unusual writing experiences
All Night at The Museum
1 year ago
A huge well done to all those who braved, and survived, Saturday’s all night writing workshop.
The fourth of these we have run, it is so pleasing to see that people still have the desire and courage to experiment with their creativity in this way.
From 11pm to 5am we wrote, drank coffee, snacked on unhealthy sugary things and wandered inquisitively around the warren of warehouses and stores that make up the Museum Collections Centre in Birmingham.
It was a long night, but a staggering experience to be surrounded by artefac
ts as eclectically arranged as these, many of which originate from the West Midlands.
Over on our October Festival Blog, our student journalists are beginning the long process of writing this up, with more detailed interviews, images and examples of creative writing to follow.
Here, on our Facebook Page, you can view a gallery of images of the night’s activities. You can also look back over our twitter feed for snippets of information and pictures posted as we went along.
You can also catch a piece about the workshop on BBC Midlands Today on Monday 3 October 2011 at 1.30pm and 6.30pm.
The Great West Midlands Poetry Relay – Sat 23 July 2011
1 year ago
To celebrate the Cultural Olympiad Open Weekend on Saturday 23rd July 2011, ten poets will complete a poetry relay across ten locations in the West Midlands.. This will take the form of public events in different venues, including stations, libraries, Polesworth Park, Hatton Country World, a motorway service station and the Pie and Ale Pub in Stafford.
At the first location, poet A will write and perform to an audience the first segment of a collective poem. They will then join a team minibus and be taken to location two. There poet B will read the first segment and continue in that vein, writing their own segment. Then poets A and B will each perform to an audience. They will then be taken to the third location, where they will be joined by Poet C. The team of poets and segments of the poem will grow until ten segments and ten events are completed. All the finished pieces will then be attached to ten racing pigeons from Project Pigeon who will be released to carry the ten segments of the poem back to their Birmingham loft. The order in which they arrive back will determine the final manifestation of the poem.
| 8am | Stoke On Trent, Railway Station, Booking Hall, ST4 2AA | http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sot/details.html |
| 9.15am | Burton On Trent, Library | http://www.istaffordshire.co.uk/profile/282991/Burton-on-Trent/Burton-Library/ |
| 10.15am | Polesworth Abbey Green Park – as part of Love Abbey Green event with Touch FM, B78 1DU | http://www.loveparksweek.org.uk/Whats-on-detail.aspx?EventID=85eb71fa-46e0-40cb-a6db-1c9abc2266e8&County=Warwickshire |
| 11.40am | Hatton Country World, Toffee Shop, CV35 8XA | http://www.hattonworld.com/shoppingvillage/ |
| 13.10pm | Worcester Arts Workshop – Cafe Bliss, WR1 1RU | http://www.worcesterartsworkshop.org.uk/aboutus.asp?menuID=Cafe%20Bliss |
| 14.30pm | Malvern Hills – British Camp (Herefordshire Beacon) car park | http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=wr136dw&hl=en&ll=52.063573,-2.345753&spn=0.018864,0.038581&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=18.61907,39.506836&z=15 |
| 16.05pm | Bromyard Town Green – behind the Public Hall near St Peter’s Churchyard HR7 4DU |
www.herefordshire.gov.uk/communityhalls/chd_bromyardpublichall.aspx |
| 17.15pm | Highley – Severn Centre forecourt, WV16 6JG | http://www.severncentre.co.uk/index.htm |
| 18:20pm | Telford Odeon, Forgegate, TF3 4NE | http://www.nationalvenues.co.uk/shropshire/telford/telfordodeon.htm |
| 19:35pm | The Pie and Ale House, Crabbery Street, Stafford, ST16 2BA | http://www.pieandale.com/ |
Here’s a google map of the day!
Come along to celebrate the Cultural Olympiad and get involved in the creation of the relay poem which will be inspired by each place the poets visit and the concept of a relay race!
Follow the relay on twitter (@gwmpr) and see where we are along our route!
Writing Workshop: Project Pigeon (with Paul McDonald)
2 years ago
Sunday 10th April 2011
Writing with Project Pigeon & Paul McDonald
£23/£17 / 11am – 1pm /Project Pigeon Loft, Milk Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5NH
Do you know much about Pigeons? That they have won medals for saving lives, been featured in many great works of art and films? That they race, find their way home and can even be involved in artworks? Pigeon fancying has a long history in the West Midlands, and those at Project Pigeon are part of an expansive, innovative project designed to explore the history and social impact of pigeon keeping in this region. Project Pigeon works with pigeons and people to bring about social change. They do lots of things with their pigeons, such as run workshops, make musical performances, curate exhibitions and design and build city centre lofts. Project Pigeon is run by Alexandra Lockett and Ian England. The project started in January 2009 and it is open ended – it has taken them to lots of places and they have made lots of discoveries.
They have invited us, and writer Paul McDonald, to come along and meet the birds and hear some of the amazing stories of this adventure.
Born in Walsall, Paul McDonald left school at 16 to train as a saddlemaker. In 1986 he began full-time study, completed his PhD in 1993 and now lectures at Wolverhampton University. Paul remains in Walsall where, to his horror, he’s developing a taste for chunky jewellery and combat dogs. His novels include Do I Love You? and Kiss Me Softly Amy Turtle. He is published by Tindal Street Press
.
Please note that due to the nature of the venue, facilities are limited. Warm clothing and sensible footwear is advised. Tea and coffee will be available but you are welcome to bring a flask!
For more information, visit www.project-pigeon.co.uk
Project Pigeon’s Loft is located on Milk Street, Digbeth, Birmingham (in Boxxed’s backyard opposite a youth hostel, under a viaduct)
Book Online or call 0844 870 0000
