Monthly Archive for October, 2008

Homotopia Literary Events November 2008

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Literary Events November 2008

Jackie Kay
Appearing as part of the Homotopia Festival Jackie will read from Lamplighter her long poem to commemorate the slave trade and Wish I Was Here her most recent short story collection which won the Decibel British Book Award. Wednesday 5th November 8pm, Bluecoat Arts Centre, School Lane, Liverpool.
0151 702 5324 £10/£8 www.thebluecoat.org.uk

Liverpool Costa Poetry Café
Homotopia host an evening of poetry with Gerry Potter, actor, playwright and creator of Chloe Poems and Cath Nichols, co-founder of Club Lash and glamorous Poet Without A Licence. Monday 10th November 7.30pm, 13 Bold Street, Liverpool. Free

Kaye Mitchell – Lesbian Pulp Fiction
As part of the Homotopia festival literary critic Kaye Mitchell presents an exploration and appreciation of the world of lesbian pulp fiction. Wednesday 12th November 6pm, Bluecoat Arts Centre, School Lane, Liverpool.
0151 702 5324 £6/£5 www.thebluecoat.org.uk

Jake Arnott
The Homotopia festival presents the author of cult classic The Long Firm who will read from his new novel The Devil’s Paintbrush which recounts the tragedy of Major General Sir Hector MacDonald, the lost queer hero of the British Empire. Wednesday 12th November 8pm, Bluecoat Arts Centre, School Lane, Liverpool.
0151 702 5324 £5 www.thebluecoat.org.uk

Homotopia is Liverpool’s annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans’ cultural festival.
For further details contact Louise Muddle 0151 428 0760 / 07840 759 467 or go to www.homotopia.net

Shipping Lines Liverpool Literary Festival 3 - 9 November 2008

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The University’s Shipping Lines Liverpool Literary Festival from 3 - 9 November will showcase a selection of high quality contemporary writing with events for readers and writers alike with lectures, workshops, readings and debates.

Celebrated children’s author Philip Pullman is to be a special guest at the Liverpool Literary Festival, joined by Carol Ann Duffy, Roger McGough and Brian Patten.

Other writers include:

Simon Armitage, Malorie Blackman, A S Byatt, David Constantine
Helen Constantine, Ailsa Cox, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Paul Farley
Rebecca Goss, Jorie Graham, Howard Jacobson
Andrea Levy, Jamie McKendrick, Phillip Norman
Caryl Phillips, Peter Robinson, Michael Schmidt, Jo Shapcott
Raymond Tallis, Maike Wetzel , Ian Duhig, Christian Garcin
Tommy Donbavand, Tany Landman, Marcia Williams
Mal Peet, John Redmond, Deryn Rees-Jones
Bryan Biggs, John Belchem, Nicholas Murray, Michael Murphy.

Full Details: http://www.liverpoollitfest.org.uk

Heart Beats at the Bluecoat - Sunday 19 Oct

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on October 16, 2008
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I don’t know about you, but to me Sundays should be about cake and a glass of wine while enjoying some cool poetry and great music - NOT the Antiques Roadshow and thinking about all the emails waiting for you on Monday morning!

So come down to Heart Beats at The Bluecoat this Sunday and help us to go out with bang at our last event of the year on the final night of the Chapter & Verse Lit festival.

There will be free cupcakes, free fanzines, heart-shaped fairy lights and our tiny mp3 player will be playing PJ Harvey, Santogold, Bat for Lashes, Lykke Li, Patti Smith , Suicide, Jeff Buckley, Velvet Underground and more…

Sunday 19 October, 8pm
The Bluecoat (Performance Space)
School Lane, Liverpool.
£5/£3 concessions - book online or pay on the door

Featuring:

Kate Fox
Bradford born Kate Fox is a satirist, poet and stand up performer. Kate wowed the BBC Two’s Daily Politics show in 2007 by performing her poem about the Prime Minister, ‘Un-flash Gordon,’ and cites melodies, memories, sex, death and taxis as being among her influences.

Caroline Bird
Bringing you into a bittersweet world that is fantastical, ferociously vital and savagely humorous, Caroline has performed at Latitude Festival and her collection, ‘Trouble Came to the Turnip’, was published by Carcanet in 2006.

