Opportunities
New members wanted for Museum Writers’ Group
The Museum Writers’ Group are looking for new members. We are based at the Northampton Museum and Art Gallery in Guildhall Road, Northampton and are open to applications from committed, enthusiastic local writers over the age of 18 years. The supportive atmosphere of the group and museum provides a unique, challenging and privileged opportunity to develop and write poetry and prose inspired by the museum’s collections and exhibitions with the aim of producing creative writing of a high calibre relating directly to themed projects selected by the group. These are accompanied by occasional talks and workshops and completed work is displayed within the museum. We meet fortnightly on Mondays, 10.00am -12.30pm, with breaks for school and bank holidays.
If you wish to know more, and for an application form please contact either Judith Morris or Yvonne Miitton, Museum Writers’ Group C/o Debra Cox on 01604 838544 or at MWG Application, Debra Cox, Senior Museum Education Officer, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, Guildhall Road, Northampton NN1 1DP.
Arts Council England, East Midlands - Grants for the arts assessment workshops
Grants for the arts assessment workshops are for artists and arts organisations in the region to gain advice about applying for funding. Grants for the arts assessment workshops are aimed at artists in every stage of their careers and from every art form and who wish to gain advice about applying for funding and submitting proposals. These workshops have been designed to help applicants who have either got to the point of preparing their application in draft format or would like to find out more details about the applying for funding for a particular activity.In the workshops there will be a presentation where artists and organisations will learn about filling in an application form, getting to know their funder, filling in a budget, C.V advice and a slide show of successful applicants images
Grants for the Arts workshop dates for 2008-9 are as follows:
Tuesday 20th January 2009 -workshop 5:30 -7:30pm
Northamptonshire - The Castle, Wellingborough
The Castle, Castle Way
Wellingborough, NN8 1XA
website http://www.thecastle.org.uk/
Tuesday 24th March 2009 -workshop 5:30 -7:30pm
Leicester - Leicester College
Leicester College, Abbey Campus
Leicester
website http://www.leicestercollege.ac.uk
Due to time allocated for the workshop and the amount of information we will be getting through there will not be the opportunity to discuss your individual proposal at this workshop.
During the workshop you will be asked to assess an application yourselves and discuss your assessment within your group with a member of Arts Council staff. Please let us know of any access or special requirements you may have when booking.
Arts Council, East Midlands are encouraging individual artists and organisations to attend these meetings to help them understand the whole process of applying for funding and help you to improve the overall standard of your application.
For more information on Grants for the Arts scheme please visit our website www.artscouncil.org.uk. If you would like to book a workshop or find out more about the programme contact
Cheryl Gill - Assistant Officer for Audience Development and Diversity or Mira Arya - Assistant Officer Visual arts and Literature who will be happy to help you with your enquiry.
Cheryl.Gill@artscouncil.org.uk , mira.arya@artscouncil.org.uk or tel: 0115 9897534.
East Midlands Free Read Scheme 2008
Would you like a free, professional, editorial appraisal of your work? For the fourth year running we are offering a limited number of ‘free reads’ by the Literary Consultancy. Those taking advantage of the scheme so far have been very pleased with the detailed feedback. Of works submitted, around ten will be selected for a full appraisal of the entire manuscript. You must live or work in the East Midlands, or regularly attend literature events here (please enclose a letter explaining the latter) and you must not have received a free read in the same genre previously.
You may submit ONE of the following:
- Up to 300 lines of poetry (with line count on covering page)
- 3 short stories of up to 3,000 words each
- Synopsis and 50 pages of a novel (adults or children)
It is vital that your submission is as follows:
- Pages numbered consecutively from page one
- Typed on one side of A4, using 12 point font and double spacing (except for poetry which should be single spaced)
- Include a SAE with a suitably sized envelope and correct postage for return
- Covering sheet with name, address, telephone number and email address, and brief explanation of why you are applying
Please note that selected winners will be required to send on the full manuscript for appraisal.
Please send to:
Alex Davis
Literature Development Officer
Derby City Council
Roman House
Friar Gate
Derby
DE1 1XB
Deadline for submissions is 31st October 2008. You will be notified whether your manuscript has been selected for sending on to TLC, by the end of 2008.
H.E. Bates Short Story Competition: prize giving ceremony
Join us for this annual celebration of the short story. The evening will feature readings of a selection of competition entries representing the best new writing talent, a talk from acclaimed writer and head judge Steven Loveless, and the opportunity for entrants to claim their prizes and glory as the competition winners are announced. Northamptonshire Central Library, 27th November 2008 at 7.30pm. Enquiries and bookings: kwilkinson@northamptonshire.gov.uk / 01604 824155.
In association with the Northampton Writers’ Group.
ABOUT THE HEAD JUDGE: Stephen Loveless is a prize winning writer, including been the first winner of the Daphine Du Maurier Literary Prize as well as gaining a First Cut Award for a TV script and other competitions, most recently the Radio Netherlands World Wide Radiobooks 2008 winner.
He has had many short stories as well as articles and cartoon strips published at home and abroad.
As a tutor he has taught around the region and is currently the Course Director of the University of Leicester Higher Education Certificate in Creative Writing, Vaughan College, Leicester.
Creative writing courses 2008-9
08/11/08: How to plan a novel @ Wootton - Caroline Chisholm School
15/11/08: Writing your personal history @ Wootton - Caroline Chisholm School
22/11/08: Writing magazine fiction @ Wootton - Caroline Chisholm School
29/11/08: What use is the internet to writers? @ Wootton - Caroline Chisholm School
06/12/08: Professional skills for writers @ Wootton - Caroline Chisholm School
23/09/08: Scriptwriting - an introduction @ Northampton - Academy
13/01/09: Writing for film and television @ Northampton - Academy
21/04/09: Writing for radio and the stage @ Northampton - Academy
05/11/08: Short story writing @ Wootton - Caroline Chisholm School
To enrol, call 01604 237418. Enrolments will be taken from 21st July. For further details see http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/Learning/Adults/courses1.htm.
