New Writing North

Having received my eNewsletter, I thought I would share the following information with my followers:

Cuckoo Review spreads its wings We’re very pleased to announce that Cuckoo Review is spreading its wings to cover Yorkshire and the North West too. That means if you’re an aspiring arts journalist, aged between 15-23 and live in Hull or Leeds or Bradford or Carlisle or Manchester (or anywhere beyond or in between), you can now sign up to be a Cuckoo Reviewer. To get involved, young reviewers need to fill in this online form and they will be added to the mailing list. For more information, check the Get Involved page on Cuckoo Review or email laura@newwritingnorth.com.

Cuckoo summer school in Alnwick Alnwick Playhouse: 27-29 August, 11am-4pm If you’re based in Northumberland and know a young writer (aged 12-19) who loves to write, why not suggest they sign up for our Cuckoo summer school at Alnwick Playhouse? The summer school will last for three days and every day will focus on a new genre or writing style, from scripts to dystopian fiction (and even a bit of photography too)! Workshops will be led by professional writers and will be suitable for all young people, from beginners to more experienced writers. For more details and to sign up, go to www.newwritingnorth.com/news_details-alnwick-summer-school-for-young-writers-details-2420.html. Following the summer school, we hope to establish a new fortnightly young writers group based at Alnwick Playhouse, which will join our family of Cuckoo groups already established in Newcastle and Hexham. If you’re interested in attending the fortnightly sessions but can’t make the summer school, email laura@newwritingnorth.com to register your interest.

Creative writing group for teachers We’re now recruiting for our creative writing group for teachers. which meets twice a term at the Lit & Phil in central Newcastle. The group is suitable for primary and secondary school teachers, and participants take part in writing workshops led by professional and experienced writers. The course starts in September 2013, with meetings throughout the school year and costs £75 per teacher for the full year. For more information and to book, see www.newwritingnorth.com/projects-our-work-with-teachers-page-2440.html.

Stolen is new North Tyneside Summer Read Rebecca Muddiman’s debut crime thriller Stolen has been selected as this year’s summer read by North Tyneside Council in partnership with New Writing North. The book is available for a special price of £4 in libraries and council buildings across North Tyneside, and there will be a special author event in September to mark the end of this year’s programme. For more information, see www.northtyneside.gov.uk/browse-display.shtml?p_ID=545269&p_subjectCategory=23.

New Writing North secures Arts Council England Strategic Touring Funds New Writing North is delighted to announce that it has secured funding worth £167,065 over two years from Arts Council England’s Strategic Touring Fund to support the production and touring of two new shows for young children and families to community venues across County Durham as part of Durham Book Festival. The first show, which will tour this autumn, is a musical adaptation of My Granny is a Pirate by award-winning novelist Val McDermid. The show for family audiences will tour to community centres, libraries and schools across County Durham, with particular emphasis on areas that currently have little or no access to performance arts activity. It will also be performed in Manchester and in Sheffield as part of a partnership with other book festivals in the North. You can read more about this project here.

People

Tony Williams launches Roam to Write Northern writer Tony Williams is embarking on a new short film called Roam to Write which explores the relationship between dog-walking and the writing process. You can find out more and watch the film at http://writingandwalking.wordpress.com.

Opportunities

New poetry competition: What’s Your Place? Holland Park Press are inviting authors to write a poem about a neighbourhood that’s important to individuals. It could be your home, the place you grow up, a motorway or a railway station – any place that defines neighbourhood. The competition is about the take on a place and individual vision that uses literary form but also offers something more. The prize is £100 and publication in the Holland Park Press online magazine. Closing Date 31 December. For more details see www.hollandparkpress.co.uk/magazine_detail.php?magazine_id=255&language=English.

Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy launches Fellowship programme A new programme has been set up to find entrepreneurially-minded graduates to be part of its fundraising fellowship programme. It offers 11 graduates the opportunity to take part in an intense 12-month training scheme based throughout the UK with the hope that in the future these figures will go on to be leading development directors of art organisations. Applications close Monday 1 July. For more information see artsfundraising.org.uk.

Jobs

Arvon: Writing the Game evaluator Arvon is looking for an experienced evaluator to work with the Arvon team to identify the outcomes and measure the aims of Writing the Game projects. Application deadline: Thursday 27 June. For more details see www.artsjobs.org.uk/arts-job/post/evaluator-writing-the-game/.

Commissions for Brass: Durham International Festival 2014 Brass International Festival covers a fortnight of diverse events in July and is looking for creative practitioners based in England working in any art form. Application closes Tuesday 30 July. For more details, see www.artsjobs.org.uk/arts-job/post/commissions-for-brass-durham-international-festival-2014/.

The Listening Post

There are more literature events on our website in the Events section, but here’s a bit of a taster:

Michael Chaplin: Tyne View Live Theatre, Newcastle: Saturday 29 June, 5.30pm Tying in with its theatrical adaptation by Live Theatre, Michael Chaplin will be signing copies of his book Tyne View (published by New Writing North) and talking about his work. For more information see www.live.org.uk/whats-on-book/tyne.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Durham Part of the Lindisfarne Gospels, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Durham is a sketch-based show covering more than 1,400 years of history which tours the North East from 2-21 July, kicking off with a four-day stint at the Gala Theatre in Durham. For ticketing and venue information see www.edwaughandtrevorwood.co.uk/plays/a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-durham/.

Rosemary Goring: After Flodden Tea and Tipple, Corbridge: Thursday 4 July, 7pm Rosemary Goring is literary editor at The Herald and Sunday Herald. Her debut novel, After Flodden, is a historical novel set in 1513, rich in history, political intrigue, adventure and romance. Tickets £5 including wine and nibbles from info@forumbooks.co.uk.

A celebration of the work of Frida Kahlo Voodoo Café, Darlington: Saturday 6 July, 7.30pm Poet Pascale Petit and sound artist Michael Hann celebrate Frieda Kahlo’s birthday. Tickets £5. For more details, see www.eventbrite.com/event/5365117210.

Michael Morpurgo: Jo-Jo the Melon Donkey Queen’s Hall, Hexham: Sunday 14 July, 4pm Michael Morpurgo talks about his new book Jo-Jo the Melon Donkey in an event for families as part of Hexham Book Festival’s Words Across Northumberland programme. Tickets £8/£6 from www.queenshall.co.uk.