Karen's blog: Commonword newsletter

Here is the latest newsletter for my followers to peruse:

Events and Opportunities from Commonword

September 2024

Dear writer,
Don't let the washout summer bring you down - Share words and warm conversations in the September sunshine with us 🌞 There's no shortage of literature events happening around the city - we've got a festival, networking event and new reading group happening in the next fortnight alone! Happy reading,
Commonword

For updates:
website www.cultureword.org.uk
instagram @cultureword
facebook (facebook.com/culturewordcommonword)

Upcoming Events

Network, Immerse & Play at Future Visions Festival 💫

Don your most fabulous outfit and join us at Chuck Gallery on Tuesday September 17^th for Future Visions Festival. Experience storytelling elevated to the realms of gaming and interactive maps. Enjoy poetic re-imaginings of Manchester’s history and future ecologies. There will be delicious food and refreshments alongside a backdrop of beautiful contemporary African art.

Free Tickets

Tonight! Identity Meet & Mingle

Cultureword's longest running group for Global Majority writers Identity is going back in person this September at the Manchester Poetry Library. We'll meet every Wednesday from 6.30pm - 8.30pm, to share and discuss our creative writing, and to learn about current opportunities.

This first session is a chance for current writers to introduce themselves and new writers to get to know us all. There will be performances from a few of our long-standing writers, as well as time to chat and mingle.

Wednesday 4th September, 6.30-8.30pm
Manchester Poetry Library M15 6BG

Interested?

Say hello at the Northern Publishers' Fair!

We'd love to see you at the Northern Publishers' Fair this October 5th. Join readers and writers alike at this free event celebrating independent publishing. Peruse books from 10 publishers across genres including literary fiction, genre fiction, middle-grade and children's, poetry and memoir.

Don't miss burgeoning writer Tawseef Khan reading from his debut novel DETERMINATION at midday, followed by book signings at the Commonword table 😊

Book your free ticket here.

Tawseef Khan's new novel DETERMINATION is an exploration of the UK immigration system and the story of one woman's attempt to find a life for herself amidst the pressures of her job.

News

Latest Podcast Episode with Naomi Kalu

Do you have lots of ideas but struggle to harness your energy? 🌪️ Our Episode 9 podcast guest Naomi Kalu spins us through her enthusiasm for boxing, music and lyric composition; describing how she manages to excel across forms 💯 If you want a masterclass from a champion in juggling different talents and interests then this episode is for you!

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Youtube

SuAndi wins RSL Benson Medal

Manchester icon & Commonword writer SuAndi has been awarded the Royal Society of Literature’s Benson Medal, honouring service to literature across a whole career. Her stellar work as a writer, poet and arts practitioner has made an astounding impact, elevating the stories and voices of Black cultures and artists. Her acclaimed one-woman show The Story of M is now on the A Level curriculum.

Want to know more about SuAndi? Listen to our interview on the Black Writers: After Hours podcast.

Pete up for Manchester People's Culture Award 🏆

Thank you to everyone who nominated our Chief Executive Pete Kalu for The Manchester People's Culture Award. We're thrilled to say that he is on the shortlist! Please spare a minute and vote for Pete in recognition of the huge impact he continues to have on writers in Manchester and beyond.

Voting closes midnight, 8th September

Click to Vote

Identity's David Yeates featured on Northern Voices

As far as memoirs go David Yeates’ work in progress Midday Plane to Georgia is set to be as riveting and heart wrenching as they get! Equally so is his new interview with podcast Northern Voices which relays his incredible search to find his birth father alongside a pertinent discussion on racial diversity in the UK publishing landscape.

Listen

Workshops

Reading Group starting soon!

It’s September, which means time to stop scrolling & enrich your mind 🧠
Delve into short stories and poetry at our new Reading Group, facilitated by Pete Kalu and Clare Ramsaran. It’s free & there’s no homework as we’ll be reading all the texts in session 😃

Writers we’ll be exploring include: Roger Robinson, Leone Ross, Allen Ginsberg and Alice Walker. Places are limited, book now to secure your spot

Sign-up

Glocal Stories workshop with Ella 🌏

Our New Writing Coordinator Ella will be delivering a free poetry workshop on Thursday 26th September, 2.45pm at Ascension Church, Hulme. The workshop, themed 'Glocal Stories' is part of Rising Tides Festival which aims to increase awareness of the climate crises. Hope to see you there!

Don't Miss...

The Northern launch of the Third Space Anthology, a ground-breaking anthology of British South Asian poetry - taking place on Saturday October 19th, 4-6pm at The Portico Library. We're delighted that Identity Writer Clare Ramsaran is one of the featured poets!

Book your ticket: https://www.theportico.org.uk/event-calendar/northern-launch-of-the-third-space-anthology-exploring-belonging
The Poetry Place has a Call Out for Poets: A.I. in Space Poetry Performance with Science + Industry Museum. They are inviting poets of all levels to apply for a unique opportunity to create and perform a one-minute poem themed around Artificial Intelligence being used in space, to perform at the upcoming Manchester Science Festival in October 2024.

Find out more: https://www.the-poetryplace.com/what-s-on
Deadline to apply: Monday September 16th, 12pm