*** New this year *** Professional Skills for Writers (see above).
Develop your skills as a literature professional and learn to make a living by doing what you love. http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/Learning/Adults/courses1.htm.
Northampton Literature Group Open Poetry Competition 2009
There are two categories: Free Verse (Category A) and Rhyming Poetry (Category B) each with prizes of £150. £50 and £25 and highly commended £10. Judge: ALISON CHISHOLM, Closing date is May 30th 2009. Entry Forms can be downloaded from the NLG Website www.northamptonliteraturegroup.org.uk or send s.a.e to Pat Archer, 7 Cattle Hill, Great Billing, Northampton, NN3 9DU or email tricia.archer@tiscali.co.uk.
Complete Business Reference Adviser (COBRA)
The new online business resource available in libraries and also at home. COBRA is a practical and comprehensive resource for anyone wanting to start a business, write a business or marketing plan or conduct research into a new market. Sections cover: Business Opportunity Profiles, Business Information Factsheets, UK Market Synopses, Local Area Profiles, Business Support and Finance, Business Legal Library, Sources of Business Information, Events and Exhibitions. To access COBRA go to http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/Leisure/Libraries/Information/cobra.htm , follow the link to the website and enter your Northamptonshire Libraries card details.
Critically Write update
The subsidised appraisal service, Critically Write, is currently closed to new manuscripts. If you wish to have your work appraised by a professional there are a number of options currently available to you. You can submit your work to the Literature Network under the same criteria as Critically Write, but you will have to pay the full cost of appraisal. This is £150 for an Agents Submission appraisal, £160 for a short to medium sized submission, £210 for a full length manuscript (plus £3 per 1,000 words over 90,000 if novel). Alternatively, you can investigate other appraisal services. We particularly recommend The Literary Consultancy and The Poetry Society (poetry submissions only) but there are many services available around the country you could research. All of these will require you to pay for the service. You may be able to gain some funding to support the cost of the service. You could try the Arts Council’s Grants for the Arts scheme. More details are available at www.artscouncil.org.uk. The Literature Network may offer free or subsidised appraisals in the future, so please do keep checking our website for further information, or you can register your interest by emailing naomiw@charnwood-arts.org.uk and we will contact you if there are any updates.
Certificate of Higher Education in Creative Writing
This part-time course is taught at our Northampton Centre located in Northampton College, Lower Mounts. It offers the opportunity to explore your imagination and try a whole range of genres from short stories to poetry, from the novel to writing for theatre. Guided by published writers, you will focus primarily on the practicalities of writing, aiming to produce original work and to develop your own voice. You will learn techniques to stimulate creativity, how to edit your work and the conventions for submission to agents or publishers. The course caters for beginners as well as those who are already writing regularly, but who wish to develop their work within a structured framework and with the benefit of regular feedback from fellow writers. It can be taken for pleasure or personal development and will advance your knowledge and understanding of the professional world of writing and publishing.
For more information please contact the Northampton Centre: Telephone: 01604 736215. Email: cert.northampton@le.ac.uk. Website: http://www.le.ac.uk/lifelonglearning/centres/northampton.html
The Poets’ Hub
Come and meet like-minded people in a relaxed, chilled-out environment. Bring as much or as little of your original material or work from your favourite poets/lyricists. Poetry was originally written for off the page. If you want to perform your poems standing up or sitting down it doesn’t matter there’s no pressure! 16+. Held Fortnightly. If you are interested or want to find out more
Contact Ms J: rhyme_flow@msn.com. http://www.myspace.com/rhyme_flow.
Slam Poetry Group
If your got words to spill and lyrics to thrill. Come and play safely and join other local poets whose key interests are in performance poetry. Age 18-36. Held fortnightly. If you are interested or want to find out more. Contact Ms J: rhyme_flow@msn.com. http://www.myspace.com/rhyme_flow.
Get Caught Reading Photography Competition
Send us your photos of you, your friends and family reading in unusual places for the chance to win a digital camera and have your photo professionally framed. The competition is free to enter and is open people of any age who live or work in Northamptonshire. Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:
1. 11 years and under
2. 12 - 16
3. Adults
Send your photos (up to three per entrant), with a completed entry form, to nyrphotocomp@googlemail.com. To download the entry form and rules, click here: Entry form & rules. Closing date: 10th November 2008.
Kindly supported by Vision Arts, Crick, Northants (01604 246917 / hannah@visionarts.co.uk).
The Oundle Writing Competition 2008/9
Enter the OFOL Writing Competition for your chance to win the top prize of £100. The competition is for short stories of 2,000 - 2,500 words, previously unpublished and not entered into a competition prior to the closing date. It is open to any UK resident, with no age restriction.
The closing date is 1st November, 2008. The entry fee for adults is £5 but those born after 1st September 1990 are eligible to enter free of charge. To download the entry form and rules, click here entry-form.
Working Writers and Literature Professionals Database
The Literature Development Officer is putting together a database of writers and other literature professionals working, or wanting to work, within Northamptonshire. This might include authors, poets, performance artists/speakers, tutors, scriptwriters and others. The database will be available on request from the Literature Development Officer and will give potential employers information on literature professionals available for work in the county. For further details and to download the form, please go to http://litnorthants.wordpress.com/info/.
The Write Company
The Write Company supports the development of scriptwriters across Northamptonshire. Meetings takes place every fortnight at the RAFA at 7.30pm. For more information see http://groups.google.co.uk/group/writecompany?hl=en or email Matt Ward matthew.ward47@ntlworld.com.
