Leicester Literature Closed for Business
August 1, 2007The Leicester Literature blog has now closed. Information for readers and writers can now be found at:
Our Best Book Award Winner
July 6, 2007The winner of the 2nd annual Our Best Book Award was announced on Thursday 5th June at a special award ceremony held at the BRITE Centre in Leicester. The award was scooped by Pete Johnson for the hugely popular ‘Help! I’m A Classroom Gambler.’ See the video below of the award announcement itself!
We were happy to welcome four of the five shortlisted authors to the event - Pete Johnson, Anthony Browe (who took the Braunstone Book Award) Andy Stanton and Andrew Norris. We would like to thank the authors for attending and giving over so much time to all the young people involved with the award.
The Our Best Book Award returns in 2008. Check back here for details.
Freedom Showcase Shadowing Opportunity
July 6, 2007Freedom Showcase is an exciting night of spoken word and live literature, being staged at Phoenix Arts on Thursday 19 July 2007. It features 10 talented writers and brings together creative practitioners from Derby, Leicester and Nottingham, as well as an artistic director and creative team to mark the 200th anniversary of the Act abolishing the transatlantic slave trade.We are offering an opportunity to an emerging producer based in Derby, Leicester or Nottingham to shadow the project through the final rehearsals and showcase. Spoken word is one of the most vital artforms emerging out of the East Midlands, so project organisers are keen to work with someone with a proven interest in producing spoken word and literature who is interested in contributing to future artistic and cultural projects in the region.
SHADOWER
We are looking for someone interested in shadowing the Artistic Director, working closely with her and other members of the creative team, ideally who can bring some experience of putting together literature events or activities to the role. The shadower will have a hands on role, assisting in the production through final rehearsals and the showcase itself, as directed by the showcase’s director Melanie Abrahams. You will offer organisational ability, resourcefulness and a general know-how in producing literature and/or spoken word events. You will be reliable, will enjoy observing and contributing to mixed-media projects and being part of an energetic team. If you have limited experience but are committed, enthusiastic, reliable and keen to develop your skills, we welcome your application. You must be over 18 in order to apply for this role.
Availability: You must be available to attend and contribute to rehearsals at Phoenix, Leicester on 17, 18 and 19 July, attend the final show itself on 19 July and be willing contribute to an evaluation of your shadowing opportunity. You are welcome but not obliged to attend a rehearsal on 15 July in Leicester.
We can offer basic travel and refreshment expenses and a brilliant opportunity to experience, and contribute to, an ambitious and high-quality contemporary spoken word project.
HOW TO APPLY FOR SHADOWING OPPORTUNITY
To apply for this opportunity please email a CV together with a letter that clearly outlines your interest in the role and why you are suitable. Please email your CV and letter to the Freedom Showcase at [Helen’s address??] by [date]. – me or you, Naomi?!
For enquiries about either post, please address your queries to Naomi Wilds on 0775 352 8919 or email naomiw@charnwood-arts.org.uk. We will shortlist on [ x ].
PROJECT SUMMARY
2007 is the 200th anniversary of the Act abolishing the transatlantic slave trade. This is being commemorated in major events, linking with libraries, museums, arts and cultural providers.
In 2007, the three cities of Derby, Nottingham and Leicester have a vibrant mix of culturally diverse communities and a growing number of writers and spoken word artists, fusing words, music, lyricism, street performance, poetry and theatrical presentation. Each city hosts regular ‘spoken word’ open mic nights in which this work is shared with audiences.
This project is creating a regional showcase event featuring new commissioned work on the theme ‘Freedom’ featuring emerging and professional writers from the three cities. The Showcase Patron is Jean Binta Breeze. The Showcase is produced and publicised in association with the regions Literature Network, the three open mic nights across the cities and the national performance poetry organization Apples and Snakes together with Mainstream Partnership, which provides professional development support to culturally diverse artists and organisations.
The Showcase Event
The showcase is to be staged in Leicester at Phoenix Arts on Thursday 19 July 2007. Leicester has the best transport links nationally as well as regionally and is the easiest city to attract London promoters and producers into, with a travel time of just 1.5 hours. London and nationally based spoken word artists and producers are being invited to attend the showcase. Leicester has a strong live literature and performance programme developed by the city LDO and a particularly good link with Phoenix Arts (a member of the national live literature consortium, featured at the recent national showcase ‘Lit Up’).
The showcase event will have high quality production values and be a ‘must see’ event for promoters, audiences and writers from the three cities, as well as national figures from within live literature and spoken word.
