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New
Writing North news
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News from the Writing
Lab
Last night saw the concluding event of an innovative schools project
between New Writing North and schools from the North East’s Catholic
Schools Partnership. Students from Carmel in Darlington, St John’s in
Bishop Auckland, St Anthony’s in Sunderland, and Our Lady & St Bede
from Stockton all read work and talked about writing projects they’ve
been working on for the past six months with funding from Bridge North
East.
The Writing Lab project began in March with partnerships of pupils and
teachers from eight schools invited to spend a day behind the scenes of
the Discovery Museum trying out different styles of writing. Inspired by
this experience, all eight schools from across the region applied for a
small grant to run their own writing projects in their schools and
communities. Projects on show last night included a creative writing club
for Year 7s run by older pupils, a writing workshop at a local museum run
by Year 10s for younger pupils, a creative writing website, and pupil-led
writing workshops for young people just starting secondary school. In all
young writers worked with over 250 younger pupils in their schools, and
many of the projects are continuing in the individual schools.
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Commissions at Durham
Book Festival
 When Durham
Book Festival opens in ten days’ time it will see the culmination of
several months of works by specially commissioned northern writers.
This year’s programme has a particularly strong North East theme. We
took Anne McElvoy, the Durham-born public policy editor at The Economist, to
Easington to revisit the town 40
years after the miners’ strike. Michael
Chaplin followed in the footsteps of his father, Sid Chaplin, when he
undertook six walks between Holy Island and Durham City. We also sent
popular broadcaster Stuart
Maconie out walking in the Durham Dales, and he will return to the
Gala to talk about his experiences and the characters he met along the
way.
War Correspondents
is a topical piece of song theatre exploring the risks journalists take
in reporting war. Created by composer Helen Chadwick and choreographer
Steven Hoggett of Frantic Assembly, the production will be at Durham
Cathedral for one night only on 15 October. Last, but by no means least,
we are thrilled to have commissioned a series of poems on Heathcliff’s
'lost years' from Northern Writer’s Award 2013 winner Benjamin Myers. The
poems will be on display in Durham Cathedral alongside Nick Small’s
photographs on the moors. At a special event, Lives,
Landscape and Literature, on 16 October, William Atkins, author of The Moor, will talk
about his book, while a selection of Benjamin Myers’ poems will be read
aloud. A chapbook of Heathcliff
Adrift is being published by New Writing North.
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Poetry Exchange
opportunity for poets and performers
The Poetry Exchange is all about the concept of ‘a poem as a friend’.
As part of the ongoing development of the project, we are running a
workshop, What does it
mean to give voice to a poem?, to provide a creative space
for actors and poets to share their skills on working with the written
and the spoken word. The workshop takes place at Northern Stage on Friday
24 October and will be led by Poetry Exchange founder and director Fiona
Lesley Bennett. Places are free. It you are an actor or a writer, please
apply by sending your CV to Beth Rutherford at beth@newwritingnorth.com by 17
October. To find out more about The Poetry Exchange, see www.thepoetryexchange.co.uk.
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Creative writing
session with Daljit Nagra
 Acclaimed
British poet Daljit Nagra, who was recently selected as one of the
prestigious 20 Next Generation Poets, will lead a creative writing
session at Durham Johnston School on 6 October at 5pm as part of Durham
Book Festival. The session will be aimed at both teachers keen to enhance
their creative writing skills and writers. It will focus on ways into
writing poetry and explore participants' own creative writing skills.
Limited places available. For more information and to book, go to www.durhambookfestival.com/programme/event/twilight-session-with-daljit-nagra-the-retold-ramayana/.
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Durham Book Group
leader vacancy
After six years, Jo Colley is stepping down as leader of Durham Book
Group. The group is now looking for another leader to take on this
voluntary position. If you are interested, please get in touch with
Olivia Chapman at olivia@newwritingnorth.com.
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People
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Success for Simon
In our last newsletter, we told you that writer Simon van der Velde’s
short story The Bearer
had been shortlisted for the Wasifiri International New Writing Prize.
Well, guess what? He’s only gone and won! The Bearer will feature in the spring
issue of Wasifiri magazine.
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Zaffar at the
Southbank for National Poetry Day
 Northern
Writers’ Award winner Zaffar Kunial will be appearing alongside Denise
Riley, Steve Ely and Warsan Shire in The
Pity, a special National Poetry Day event at the Southbank
Centre on 2 October. The four poets have been selected as some of the
UK’s most exciting writers, and will be performing new work about the
legacy of the First World War. Find out more at www.poetrysociety.org.uk/events/event/2822.
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Mari’s in the Library
Congratulations to Mari Hannah, who has made the longlist of the CWA
Dagger in the Library. The prize is awarded to a crime writer for their
body of work, rather than a single title. Mari toured throughout North
East and Yorkshire libraries with us on Read Regional 2012-13, and we are
delighted that she has clearly picked up a strong library readership.
