions will also be run by playwright, journalist
and young adults’ workshop leader Alex Townley plus novelist and
self-publishing expert Katharine D’Souza.
The other contests taking place in our region are: Warwickshire
(Shakespeare Birthplace Trust) Tuesday 9 February; Shropshire
(Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery) Wednesday 24 February;
Herefordshire and Worcestershire (Burgage Hall, Ledbury)
Saturday 27 February. The winner of each contest will compete in
the finals at Homerton College in Cambridge in March 2016.
£110 FOR THE FULL COURSE
£99 FOR FRIENDS
The judges are writer and broadcaster Stuart Maconie, theatre
performer Rochi Rampal and lecturer in Primary ITE at the
University of Birmingham, Dr Josie Brady.
Image © Lee Allen
BOOK: www. writingwestmidlands.org
ARVON CITY: STARTING TO WRITE
FREE
BOOK: 0121 245 4455 / www.writingwestmidlands.org
POETRY READING: ANNE-MARIE FYFE & C L DALLAT
Friday 29 - Sunday 31 January, 10am - 9pm (10am - 6pm on Sunday)
Thursday 11 February, 6.30 - 8.30pm
Bantock House Museum, Finchfield Road, Wolverhampton, WV3 9LQ
BCU, Ground Floor Lecture Theatre, School of Art, Margaret Street, Birmingham, B3 3BX
Led by acclaimed writers, novelist and journalist Sathnam
Sanghera and poet Liz Berry, this non-residential course from
Arvon will help you find your writing voice and make it sing. You’ll
experience a powerful mix of workshops, one-to-one tutorials, the
support of fellow writers and plenty of time and space to write.
Anne-Marie Fyfe’s new book, House of Small Absences, offers
poems that look into strange, unsettling places – underground
cities, roof-gardens, houseboats. Beautifully crafted, this is poetry
that rings true. C L (Cahal) Dallat’s second book of poems, The
Years of Not Dancing, is poised between past and present, from
growing up in a small-town Ireland to parenthood in London.
Through discussion, writing exercises, fieldwork and by exploring
some fantastic classic and contemporary texts, you’ll be given the
tools you need to create poetry and prose you can be proud of. In
this supportive environment you’ll discover how to get started, find
your subject, shape your writing and bring your language to life.
Both poets grew up in County Antrim and are now well-known on
the UK poetry scene through hosting the Coffee-House Poetry
reading series at London’s Troubadour Café (Anne-Marie) and
being a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Review
(Cahal). Join them for what promises to be a superb reading.
Grants for this course are available. Please see our website for
details.
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£285 (LUNCH & DINNER INCLUDED) BOOK: 020 7324 2554 / www. writingwestmidlands.org
FREE
BOOK: www.writingwestmidlands.org
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MARCH
APRIL
YOUNG WRITERS’ GROUP SHOWCASE: BOURNVILLE CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL
JONATHAN COE IN CONVERSATION: THE ROTTERS’ CLUB
Sunday 20 March, 2 - 4pm
Saturday 9 April, 6.30
Selly Manor, Maple Road, Bournville, B30 2AE
Studio Theatre, Library of Birmingham, Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2ND
Come and celebrate the region’s up and coming young writers with
this event featuring new poetry, prose and performance writing.
Performers will be members of our Write On! Young Writers’ Groups
(aged 8-11) from Birmingham, and this showcase promises a
selection of wild and wonderful stories.
Jonathan Coe, author of The Rotters’ Club, and Richard Cameron
who has adapted it for the stage, discuss this new production and
their careers. This ‘In Conversation’ will be recorded for broadcast
on BBC Radio 3’s Arts and Ideas programme, Free Thinking, and
presented by Matthew Sweet.
If you are a budding young writer yourself, or know a young writer,
come along to find out about the UK’s largest network of young
writers, and how you can join in.
Jonathan Coe’s novels include What A Carve Up!, Expo 58 and
most recently Number 11. He grew up in Birmingham and much of
his work reflects his Midlands heritage. Richard Cameron writes for
theatre, television and radio, and won the inaugural Dennis Potter
Award for his television play Stone, Scissors, Paper.
The showcase will be 2-3pm and will be followed by an afternoon
tea and celebration of the Bournville Children’s Book Festival to
close the event for 2016.
Image © Lee Allen
Presented in association with Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
£5 / £4
FREE, NO BOOKING REQUIRED
BOOK: 0121 245 4455 / www.writingwestmidlands.org
SHAKESPEARE STREET
WRITER NETWORKING SESSION: SHREWSBURY
Saturday 23 April
Region-wide
Saturday 26 March, 10.30am - 12.30pm
Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery, The Music Hall, Market St, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 1LG
2016 is the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death so we’re
delivering a very special project to celebrate our region’s most
famous writer.
Join Writing West Midlands and two guest writers for a free
morning of discussion and networking for emerging and
established writers. This is a great opportunity for writers to
meet one another, share ideas and enthusiasms, and hear from
industry professionals.
Lisa Blower is an award winning short story writer whose debut
novel, Sitting Ducks, will shortly be published by Fair Acre Press.
David Calcutt is a poet, playwright and writer of fiction for children
and young people. His one man play, The Life and Times of the
Tat Man, is currently on tour, and he has recently finished a new
commissioned play for Regional Voice Theatre, The Ballad of
Rough Moey and the Darlaston Dog Fight.
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FREE
If you live in a Shakespeare address - Shakespeare Street,
Crescent, Avenue etc - expect a unique literary delivery on
Saturday 23 April.
