Commonword August newsletter

With details of Black Writers Conference and more, here is the August Commonword newsletter:

Events and Opportunities from Commonword August 2018 For updates: website www.cultureword.org.uk twitter @cultureword facebook (facebook.com/culturewordcommonword) Dear Commonword Writer, Welcome to the August newsletter! This month we bring you details of: Commonword's Black Queer Book Club, our summer break from workshops, tickets for the Black Writers Conference 2018, Over Here Zine Fest, and an interview with Writer of the Month, Maya Chowdhry. Happy reading! Black Queer Book Club a new reading group for people who are both BAME and LGBT. First book: Coal by Audre Lorde First meeting: 6.30 - 8.30pm, Thursday 27th September 2018 If you would like to attend, please email charlotte@cultureword.org.uk.   What is it? The Black Queer book club is a new reading group held on the last Thursday of every month for people who are both BAME/POC/Black and LGBT/Queer. The group will be facilitated by Candice Buchanan. The aim of the Black Queer book club is to read literature that relates to our identities, meet new people and come together in a space that is designed just for us. It will be fun, relaxed and informative and members will be encouraged to express their thoughts on literature and life. Hope to see you there! How it works Purchase a copy of this month's book (Amazon) or borrow it from your local library. Read the book and come to the club ready to discuss your thoughts on what you've read. About Candice I’m Candice Buchanan, originally from Leeds but now living in Salford. I’m studying for a Masters degree in Linguistics and English Studies at MMU. I enjoy reading, mainly poetry and fiction and want to share my enthusiasm and love for literature in a safe space with others with a similar identity and background to me. Follow me on Twitter (@CandiceB21) and Instagram (@sugar_candy_b). BLACK WRITERS CONFERENCE GENERAL TICKETS ON SALE NOW!  SATURDAY 13 OCTOBER 2018 Click HERE to book your ticket for £20 or £15 (concessions). THE LINE UP KEI MILLER, JACOB ROSS, PATRICE LAWRENCE, JENNIFER NANSUBUGA MAKUMBI, DESIREE REYNOLDS, KEISHA THOMPSON, ANJUM MALIK, YVONNE BATTLE-FELTON, NANISO TSWAI, A D STARRLING, DANIELLE JAWANDO, SHIVANEE RAMLOCHAN, MASIMBA MUSODZA, RAJEEV BALASUBRAMANYAM, HIROHISA FUKADA, MAYA CHOWDHRY, DEANNE HERON, MAHBOOBEH RAJABI, KOOJ CHUHAN, CLARE RAMSARAN ...and more still to be announced.   Cultureword’s National Black Writers Conference will take place on Saturday, 13th October 2018. The Conference is for writers and publishers who identify as Black/Asian/BAME/POC. The conference will be covering: digital literature, afro-futurism, mental health, crime, developing audiences, writer journeys, DIY/self publishing and the black cultural economy. There will be events and initiatives in the run up to and following on from the conference. Check out our facebook page for regular updates, by clicking here. Identity Writers Workshop is now on a summer break. Workshops will start up again on Wednesday 19th September. From October, we will be running a new workshop for writers under 30 who have invisible disabilities. More information about this will be in our next newsletter. If you have any queries regarding the above, please email charlotte@cultureword.org.uk.  Our August Writer of the Month: Maya Chowdhry This month, Charlotte Maxwell interviewed Maya Chowdhry about her new digital projects that explore augmented reality and her newest collection of poetry, Fossil. Tell me about you, as an artist. How do you define art? What art do you make? Art is a way of seeing the world through different philosophies / parameters / dimensions. I make art using any method or process that fits my subject matter, it can be poetry, Live Art, Installation, Transmedia storytelling or a protest performance. Your newest poetry collection, Fossil was published by Peepal Tree Press in 2016 and explores the impact of climate change. What do you hope readers take away from your book both creatively and in terms of their outlook on the environment and our impact upon it? Poetry offers readers a different way to explore the ideas and issues around climate change. Many people feel that climate change is ‘happening somewhere else’ or ‘is real but not a reality to me’, by using poetry to explore this area I aim to connect readers with the world they live in, and allow them to explore their relationship to climate change and its potential impacts on their lives. Read the rest of her interview here. Commonword Community Archives Project Calling all Commonworders and Cultureworders from back in the day! Were you involved in Commonword/Cultureword from the early 80's to 2000? We’re getting in touch with folks to help us document our history and fill in the gaps and we’d love to hear all your stories. Get in touch in the following ways: Join our Facebook Group Email heena@cultureword.org.uk Call Heena on 0161 832 3777 (Wednesdays to Fridays). Over Here Zine Fest 2018 Planning is well underway for Manchester’s zine fair showcasing the work of people identifying as Black / Asian / BAME / people of colour. There will also be workshops, talks and activities. We will have stalls from Zines and Ting, Rooted, Tender Hands Press and many others.  For updates and announcements about stallholders and the fest, visit our Facebook page. All welcome and entry is free. Saturday 13th October 2018, a stone’s throw away from Cultureword’s Black Writers Conference. Why not do both? Website: overherezinefest.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/overherezinefest Instagram: @overherezinefest Twitter: @OHzinefest Audience Finder Survey As always, we ask that you complete our Audience Finder survey if you have attended events/workshops at, or run by, Commonword. We are very grateful for the time that is spent completing this survey and we love to hear from you. 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 against other organisations. https://research.audiencesurveys.org/s.asp?k=152362312642 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 Black Queer Book Club (starts Sept 27th) The last Thursday evening of each month, 6.30-8.30pm at Commonword offices You must be both BAME and LGBT to attend. Open to all levels of ability. The book of the month will be listed in our Newsletter. Please ring buzzer 6 on arrival. Email charlotte@cultureword.org.uk for more details Identity Writers Group (on a break over summer) Every Wednesday 6.30-8.30pm at Commonword offices BAME only Open to all levels of writers; just turn up. From experienced to beginners. Please ring buzzer 6. www.cultureword.org.uk or email martin@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 Do you ❤ Commonword? tweet/facebook/IG 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 instagram @cultureword   Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Website YouTube 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