Be a creative talent at Teesside

Are you interested in writing poetry, fiction or scripts? If so, the University of Teesside has appointed two writers in residence, who will offer two separate creative writing workshops, free of charge. One workshop is for all members of the public and the second is for undergraduates from any University. The writers, Andy Willoughby and Bob Beagrie, will deliver the following workshops:

‘Textlines’, is available to all members of the public, and will take place in various Middlesbrough venues. You will have the opportunity to write about sites of social and historical significance, and build up a collection of stories and poems. Sessions begin on Monday 11 Oct between 1.30 - 4.30pm, and on subsequent Mondays. The first workshop will be held in the Virtual Reality Auditorium, First Floor, Constantine Building (next to the gymnasium) at the University of Teesside. Other venues will include Middlesbrough Town Hall, James Cook Birthplace Museum, and the BBC Radio Cleveland Bus.

‘Writing Time’ is available to all University undergraduates and will introduce the skills and craft of poetry, prose fiction, script writing and performance. The sessions begin on Wednesday 13 Oct in room CO12, Constantine Building from 10am-12noon, and follow on subsequent Wednesdays.

The writers will also hold drop-in surgeries every alternative Friday from 15 Oct in room M614, Sixth Floor, Middlesbrough Tower, between 10am-5pm, where anyone can call in and discuss their ideas and work. The workshops and drop-in surgeries will run until December.

Rachel Carroll, Section Leader for English Studies said: "The School of Arts & Media is very pleased to be hosting the University's first writers in residence. Middlesbrough has a thriving creative writing scene - we hope that these workshop programmes will contribute to this culture by providing opportunities for writers to meet and share ideas."

Some creative work from the workshops will feature in KENAZ, a magazine of new writing, graphics and visual art, to be launched in January 2005. KENAZ will publish work by people living or working in the Tees Valley who have not had their work published before.

Places on the workshops are limited and need to be booked in advance. For more information call Bob Beagrie on 0796 0456550, or email bbeagrie_ca2@hotmail.com

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