The Freedom Showcase is a Literature Network Project in partnership with Apples and Snakes, Mainstream Partnership, Blackdrop, The Word, Sugar Shack, Derby City Council, Leicester City Council, Nottingham City Council. The project is supported by Three Cities Create and Connect, Arts Council England, ERDF and emda.
Leicester Book of the Year Award Winner Announced
July 4, 2007The winner of the 6th Annual Leicester Book of the Year Award 2007 was announced on Thursday 28th June at a special ceremony attended by young people from the 13 local schools who took part in voting. Also in attendance were three of this years shortlisted writers - Sherry Asworth (Winner 2006), Sue Mayfield and S F Said.
S F Said took the title for his fantastically popular novel ‘The Outlaw Varjak Paw’. He got to hold the Book of the Year Award trophy (unfortunately only for the evening!) and watched a special presentation by students from English Martyrs school who dramatised parts of the book.
Over 100 books were nominated for this years award by 30 major publishers. Our congratulations to all the writers who made this years shortlist and thanks to all the schools, students, staff, library workers and others who made the award possible. The Leicester Book of the Year Award for Teenage Fiction will return in 2008 for its 7th year.
See below for photos of the event and coverage in the Leicester Mercury.
Freedom and Culture Commissions
June 22, 2007Two commissions for a visaul and spoken word artist have been offered as part of the Freedom and Culture project organised in collaboration between Cultural Brokers and Alchemy Anew. The deadline for aoplications is 6th July 2007. Full details below.
Wig by Patrick Gale @ Phoenix Arts
June 19, 2007
Friday 29th June 2007 8pm
The Phoenix, Leicester
Tickets: £8 (concs £6)
Box Office: 0116 255 4854
Special Offer - Leicester Literature subscribers booking in advance can reserve tickets at the reduced rate of £6 (concs £4). Ask for the Leicester Literature offer when you book.
A short story written and performed by Patrick Gale
A live reading of Wig, a black comedy about a housewife in suburban hell and a hairpiece with a will of its own, set to a specially commissioned soundscape designed by sound artist Jon Nicholls.
When downtrodden mother and wife Wanda impulsively buys a blonde wig, it’s just a bit o morale-boosting fun. She has no idea that the wig will tempt her into breaking all her careful suburban rules, drawing out a dangerous side to her personality…
Patrick Gale is the author of eleven novels, including Rough Music and Friendly Fire and his latest novel, Notes from An Exhibition, will be published in July 2007. Wig is taken from his collection of short stories, Dangerous Pleasures. Jon Nicholls is a composer and sound artist whose work includes frequent collaborations with the BBC, Channel 4, Radio 4 and national theatre companies. He is currently writing an opera, Falling Across, due to be staged in Birmingham in 2008.’
Contains material of an adult nature.
www.katetull.com/wig
Rob Gee’s The Genghis Khan Guide to Etiquette
June 19, 2007An invitation from Rob Gee…
Hello and good morning,
The preview of my one-man show, The Genghis Khan Guide to Etiquette, is
upstairs at The Ale Wagon on Charles Street on Thurs 28th June at 8.30pm.
This show will be touring the Canadian Fringe Festival circuit for two
months over the summer - come and help me lick the beast into shape! It’s
free to get in, the venue’s cosy, and dominoes will be provided for those of
you who’ve heard any of the pieces before. I imagine some sort of drinking
session will occur somewhere afterwards.
Til then!
Rob Gee
http://www.robgee.co.uk/
Drew Gummerson Book Deal
June 6, 2007Local novelist Drew Gummerson announced earlier this week that his latest novel ‘Me and Mickie James’ is to be published by Jonathan Cape in 2008. This from Publishing News:
“Cape’s Dan Franklin has bought a second novel by Drew Gummerson, which reminds him of The Commitments - “the same amazing energy and humour, the same storytelling ability, the same realisation of how important pop music is in all our lives, the same irresistible charm”
Drew was the first winner of the Leicester and Leicestershire short story contest in 2005, and recently featured in the regions magazine of new writing, Tripod. Find more details and read a few of Drew’s excellent short stories at his website:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/drew.gummerson2
Performance Poetry Workshops
June 6, 2007Practice your performance poetry before the Brighterside Slam at three special workshops. Polish your poetry, coax your confidence and buff your inner bard with Rob Gee and Lydia Towsey.
All workshops are held at the Y-Theatre. Attendance is FREE but places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. To book a place phone: 0116 2958962 or e-mail: secretagentartist@hotmail.com
Tuesday 26th June, 6 – 8pm
Wednesday 4th July, 4 – 6pm
Wednesday 11th July, 6 – 8pm