Inua Ellams
With influences as diverse as John Keats and Mos Def, Inua reads poems about ‘Candy Coated Unicorns and Converse Allstars’ and mesmerises audiences with his slow-burning performances.

PLUS: Live rock’n'roll action and sun-drenched melodies from Liverpool band, Emily & the Faves. Like The Breeders on sangria. Check out their stuff on our myspace page!

http://www.myspace.com/heartbeatspoetry
Book tickets here: http://www.chapterverse.org.uk

Supported by The Bluecoat and Liverpool Culture Company

George & Gosia McCane at Poetry Cafe

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You are invited to The Liverpool Poetry Cafe in Costa, 13 Bold Street on Thursday evening 23rd October from 7.30pm - to 9.30pm for an evening of local and European poetry with George and Gosia and young people from Liverpool’s International renowned Yellow House - an evening of love, passion, humor and honesty - guaranteed.

This is an evening for Lovers, Artists and Poets - that’s you - so come along - how can you resist - coffee and listening and seeing George and Gosia and friends from Yellow House - if that’s not enough George’s best friend Brian Wake will be his guest.

I promise you an evening you will never forget - George.

“George is a fantastic performer, a great storyteller, a magician, a shaman. He has travelled throughout the world performing and everyone loves him - he is wonderful, full of stories, passion and poetry and he’s lovely” - George’s Mum

“I remember working with George in Paris all those years ago - he’s a case - he’s off his cake - I love him” - Charles Baudelaire

“I would love sitting in The Café Tambourine listening to George - his words go in one ear and stay there. To know life is to know George” - Vincent Van Gogh

Nominated by the British Council for European Youth Award

Yellow House - Radio City Local Heroes - Community Project of the Year Award Winner 2007 - 8

George and Gosia Mc Kane - Cultural Champions 2008 - Kensington Community Regeneration Award

Nationwide Community &Heritage Awards - NW Regional Winner - Community Groups

Yellow House

Developing young people through the arts
and the arts through young people.

George and Gosia Mc Kane

8 Marmaduke Street
Liverpool L7 1PB
England

00 44 (0)151 260 2996

theyellowhouse@btinternet.com
www.yellowhouse.info

SLAMBassadors UK

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on October 9, 2008
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In partnership with The Poetry Society, Wow proudly presents…

SLAMbassadors UK

The UK’s only professional development ONLINE slam

Listening to last year’s respect poets reinforced my belief in the power of the word. These poems were
more powerful than any political speech, they were more honest than any lecture, they spoke of history, they spoke of now, they spoke of the future…
Benjamin Zephaniah, Poet

Page fright? Stage fright? Got a mobile phone with video recording, or a camcorder?

Working with spoken word artist Curtis Watt (aka C Zero), young people in Liverpool will be given the opportunity to express themselves and deliver powerful and captivating performances. As he explains

“Poetry is a celebration of language and its power to change the world. When we find the poet in ourselves, what changes will we bring?” Curtis Watt (aka C Zero)

SLAMbassadors UK online slam is open to all 12-18 year olds living in either London or Liverpool.

If you’re keen to develop your writing and stage skills, this is the competition for you.

What: Original poem or rap (with or without beatbox - no music) written by you.
How: Film your performance piece using your mobile or a camcorder. Email Writing on the Wall for an entry form info@writingonthewall.org.uk or call Madeline or Jess on 0151 703 0020

Length: 3 minutes max
Theme: Respect / Identity

All entries will be vetted by a team of professional spoken word artists, and uploaded to our website, where
the general public will be allowed to vote on each of the videos. Professional judges will have the final say,
selecting winners from both London and Liverpool. These winners will be mentored by professional artists
before having the opportunity to perform on stage in front of a live audience.

Closing date for entries: 19 December 2008

Liverpool slammers - contact:
Madeline or Jess  info@writingonthewall.org.uk 0151 703 0020

London slammers - contact:
Joelle Taylor  jtaylor@poetrysociety.org.uk 0207 420 9893 / 07847 372892

Visit: http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/competitions/rise

Notes for Teachers and Youth Leaders

If you want to increase your understanding of performance poetry and the slam arena, or even just to look at creative entry points into the curriculum, there will be a FREE INSET Workshop. For more details contact Writing on the Wall.

