MOSAIC workshop 21st June

Our next meeting, on Wednesday 21st June, will be a workshop led by Tess Gardener and will be a fun introduction into approaching poetry readings from a performance perspective. If people could bring along a short poem or excerpt (15 lines max) of their own then that would be great (although if we’re pushed for time they might not end up getting used).

As usual, the meeting is at Lions Walk United Reform Church in Colchester (via the door for the church hall next door to the Body Shop). We meet at 7pm for a 7:30pm start and finish at 9:15pm.

Stanza Poetry Competition: Walls

Theme is WALLS – however you wish to interpret it. Send up to 2 poems, 40 lines max per poem – send anonymously. Closing date Monday 11 September. Judge is Andy Croft.

The rules are on http://poetrysociety.org.uk/stanzacomp

Entry details are on How to enter – people can enter by Submittable, email or good old-fashioned post.

Residential Creative Writing Courses at The Garsdale Retreat

The Garsdale Retreat is now up and running with bookings open for inspiring courses. Tutored by an outstanding team of writers:

Poetry:
19 – 24 June: Jane Draycott (guest, Kim Moore): Don’t Stop Now! Taking Your Poetry Further
3 – 8 July: Pete Mullineaux/Moya Roddy: From Inspiration to Craft: The Making and Shaping of a Poem
24 – 29 July: Paul Henry (guest, Philip Lyons): Writing Poetry
4 – 9 August: Rhian Edwards (guest, Fleur Adcock): Character Portraits – Escaping the Ego
18 – 23 September: Simon Williams/Sue Taylor: Poetry: The Joy of Making.
2 – 7 October: Hamish Wilson (guest, Kate Fox): It’s Not Just About Daffodils – Poetry for Beginners

Performance Poetry:
4 – 9 September: Ben Mellor (guest, Ian McMillan): Re: Discovering Your Voice

Musical theatre:
11 – 16 September: Natasha Sutton-Williams (resident pianist, Phil Blandford): Musical Theatre

Autumn Retreat (Untutored)
16 -21 October

For further information please go to the website – www.thegarsdaleretreat.co.uk

Poetry Wivenhoe Freedom Poems Competition 2017

It is National Poetry Day on 28 September and it will also be the beginning of the Essex Poetry Festival 2017. And Poetrywivenhoe has celebrated its 10th birthday this year. To mark all these occasions they are having a competition for poems to be included in a pamphlet, with the aim of launching the pamphlet in September.

Poetrywivenhoe invites submissions by the end of June from Essex poets. The theme is “Freedom”, which is the theme for National Poetry Day.

Details and rules of entry.

“Tide-Lines” Exhibition of Poetry and Art Level Best Art Café until 25th May 2017

The poet Simon Banks and artist Angella Horner are collaborating to combine  poetry and associated artwork. This arose out of Colchester Mosaic and Cuckoo Farm artists co-operating on the Ekphrasis project recently displayed at The Minories, Colchester.

The poetry of Simon Banks connects worlds, feelings and myths. Simon’s work draws attention to the changes and impact on our world of human actions and events intertwined with mythology, nature and time. Angella Horner FRSA is a freelance artist working in a variety of mediums. Angella has chosen to work with a digital medium to bring out the full power of Simon’s work.

Tidelines form where different worlds interact. In the work of Angella and Simon, different worlds interact – and so they do in this collaboration between two different kinds of artist.

Exhibition runs until 25th May

Level Best Art Café D’arcy House 3 Culver Street East, Colchester CO1 1LD
Opening Hours:- Mon – Fri: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Closed: Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays

McLellan Poetry Competition

The McLellan Poetry Prize is awarded as part of the annual McLellan Arts Festival on the Isle of Arran. With nine prizes including a first prize of £1000 the McLellan Poetry Competition provides a major opportunity for aspiring poets to gain recognition. This year’s judge Maura Dooley will present the prizes in person at a special festival event on Friday 1st September to which all prizewinners will be invited. Entries close on 21st June.

Full details can be found at https://www.arrantheatreandarts.co.uk/poetry-competition.

Fenland Reed magazine

The Fenland Reed is a relatively new East Anglian magazine publishing new poetry and short stories.

They are currently seeking submissions of poetry and prose on any theme for issue 5, due for publication in the autumn. The deadline is 31st July but they will be reading and responding to submissions in batches over the coming weeks/months. All submissions are considered anonymously and they aim to respond swiftly wherever possible. Full guidelines can be found on their website www.thefenlandreed.co.uk where you can also get a flavour of the kind of work they publish.