Newsletter: 30 August 2019
Durham Book Festival
Tickets are selling fast for the festival, which begins this October. This year’s programme is brimming with a host of fantastic writers, artists and thinkers for you to get inspired by! We’re also excited to welcome two new commissioned events, A Room of One’s Own: Elif Shafak, Suzanne Moore and Kerry Hudson and Damian Le Bas and Joanne Clement: The Traveller Road to Holy Island.
See the full programme of events on our website here, but be sure to book soon to avoid missing out!
Stitched: A Hip-hopera
One city. Two lovers. Two sides.
Join us on Thursday 26 September at The Sage Gateshead for an incredible evening of acting, singing and rapping! Stitched is the story of Dani and G, brought together from opposite sides of the streets. In threads woven by the storytelling fates, this new hip-hopera spins a tale of love, family and community inspired by the West End of Newcastle.
Co-created and performed by participants in New Writing North’s Young Writers’ City programme at Excelsior Academy.
Writer and director: Laura Lindow
Musical director: Liz Corney
Associate artist: Kema Kay
Choreographer: Alicia Meehan
Creative mentor: Kay Greyson
Project producer: Emily Wiseman
Tickets are FREE and bookable here via the Sage Gateshead website.
New Term dates for Young Writers’ Groups
We're looking forward to resuming our Young Writers’ Groups that meet weekly in term time! We have groups in Amble, Cramlington, Newcastle and South Shields, as well as a Young Songwriters’ Group in the West End of Newcastle. Keep your eyes peeled for a new Sunderland Young Writers' group to be announced soon!
21 September – 19 October
HALF TERM – Groups will not be meeting on 26 October or 2 November.
9 November – 7 December
*Newcastle Young Songwriters – check your group page for Wednesday session dates coming soon.*
Follow this link for more information on our group venues. If you're new to our groups you can also contact us here to register your interest – we always welcome new faces!
Winner announced for Julia Darling Travel Fellowship
We are delighted to announce that the Julia Darling Travel Fellowship 2019 has been awarded to Frances Byrnes from Sheffield.
Frances Byrnes is a freelance writer and producer who writes radio plays and makes documentary features for BBC Radio 3 and 4 and the World Service.
Dance is a common theme in her work, from A Cold War Dance (BBC Radio 4 / World Service), about Martha Graham’s Company performing in Vietnam just months before the fall of Saigon, to After a Dance-maker Dies (Radio 3), about the impact of the deaths of modern choreographers on their works. She also writes ballets for radio, which play with imagery and music to conjure pictures up in listeners’ imaginations... read more here.
Last chance to apply for Reviewers in Residence!
Our esteemed Reviewers in Residence programme is back again for Durham Book Festival 2019 and you have a chance to get involved.
Are you aged between 15-23?
Do you want behind-the-scenes access to festival events, along with the opportunity to hone your feature writing, vlogging and interviewing skills?
You will join our boot camp for workshops with media professionals, have access to festival events, and have the chance to interview our headline artists (with a bundle of books to boot!). As part of our Reviewers in Residence team you will be writing, vlogging and podcasting throughout the festival for the official Durham Book Festival website.
Find out more and apply here. Deadline 31 August.
Writers' & Artists' Yearbook
We’re thrilled to be working with Writers' & Artists' Yearbook on a special event for writers at this year’s Durham Book Festival on Saturday 5 October. There you will find out their essential tips on the manuscript submission process, from what to include in your covering letter to how to polish your opening chapters.
As a special offer for New Writing North subscribers, you can take £10 off either of the 2020 Yearbooks, which are out now, using the code NWNWAYB2020 at The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook store before the end of September.
Vacancies
Programme Officer: Young People and Participation
Full-time, permanent, salary band £19,250 – £22,000 pro rata
We are seeking a dynamic, highly organised, and creative Programme Officer to coordinate the delivery, and support the development of New Writing North’s young people’s programme. You’ll be passionate about providing opportunities for young people and will be a self-starter, with a problem solving, flexible approach and an ability to communicate with young people as well as the wider public about our work.
Closing date: 12 noon, 11 September 2019.
Finance and Operations Assistant
Full-time, permanent, salary band £17,000 – £19,000 pro rata
We’re looking to recruit an organised, multi-tasker to join us to support our finance, administration and operations. You’ll be unflappable, with a keen eye for detail, have great communication skills and a desire to work in the cultural sector. You will work closely with our Finance and Administration team to ensure that our finances and administrative operations are well managed.
Closing date: 12 noon, 11 September 2019.
People
Congratulations to North East based working class poet Jane Burn, who has had a number of successes in the last month including winning the Lord Whisky Animal Sanctuary Poetry Competition with her poem, The Eynhallow Angels. She was also shortlisted in the Segora International Poetry Competition with her poem Sarah Polgrain's Song of the Wind, as well Creative Futures Award with poem Blameless.
Sunderland author Glenda Young's second novel The Tuppenny Child is released in paperback by Headline on 19 September. Set in the North-East mining village of Ryhope in 1919, it's got a fierce heroine at its core. She will also be hosting two events as part of Tyne and Wear Heritage Days this year, including a guided walk around the village of Ryhope, where her novels have been set. Find out more about her work here.