Well done, Mari!
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NWA winner
Marie-Claire signs with Conville and Walsh
 Marie-Claire
Imam-Gutierrez received a New Fiction Bursary at the Northern Writers’
Awards 2013 for her young adult fantasy novel, Without the Wild, a
work inspired by her keen interest in biological sciences. After meeting
with agents at our Northern Talent Summer Party, we were delighted to
hear that Marie-Claire has recently signed with agent Sue Armstrong at
Conville and Walsh.
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New writer seeks
assistance
Margaret Mowat, who is blind, is looking for help with editing the
200-page manuscript of her autobiography. If you can help, her email
address is margaret.mowat@blueyonder.co.uk.
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Publishing
news
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Bloodaxe poets tipped
for the top
The Poetry Book Society has released its once-in-a-decade list of 20
Next Generation Poets, tipping the future stars of the poetry world, and featuring
Bloodaxe poets Jen Hadfield, Hannah Lowe and Heather Phillipson. For the
full list and details of poetry events throughout the north, including at
T-Junction (see below) see http://nextgenerationpoets.com.
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Smokestack to publish
John Berger
Teesside press Smokestack Books is to publish the collected poems of
John Berger, the poet, art critic and essayist whom The Guardian called
‘one of the most influential intellectuals of our time’. The collection
will be launched at the T-Junction festival in Middlesbrough, and will be
the poet’s only UK appearance. The festival draws on a wealth of
international talent at its four-day outing from 16 October. Find out
more at www.tjunctionfestival.co.uk.
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Inpress role change
Sophie O’Neill, managing director of Inpress Books, has headed off on
maternity leave, with Jane Harris – formerly of Quercus Books – taking
the helm until September 2015. We wish Sophie and Jane both all the best
in their new roles.
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Opportunities
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Trilengua North East:
Call for writers, translators and singer-songwriters
Trilengua is a reading series that promotes international literature
and work in translation. The event was launched in Barcelona in 2009 and
New York in 2012 and is now coming to the North East. They are
particularly interested in featuring writers and poets working in any
language or regional dialect; and literary translators and multimedia
literature/translations (eg, film-poems). They are also looking for
singer-songwriters to play before and after the readings. The first event
will be held in Newcastle in November, with a second event planned for
spring 2015. If you’re interested in participating or otherwise getting
involved, please contact Jessica
Rainey with a short bio by 10 October. For more details, see www.trilengua.org.
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New theatre
submissions
The 42nd Theatre Company is a small professional theatre company
committed to developing the highest quality of thought-provoking new
writing. Based in London and led by Yorkshire-born artistic director Adam
Bambrough, they aim to produce original work that is accessible and
relatable to all, challenging audiences to think and feel. They welcome
submissions of work from writers throughout the year. Submission
guidelines and further information about the company, can be found at www.the42ndtheatrecompany.com.
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WARMTH mobile sauna:
Artist call out
Cargo Collective is building a mobile wood-fired sauna, which is to
become a touring venue, creating an extraordinary space for conversation,
storytelling, performance and installations. Expressions of interest are
invited from live artists, performers/dancers, performance artists,
writers, sound/light artists or installation artists to create a short
piece of work within, or in response to the mobile wood-fired sauna, for
a period of research and development and with public sharing in early
2015. For full details see http://cargocollective.com/warmth/Call-out-Artists/.
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Baltic Artists’ Book
Market
For two days only Baltic is once again playing host to a national
Artists’ Book Market. Submissions are welcome from artists, bookmakers,
small press publishers, artists’ groups, zine artists and bookbinders.
Deadline for submission: Wednesday 1 October and selected applicants will
be notified by 8 October. The exhibitors’ fee is £60 per table (90 x
180cm). For an application form see www.balticmill.com/about/news/call-for-exhibitors-artists-book-market-at-baltic.
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Competitions
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2015 Commonwealth
Short Story Prize open for entry
The Commonwealth Short Story Prize brings stories from new and
emerging voices, often from countries with little or no publishing
infrastructure, to the attention of an international audience. You don’t
need an agent, just an internet connection to submit your unpublished
story of 2,000-5,000 words. Each year, five winning writers from five
different Commonwealth regions share a total prize money of £15,000. The
overall winner receives £5,000, one of the highest amounts for an
international short story prize open to unpublished writers. Regional
winners receive £2,500. Entry is free. Closing date: 15 November. For
details and to submit, see www.commonwealthwriters.org/enter-2015-prize/.
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Jobs
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New Writing North:
Marketing and communications manager
Salary band
£22,000-£27,000
We are looking for an energetic and accomplished marketing and
communications professional to join our team in Newcastle upon Tyne to
manage PR and marketing across our work.
