Latest News, Workshops & Courses (May 2024)

Here’s what I’ve been up to in 2024 so far and an updated list of my current workshops:

Jesmond Library Writing Residency

My writing residency at Jesmond Library finished at the beginning of April with the launch of the Welcome to the Library anthology. You can find out more about my residency and the anthology by reading my final writer in residence blog post. Copies of Welcome to the Library are available from Jesmond Library for £5 or contact enquries@jesmondlibrary.org if you would like them to send you a copy (for an additional £2.20 for postage and packing).

Jesmond Library Creative Writing Competition

As writer in residence I got to choose the theme for the library’s annual creative writing competition. Enter short stories, poetry, scripts, lyrics (maximum 1,500 words) on the theme of light by 4 June 2024. It costs £3 per entry and full details and entry forms are available on the Jesmond Library Blog. I’m not involved in the judging, but I’m looking forward to seeing how people interpret the theme which was inspired by Jesmond Library being a light and bright place to spend time (particularly during the dark Winter days of my residency).

Newborn Parents

One of the useful and enjoyable things I did last year was Artists’ Agency – an artist development programme run by the brilliant Helix Arts. I was involved in Artists’ Agency Newcastle which is part of Creative Central: Newcastle. As part of the programme, you could pitch for a paid commission to make a public artwork with the community in the Creative Central: Newcastle area. I didn’t pitch, but I was part of Rachael Brien’s successful project, Newborn Parents. This involved facilitating creative writing activities with the mothers of babies under six months to encourage them to share their experiences of early parenthood in some chaotic but magical sessions. Rachael then made a beautiful cot sized quilt which she embroidered with words from the sessions. If you’re near to Newcastle and would like to see the quilt, it’s now on display in the window of the Tyne Theatre and Opera House on Westgate Road.

Time to Write Workshops at Koru

My first creative writing workshop at Koru Peaceful Pizza (Salters Road, Gosforth) went well – it’s a calm and relaxing place to write and the coffee is excellent. So, I’m going to run a regular monthly session here from next month onwards. Apart from in June, sessions will be on the last Sunday of the month and dates are as follows:

Saturday 22 June 11am-12.30pm (£15).

Sunday 28 July 11am-1pm

Sunday 29 September 11am-1pm

Sunday 27 October 11am-1pm

Sunday 24 November 11am-1pm

Sunday dates cost £20 per session and its fine to book as a one off or wait until nearer the time before booking. There are only 11 spaces per session, though, so don’t leave it too late! Email me to find out more and book your place.

Biscuit Factory Writing Workshops

My workshops at the Biscuit Factory Gallery have been popular and there are only a few spaces left on the next couple of workshops:

Sunday 16 June (11am-2pm) Re-writing the Past – £30

Sunday 1 September (11am-2pm) Send it Out – £30

Gather Online Writing Group

If you’re not near Newcastle, a reminder that I have a monthly online writing group which meets on the first Thursday of the month between 6.30pm-8.30pm. Sessions cost £15 each (book via Eventbrite) or you can block book at least three sessions for £10 each (book by emailing me) and it’s fine to come along to occasional sessions or if you haven’t been before. Sessions for the rest of this year are on 6 June, 4 July, 5 September, 3 October, 7 November, 5 December.

Feel free to get in touch if you’d like to find out more about any of the above.

Amanda