Artswords News April 2016

Dear Writers and Readers  As the clocks go forward, so we look ahead to all sorts of literary delights this April in Swindon.

Mum’s the Word meets on Tuesday 5th April at 7.30pm at Lower Shaw Farm. A friendly, informal group for mothers (and grandmothers) interested in writing. No need to bring any writing along; that’s what the group is for! For further information, please contact Monica at montimms@waitrose.com

The Artswords Reading Group meets at 7.30pm Tuesday 19th April to discuss Nora Webster by Colm Toibin. Set in an Irish town in the 1960s, this is a story about an Irish mother and a country in a time of trouble and change. It is a study of grief and widowhood. Further details about the group from artswords@lowershawfarm.co.uk

Poetry Swindon, in collaboration with Elephant’s Footprint, is hosting a Film and Poetry Workshop at the Richard Jefferies Museum on Saturday 9th April from 10am to 5pm. Further information, including how to book, available here

Poetry Swindon’s Workshop with Mario Petrucci and Open Mic takes place on Sunday 17th April at the Sun Inn Pub in Coate, Swindon SN3 6AA. A workshop exploring the compositional process, guided by Mario, a ‘master of the art’ (so says the Poetry Writers’ Yearbook), it is suitable for all abilities. Mario is also the guest reader at the evening’s open mic at the Sun Inn: combined tickets, as well as workshop places only, are available here.

Artswords Writers' Café & Kitchen takes place on Thursday 28th April, 6pm – 10pm. A meeting place for new writers, experienced writers, and anyone interested in writing to meet, greet, and connect.

The Cafe starts with pot-luck supper from 6pm. If you can, please bring something to nibble or drink, and to share with others. Following acclimatisation with food, drink, and friendly chat, we take time to look at our writing, hear it, and comment where wanted.

You may simply read your work, prose or poetry, for up to 5 minutes; or, if you have a story, to tell, not read, and ideally a story from your life, please bring it along and tell it; or, if you’d like your work to be the subject of helpful comments and discussion, and this is the ‘Kitchen’ part of the Café, bring 10 copies of one piece of writing to pass around and read out. This should amount to no more than 500 words of prose or 40 lines of poetry.

For further information, contact artswords@lowershawfarm.co.uk or call 01793 771080

Finally, the programme for the 23rd Swindon Festival of Literature, from 2nd to 14th May, has been launched. Featuring a variety of writers and thinkers, tickets for some events are already selling fast. You can find out more and book your tickets at http://www.swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk

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If you have any news or events for May and you would like us to mention them in the next Artswords Newsletter, please let us know by the middle of this month.

Happy reading and writing! 

Matt Holland & Annie Vickers
SWINDON ARTSWORDS
LOVE LITERATURE! LOVE LIFE!