From ensuring our day-to-day communications with writers, readers and
stakeholders are informative to placing stories in the national press and
media, New Writing North’s marketing and communications manager plays an
important role in the organisation’s effectiveness.
Please see www.newwritingnorth.com/text.html?id=marketingjob
for full information on the job and how to apply. The deadline for
applications is Monday 13 October and interviews will take place on
Monday 27 October in Newcastle upon Tyne. The post will begin in December
2014.
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Jobs round-up
New Writing North is recruiting right now, and so are many others.
Here’s a brief rundown of the opportunities (some with very near
deadlines):
Hull Truck
Theatre is recruiting in the following roles: head of communications
and business development, head of engagement and learning, engagement and
learning facilitator, and youth theatre director. All vacancies close on
Monday 29 September. For full details, see www.hulltruck.co.uk/about-us/jobs.
Seven Stories
is recruiting a learning and participation assistant (full-time) and a
learning and participation facilitator (part-time) to work at the Centre
for Children’s Books in Newcastle. The assistant role closes on Monday 29
September, and the facilitator role on Monday 6 October. For full
details, see www.sevenstories.org.uk/get-involved/current-vacancies.
North East
Artist Development Network is looking for a freelance PR
specialist. Closes Monday 29 September. For the brief, see http://arconline.co.uk/sites/default/files/images/North%20East%20Artist%20Development%20Network%20-%20PR%20Brief.pdf.
Opera North,
the national opera company for the north, based in Leeds, is recruiting a
head of development. Closes on Tuesday 30 September. For full details,
see www.operanorth.co.uk/about/jobs.
Queen’s Hall
Arts in Hexham is looking for an engagement and
development manager to fundraise for and deliver participatory and
audience development projects. Closes on Friday 3 October. For full
details, see www.queenshall.co.uk/taking-part/vacancies/.
West Yorkshire
Playhouse in Leeds has a vacancy for a part-time support
officer to work on two major projects with older people, Heydays and Our
Time. Closes on Monday 6 October. For full details, see www.wyp.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/job-opportunities/.
Tamasha
is a leading theatre company producing new plays on global diversity.
Based in London, they are seeking an administrator/producing assistant.
Closes Monday 13 October. For full details, see www.tamasha.org.uk/vacancies/.
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The
Listening Post
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Opera North comes to
Newcastle
Newcastle
Theatre Royal
The Opera North season of contrasts opens at Newcastle Theatre Royal on
11 November with The
Bartered Bride, a vibrant colourful comedy of true love
overcoming parental and societal constraints and “one for all the family”
per The Times.
A brand new production of La
traviata tells the tragic story of Parisian courtesan
Violetta and her journey of passion, love and sacrifice (“Sensational,”
says The Guardian).
By contrast the dark tale of The
Coronation of Poppea remains one of the most shocking, bloody
and compelling stories on stage. Touring also to Leeds, Salford and
Nottingham. Full details at www.operanorth.co.uk.
Book Newcastle dates online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk.
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Workshops
and courses
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Writing the First
World War
South
Shields Museum: Wednesday 8 October, 10.30am
Discovery Museum:
Wednesday 12 November, 10.30am
Segedunum Roman
Fort: Wednesday 19 November, 10.30am
In conjunction with the Wor
Life exhibitions across Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums,
writer Rachel Cochrane will be running three half-day creative writing
workshops related to the exhibitions. Join Rachel for one or all three
workshops. £9.50 per workshop. For full details, see www.rachelcochrane.com/wor-life-tyne-wear-first-world-war/.
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Next Steps for
Filmmakers: A Coming Up showcase
Tyneside
Cinema, Newcastle: Friday 3 October
A panel discussion event with executive producer Philip Trethowan
(head, Touchpaper Wales), Surian Fletcher-Jones (head of development,
drama, Channel 4) and director Tom Marshall, who will showcase the
acclaimed Channel 4 talent strand, Coming
Up, run with production company Touchpaper Television.
Recently restructured to result in a feature-length drama, Coming Up offers one
of the few opportunities for new writers and directors to make an
original film with a guaranteed network broadcast. Primarily intended for
directors, but also open to writers and producers, Next Steps for
Filmmakers is aimed at those who have already made some short films and
want to move on, especially into broadcast television drama. The event is
free, but a refundable deposit of £4 applies. For full details, see http://northernmedia.org/events/next-steps-for-filmmakers-a-coming-up-showcase.
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Deadline
for the next newsletter
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If you have news that you would like to submit
for inclusion in the newsletter please contact laurafraine@newwritingnorth.com.
The deadline for receipt of information for the next newsletter is 6
October. The next edition of The
Listening Post, covering November’s literature events, will go
out in late October. If you have events that you would like to submit for
inclusion for this you will need to send information by 21 October to laurafraine@newwritingnorth.com.
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.
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