Artswords News August 2015

Dear Writers and Readers  

August is here and even though it’s holiday time for many, the passionate few can still find reading and writing-related activities in Swindon.

Every Monday in August, from 1 to 3pm, Mulberry Arts, at the Richard Jefferies Museum will be kicking off the week with a bit of Wood Magic family fun. Each week has a different theme. The cost is £5 per session or £15 for all six sessions over the school holidays. Find out more here.

From 11th to 13th August, physical-theatre company, The Last Baguette, will be joining forces with local educators, Pageturners Project to bring books to life in the Central Library. Children aged 9-12 will have the chance to explore the scariest stories lurking in the library to use as a launch-pad to create their own spookily-inspired drama. A terrific introduction to both the power of words and the power of performance. To find out more and book your place, click here.
Cost £5 (for all three sessions)

On Saturday 22nd August, author Jasper Fforde, will be hosting a one-day masterclass at the Richard Jefferies Museum. Jasper is well-known for his Thursday Next novels, which are set in our very own town, Swindon. Suitable for writers of all abilities, whether just starting or with work in progress or published. Tickets are limited. To find out more and/or book your place, click here.
Cost: £45 + booking fee

This month’s Artswords Writers' Cafe and Kitchen takes place from 6pm on Thursday 27th August at Lower Shaw Farm. Cost £2. Starts with pot-luck supper from 6pm. If you can, please bring something to nibble or drink, to share with others. Following acclimatisation with food and friendly chat, we take time to look at our writing. You may simply read your work for up to 5 minutes; or, if you’d like your work to be the subject of helpful comments and discussion, bring 10 copies of one piece of writing. This should amount to no more than 500 words of prose or 40 lines of poetry.

Note. This month we shall be once again welcoming local storyteller Chris Park to assist with and inspire our story-telling. We now also welcome anyone with 5-minute stories to tell. If you have a story, to tell, not read, and ideally a story from your life, please bring it along.

Other News
The Poetry Swindon Festival takes place 1st-5th October. Bookings are now open for residential places at Lower Shaw Farm. See http://www.lowershawfarm.co.uk/oct-2015#oct-poetry  Visiting the Festival this year with poetry and workshops are Jo Bell as poet in residence, Kei MillerLuke KennardTania Hershman, and Pascale Petit plus many more exciting voices and experiences. 

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If you have any news or events for September that you would like to see in ARTSWORDS NEWS, please let us know by the middle of August.

Wishing you happy holidays, good reading, and creative writing.

Matt Holland & Annie Vickers
SWINDON ARTSWORDS
LOVE LITERATURE! LOVE LIFE!