Find out more on our website early in the new year and follow
the hashtag #shakespearestreet on Twitter.
Image © Lee Allen
BOOK: www. writingwestmidlands.org
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JOIN US
BECOME A FRIEND AND SUPPORT CREATIVE WRITING
AND WRITERS IN THE WEST MIDLANDS
DEVELOP YOUR CREATIVE CAREER WITH WRITING WEST MIDLANDS
Every year we select fifteen emerging writers who live or work
in the West Midlands to take part in our writer development
programme.
Candidates are chosen based on the high quality of their work
and their need for support. We offer writers a year of close contact
with the organisation including 1-1 meetings, group networking
sessions, workshops and many more benefits.
The programme is aimed at writers who consider themselves
to be emerging and who are writing creatively in any genre.
The programme is free and requires only a time commitment of
approximately 3 days/6 half days per year.
Join us by becoming a Friend and help us to develop writers of all ages across the
region. You will also get special discounts at our events and workshops, including
our annual Writers’ Toolkit.
For as little as £3 a month (or a one-off yearly payment of £30), you can make a
real contribution to creative writing and literature activities in the West Midlands.
BENEFITS OF BECOMING A FRIEND INCLUDE:
10% off tickets for events
Special prices for workshops and The
Writers’ Toolkit
20% off books at our events
10% off at Waterstones Birmingham
25% off Nine Arches Press books
10% off at Foyle’s, Grand Central
Birmingham
10% discount off total bill at Café Opus
at Ikon
25% off a la carte menu at Loch Fyne
(selected branches only)
2 for 1 offer on tickets to the RSC
viewing tower
Exclusive quarterly newsletter
More details: www.writingwestmidlands.org/support-us
Writers will be chosen on the basis of the following:
•The quality of their writing.
•Evidence of their commitment to writing professionally.
•Demonstrable need for our support.
How to apply: The application process for Room 204 takes
place from late January until the end of February. Look out
for more information on www.writingwestmidlands.org.
@writingwestmids or find us Facebook.
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Monthly Friends
Subscription
Annual Friends
Subscription
Monthly Joint
Friends
Subscription
Annual Joint
Friends
Subscription
Supporters
Subscription
Benefactors
Subscription
Sign up to become a Friend, Supporter or Benefactor in person (at our events),
online using debit or credit card, PayPayl or Direct Debit, or complete the form
overleaf and send us a cheque made payable to Writing West Midlands to:
Emma Boniwell, Development Manager, Writing West Midlands
Unit 204, The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Birmingham, B9 4AA
Thank you for your support!
JOIN US
Sign up to become a Friend by completing the form below. You can also join online at
www.writingwestmidlands.org/support-us. Please enter your details in block capitals.
First
name
Title
Save the date!
6 - 15 October 2016
Last
Name
Mobile
Phone
Email
Twitter
www.birminghamliteraturefestival.org
@
@BhamLitFest
Address
Postcode
LEVEL OF SUPPORT
I would like to become a:
Friend (£30)
Joint Friend (£50)
Available for two people sharing the same address
If you want to spread the cost across the year, please sign up online and choose the
Monthly Direct Debit option (£3 per month).
Can you give more?
If you are able to give a larger donation, you will help us to bring even more writing to
all parts of our region. Become a
Supporter (£80)
Benefactor (£150+)
Or just donate at www.writingwestmidlands.org/donate
In order to claim your discounted tickets, we have to pass your details
to our box office, The Box. Please tick if you do not wish us to do this.
The Box may use your details to give you information about events at the Library
of Birmingham. Please tick if you do not wish to hear about these events.
The Box may pass your details on to carefully selected third parties.
Please tick here if you do not want to hear from them.
Support Young Writers
Image © Lee Allen
It costs over £21,000 to run our network of Young Writers’ Groups across the
region. We have already raised £18,000 to support these groups. We need
to raise a further £3,000 to make these groups happen. With your help we
can keep costs low for our young writers! Just £50 could pay for one child to
develop as a writer for one year, but every little bit helps.
Donate now by texting WWMS15 £5 or £10 to 70070 or by visiting
www.writingwestmidlands.org/donate and clicking on the “Donate now” button.
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Calendar
January - April 2016
JANUARY
Wednesdays 13 Jan - 17 Feb
Short Course: Writing Fiction from Start to Finish
Birmingham
Friday 29 - Sunday 31
Arvon City: Starting to Write Fiction
Wolverhampton
Friday 5
Poetry By Heart: Birmingham and West Midlands Final
Birmingham
Thursday 11
Poetry Reading: Anne-Marie Fyfe & C L Dallat
Birmingham
Sunday 20
Young Writers’ Group Showcase:
Bournville Children’s Book Festival
Birmingham
Saturday 26
Writer Networking Session: Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Saturday 9
Jonathan Coe In Conversation: The Rotters’ Club
with Richard Cameron
Birmingham
Saturday 23
Shakespeare Street
Region-wide
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
Thanks to all Friends, Supporters & Benefactors of Writing West Midlands.
If you would like more information about our Friends scheme, please visit the
Support Us page on our website. www.writingwestmidlands.org
Tweet us @writingwestmids or find us on Facebook and Vimeo
Writing West Midlands, Unit 204, The Custard Factory,
Gibb St, Birmingham, B9 4AA. Tel: 0121 246 2770
www.writingwestmidlands.org
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Company Registration Number: 6264124. Registered Charity Number: 1147710.
The advertised programme is subject to change without notice where unavoidable.