Congratulations to local writer Emily Willis on the launch of her upcoming publication Lizzie on the Rocks published by Mudfog Press. The collection is a psycho-geographical exploration of the North East coastline based on a walk from Seaham to Redcar and back again.
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The 2020 Society of Authors' Awards are now open for entries. More than £100k in prizes are up for grabs across fiction, poetry and non‑fiction. Find out more and enter here. |
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RSL’s A Room of My Own competition is now open for entries from those aged 14 –18 who are resident in the UK. Visit the RSL Website for more info and an entry form. Deadline Friday 18 October. |
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The Aryamati Poetry Prize – remembers Olga Kenyon, (Aryamati), who had a rich career involving teaching, lecturing and writing. This prize seeks poets who write for social change and peace. Prizes include books worth £100, 250 copies of the winning poem printed on limited edition postcards and Manuscript Feedback. Apply here. Deadline 3 October |
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Fly on the Wall Press is seeking submissions of collections of poetry, collections of flash fiction/short stories and individual short stories between 1 September and 15 November. They’re looking for writers who have a strong voice and style, are unafraid to make a statement about societal issues and poets who understand Fly on the Wall’s brand and ethos. Submit here. |
Entries are open for the third year of the RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction. Two awards – one of £10,000, one of £5,000 – are offered to support writers to complete their first commissioned works of non-fiction. Deadline 16 September, 5pm. Apply here.
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Live Theatre is seeking applicants for their Introduction to Playwriting course which will run over 10 sessions from 21 Sep - 23 Nov. Deadline is 31 August. Apply here. |
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The Poetry School is running an online poetry course, Narrow Road, Deep North, 2 October – 11 December, across five fortnightly sessions. The course costs £109 with concessions |
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London based literary agency David Higham Associates are running an Open Day on 30 January 2020 to support budding authors from under-represented backgrounds (BAME, LGBTQ, cultural and religious minorities, working class, disabled) to find out more about the industry and have their material looked at by a leading literary agent. Deadline 16 September 2019. Apply and see further information here. |
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Step up to Screen is a course designed to equip you with greater insight into the skills needed to write television drama, led by TV industry professionals, Diane Culverhouse (former producer, Head of Scripts and now leading literary agent) and Julian Perkins (award-winning playwright with over 100 TV credits). The course takes place 19 – 20 October at the 4-star hotel, The Vincent, Merseyside. Overall cost is £350 including teas, coffees and lunches. Contact stepuptoscreen@gmail.com for full brochure and details of how to apply. |
Wastes and Strays is a Newcastle University research project looking at the relationship between cultural groups in Newcastle and the Town Moor. If you’re an artist who has used the space in your writing, or in any other way, and would like to be part of the research, please contact Dr Livi Dee for more information: Livi.Dee@newcastle.ac.uk
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BookTrust Represents is running a number of training sessions in Bradford and London this September, featuring top guest speakers and giving great advice for children's authors and illustrators of colour. New Writing North CEO Claire Malcolm will be running a Confidence Building for Creatives workshop in Bradford on 21 September. Register here. |
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Try Writing is holding Creative Writing at the Tyneside Irish Centre: writing workshops for experienced writers and those new to the craft who want to develop novels, poetry collections, short stories, memoirs and scripts. Tuesdays 1.30-4.30pm, fortnightly starting 10 September. |
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Creative Writers' Open Mic Night by Try Writing is for those wishing to try out their work to a very supportive audience, 8 mins per person to read any type of creative writing. Meeting at Hash, Darlington. £3 per person (pay on the door, no need to book) Last Thursday of every month except July, August, December. 7pm start.
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The sixth Northern Lights Writers’ Conference is to be held at Creative Industries Trafford. Perfect for emerging and established writers it includes one-to-one advice sessions, workshops, panel discussions, talks, networking and a keynote speech by author Jane Rogers.. Saturday 21 September, 11am–5pm, Waterside, Sale, £35 (£25 concessions). More info here. |
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Scarborough Museums Trust & Rotunda Nights present a writing workshop with Nick Makoha, 23 November, 2-4pm, in Scarborough. The ‘Writing as a stranger’ workshop will focus on the 'metic' experience and how it influences a writer's work. Places are limited and cost £10. Contact Felix Hodcroft at feljen@feljen.plus.com for more info. |
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Writing for Wellbeing is hosting an Opening Up to Kindness workshop at Dilston Physic Garden on Saturday 7 September 10am – 1pm. Book by emailing contact@writingforwellbeing.co.uk or message on their Facebook page. |
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North East based author and creative writing tutor Tracey Iceton offers a mentoring, editorial and critiquing service to writers aspiring to publish their work. Tracey is the author of three novels with a fourth due for release Sept 2020. Visit her website for more information about her services. |
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Join writer in residence Sarah Davy at Forum Books' first spoken word evening, celebrating new writers with a reading and Q&A with poet Caroline Hardaker at Forum Books, Corbridge, 11 September, 7pm. Tickets £5 here. |
If you have news that you would like to be considered for inclusion in the newsletter please contact sophiekoranteng@newwritingnorth.com. The deadline for receipt of information for the next newsletter is 22 September 2019.
While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this newsletter is correct at the time of going to press, things do change, frequently at the last minute and very often without our knowledge.
