Commonword newsletter

The latest Commonword newsletter features competitions and events:

Events and Opportunities from Commonword   April 2017   to get updates: website www.cultureword.org.uk twitter @cultureword facebook (facebook.com/culturewordcommonword)     Dear Commonword Writer, We are sending you this link to our Audience Finder survey because you have attended events/workshops at, or run by, Commonword. We'd be grateful if you took the time to fill it in. This feedback is important to us and helps us to ensure that we are doing a good job. The link directs you to Audience Finder, a tool which enables us to understand, compare, apply audience insights across the UK, and benchmark ourselves with other organisations. http://research.audiencesurveys.org/s.asp?k=148759217093 The results of course are all anonymous. Please forward this link to any of your friends and family who may have attended workshops or events with you. Many Thanks in Advance       Digital Seed Commissions DEADLINE: 1st JULY We are offering four digital seed commissions of £500 each. This will enable four artists/creatives to generate work that has digital and literature at its heart. Coders/gamers/app designers who have a creative link with literature please apply. Joint applications by writers and coders/designers are welcome. We hope by this process to seed a new wave of digital literature. While we will be happy to examine all proposals, ideally your project idea will fit into one of the following four categories: Augmented/Virtual reality Geo-Mapping Narrative-based gaming Twitter/Instagram stories/poems Your proposal MUST incorporate creative literature in some way. You may use time-based literature such as story-telling or non time-based literature such as poetry at the heart of your digital project. All such choices are yours to make, we simply seek high quality, realisable proposals. Projects we will not fund: eBooks University projects Projects that do not demonstrate a substantial synthesis of digital and literature. Projects which will take more than six months to execute. We will choose the four most exciting and realisable proposals. We will not provide equipment or training. We expect those applying to have the requisite knowledge and understanding. We will showcase the completed commissions online. We may also hold a physical launch/sharing event for the completed commissions. Please send a single pdf to afshan@cultureword.org.uk containing: Proposal of project (max 750 words, including a timescale, explaining what you aim to achieve through the commission. A brief bio (not more than 200 words) 5 images max and/or 2 links max showing any previous works. DEADLINE: 1st JULY       Launch Event: Date: 5th May 2017 Time: 6.30pm onwards Venue: Three Minute Theatre, Manchester - sui anukka - col bashir - hafsah aneela bashir - jane bradley - maeve clarke - dipali das - afshan d’souza-lodhi - christina fonthes - bethany hermitt - charlotte maxwell - yolanda mercy - heena patel - deborah sabina - shahireh sharif - naomi sumner chan - sounds that exceed 80 decibels is an anthology that contains poetry, monologues and performance pieces written by 15 women. It raises the voices of women, women of diverse heritage and identity, who are often marginalized in mainstream British Society. All the writers in this anthology are women of colour, and/or identify as LBT. Cultureword started the Women In The Spotlight (WITS) programme to address the lack of women competing and performing on stage. We found that the winners for poetry slam competitions were overwhelmingly men. We wanted to know why. We held panels and events to find out how things could be changed. Based on the feedback, we decided the best way to do this was to develop a programme for women who want to write for and/or perform on the stage. The challenge for women, particularly women identifying as LBT+ and/or BAME, is to have our voices heard. The title sounds that exceed 80 decibels came from a conversation that took place  at  a WITS workshop. Ears exposed continuously to over 80 decibels can become damaged. As women, we are often told that we need to be more assertive, that we need to speak louder. When we do we are told we’re being aggressive. The problem is simple. We are not being heard. We will be heard.       Cultureword call-out for Crime Flash Fiction pieces Fancy killing someone? Cultureword is putting together a new crime flash fiction anthology, Shots In The Dark, featuring BAME writers. We are seeking flash fiction pieces - under 500 words. This initiative is a follow on from our first flash fiction pamphlet, ‘Elevator Fiction’, which was so successful we had to do a reprint. The deadline for shots in the dark entries is Midnight 30th April 2017. Submission guidelines: - You can submit if you self-identify as of African, Asian, Middle Eastern and/or Latin American backgrounds. - You can submit up to three pieces and we may choose up to two from them. -  Please submit the pieces as Word or .rtf documents, titled clearly with your name and title of submission. - We can only accept online submissions. Please submit your entries via this Submittable link only:  https://commonwordcultureword.submittable.com/submit/79658/culturewords-crime-flash-fiction-anthology If you have any problems with using Submittable, please email afshan@cultureword.org.uk. - The deadline for entries to shots in the dark is Midnight 30th April 2017. If your work is selected, you will get two copies of the printed book.         Identity Writers Group Every Wednesday 7-9pm at Commonword offices BAME only Open to all levels of writers; just turn up. From experienced to beginners www.cultureword.org.uk or email afshan@cultureword.org.uk for more details   Monday Night Group Every Monday 7-9pm in the Snug at the Lass O'Gowrie Open to all levels of writers, for everyone; just turn up. From experienced to beginners www.mondaynightgroup.org.uk https://www.facebook.com/mngmanchester Young Enigma Day and time varies. Open to all LGBT+ identifying people under 35 (no strict restrictions on age). Email info@youngenigma.com or visit www.youngenigma.com for more info   Young Identity Open to all young people under 25 for spoken word poetry workshops. Young Identity HOME  7-9 Pm  Fortnightly check HOME website for details.  Contact 6-8 PM All so 7pm til 9pm  Longsight library 6pm til 7:45pm  Central library 6pm til 7pm email reece@cultureword.org.uk for more info about other workshops or visit www.youngidentity.org   Do you ❤ Commonword? tweet/facebook us with your favourite/first memory of Commonword. Send us a picture of yourself holding a I ❤ Commonword sign  #iLoveCommonword    You can catch us on Social Media twitter @cultureword #iLoveCommonword facebook.com/commonwordcultureword       Facebook Twitter Website   Commonword | Cultureword | Crocus Books Commonword No. 3 Planetree House 21-31 Oldham Street Manchester M1 1JG There is a buzzer for entry. The office number is 3, the workshop space number is 6. 0161 832 3777  enquiries@cultureword.org.uk

Commonword · No 3 Planetree House · 21-31 Oldham Street · Manchester, M1 1JG · United Kingdom