Free writing workshops at Annan Museum are offering an opportunity to work with a published writer and create new work inspired by some of the treasures in the Annan Museum collection.
The set of two workshops are suitable for writers at all levels, with the experienced supporting the newer writers to produce what may be their first published work. The workshops take place on Saturday 3 and Saturday 17 September from 11.30am to 1.30pm.
People interested in taking part should contact Vivien Jones on 01461 700396 or e-mail [email protected] for more information or to book a place.
Councillor Tom McAughtrie, Chair of the Council’s Communities Committee said;
“We have a wealth of writing talent in our region. This project provides a welcome opportunity for established and new writers to develop their skills inspired by the fascinating collection at Annan Museum.”
In 2015 the writer, Vivien Jones, was one of the contributors to a national creative writing project based at The Foundling Museum in London. The project looked at exhibits often overlooked or undiscovered by visitors, inviting the writers to make a new text in response to them. The resulting work was then printed and exhibited alongside the chosen pieces, with an illustrated publication of objects and texts produced for the public to take away.
This September, in two development workshops led by Vivien, writers in Dumfries and Galloway are offered a similar project made possible by funding from Live Literature Scotland. Funding from the Wigtown Book Company will support publication of a booklet containing the written work alongside images of the museum collection objects.
The workshops will focus on observation, research and refinement with writers sharing feedback and insights to make the very best of their new work. The museum will provide as much background information about each object that it holds, but writers will be encouraged to broaden their search across all media during the course of the project. Each writer’s object will be drawn from a hat but the list includes a pair of Turkish Slippers, a mangle from the Annan Burgh Laundry, a set of WW1 greetings cards and many other intriguing things.
This project has been made possible by a collaboration between Annan Museum and writer Vivien Jones with financial support from the Wigtown Book Company and the Scottish Book Trust.
Images attached:
· A pair of Turkish slippers
· The Annan Burgh Laundry mangle
· A World War One greetings card
· A rare monopoly style game created by staff at Cochran’s Boiler Works and patented in 1913
· A 1920’s silver thimble
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