The SLAMbassadors Online Slam is an excellent and innovative way of getting your students involved in the art of performance poetry, and helps improve standards of literacy, as well as raising confidence and developing communication skills.
As the theme of the slam is ‘Respect’ and involves the discussion of socio-political issues, it is also a great way of provoking debate in the classroom. So, whether you teach English, Drama, EAL, History or Citizenship, the slam can be relevant. Please note that all entries are vetted and will contain no offensive language.

Chapter & Verse Literature Festival 2008 at the Bluecoat

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1st CHAPTER & VERSE LITERATURE FESTIVAL at the Bluecoat

October has begun and we are counting down to the very first Chapter & Verse Literature Festival 9-19 October 2008 at the beautifully refurbished Bluecoat, the oldest building in Liverpool city centre.

The full festival programme is on www.chapterverse.org.uk and features an exciting range of authors and events, including Lemn Sissay on the Mersey Beat poets (9 Oct);
Tariq Ali on Pakistan’s place in geopolitics (10 Oct);
Jim Crace on his forthcoming novel, Heroes;
Jan Morris on her life’s work (11 Oct);
Linda Grant on her Booker shortlisted novel (11 Oct);
Colin Grant on his acclaimed biography of Marcus Garvey (11 Oct);
Erwin James, guest speaker at the inaugural Pauline Campbell Memorial Lecture, on Titan prisons (12 Oct);
John Healy, on life in The Grass Arena (13 Oct);
Raymond Tallis on his Kingdom of Infinite Space: A Journey Around Your Head;
Patrick Maguire on his memoir of wrongful imprisonment, My Father’s Watch;
Bernadine Evaristo and Laura Fish, novelists who have reimagined slavery (19 Oct);
events to celebrate National Poetry Day (9 Oct), the Liverpool Irish Festival (18 Oct), the Big Draw (18 & 19 Oct) and much, much more.

www.thebluecoat.org.uk

Poets Of The Mersey Sound Sat 11th Oct 2008. 1 Day Course

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A one day course run by David Bateman

Poets Of The Mersey Sound Sat 11th Oct 2008
One-Day Course Information Sheet
Venue: Newsham Adult Centre

What is the course about? The poetry of Adrian Henri, Roger McGough & Brian Patten, the 3 poets featured in the influential & huge-selling anthology, The Mersey Sound (Penguin, 1967; revised editions 1974 & 1983).
Who is this course for? Anyone who is interested in poetry or in Liverpool culture.

What do I need to know to do this course? It will be useful to have read the anthology (any edition) beforehand. However, handouts of key poems will be provided, so prior knowledge isn’t essential.

What can I expect to achieve? Awareness of the background & cultural context of the poetry of The Mersey Sound.
Familiarity with at least 2 poems by each of the 3 poets.
Awareness of some of the main concerns, styles & techniques of each of the 3 poets.

How will I learn? By a variety of methods, such as: hearing & reading examples; listening; discussion & comparison of poetic techniques.

Course content This session will quickly get beyond the notion that The Mersey Sound is simply a Liverpudlian version of American Beat poetry, & will examine the individual poems & poetic strategies & tactics of the three poets.
This is mostly a textual course, looking at techniques & content of the poetry.
It will also include a small historical element, taking in biographical & cultural context.
How will I know I am progressing?
Through discussion, questioning & practical activities; & feedback from both your tutor & fellow students.
What could this course lead to?
• If you write poetry yourself, awareness of techniques useful in writing poetry today.
• Greater satisfaction from reading Liverpool poetry.
What materials/equipment will I need to provide?
Pen and paper, & a file in which to keep handouts.
It will be useful to have read the anthology beforehand.
Will I have chance to give my views about the course? Yes, there will be an evaluation at the end of the day.

How do I join? To book a place please ring Irene Hampson on 233 2414 or the Newsham centre on 263 5153.

For further information regarding this course or any other course
offered by Liverpool Adult Learning Service, please contact the
Helpline on 0151 233 3026