SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

Hi there,

With spring very much in evidence Spread the word, Newham Libraries and Newham Arts & Festivals Service bring you a series of events to entice you from your winter clothing into fresher literary attire.

We have the creative writing competition, nostalgic writing, short story and poetry writing and performance events all designed to whet your literary appetites:

1. The Changing Face Newham Writing Competition 2009 creative writing taster workshops are still ongoing with workshops at North Woolwich Library (March 19), Plaistow Library (March 26), Stratford Library (April 4), The Gate Library (April 11)...

and let's not forget the special Teenagers' Workshop with poet and DJ Charlie Dark at Canning Town Library, 2-4pm on 21st March.

Charlie Dark is one third of Attica Blues, the critically acclaimed hip hop inspired trio. Charlie has toured around the globe to places such as Japan, US, Germany, Africa, Australia, Canada and most of Europe. Charlie was featured at Poetry International at the South Bank and as well as being the poetry Judge for Changing Faces Newham Writing Competition 2009 he was a Poet Coach for the London Teenage Poetry Slam for three years running.

Event: Changing Face Teenagers' Creative Writing Workshop
Venue: Canning Town Library, Barking Road, Canning Town E16 4HQ
Date: Saturday 21st March
Time: 2pm - 4pm

2. Another ongoing project throughout March and into April run in collaboration with Age Concern Newham and other groups working with residents over 60 years old is A Picture Paints a Thousand Words... or less.

Local people are being asked to bring a picture, photograph or piece of artwork that says something about the history of their community to a series of workshops and invited to express their views through creative writing which will form part of an exhibition touring Newham libraries in the autumn.

The workshops are facilitated by poet and playwright Heather Taylor and community poet and novelist Evlynn Sharp. Participants will also be invited to contribute oral histories which will be recorded and form part of the exhibition. The workshop dates, times and venues are:

11.00am - 12.30pm Thursday 19 March

Samuel Boyce Unit, The Resource Centre, 200 Chargeable Lane, Plaistow, E13 8DW. Tel: 020 7474 4814

10.30am - 12.30pm Thursday 26 March

Mariner Day Centre, 1 Mariner Road, Manor Park E12 5RX, Tel: 020 8553 9801

1.30pm - 3.00pm Tuesday 31 March

St Luke’s Over 50's Club, St Luke's Community Centre, 89 Tarling Road, Canning Town E16 1HN, Tel: 020 7366 6402

1.30pm - 3.00pm Thursday 2 April

Reminiscence Group, Ascension Church Centre, Baxter Road, E16 3HJ, Tel: 020 7511 1232 (option 2)

3. Short Story writing read by local authors comes to the Gate Library on Tuesday 24th March from 6pm 'Tales of the Decongested Vol. 2', a short story reading event hosted by the London Short Story Collective.

The London Short Story Collective's primary objective is to raise the profile of the short story and to discover exciting new talent in London. Writers are encouraged to submit their work online (http://www.decongested.com/) with selected works chosen for public readings with possibilities for publishing into an anthology.
Authors on the night are Sara Hiorns, Frank Goodman, Emily Bromfield, Kate Henderson, Katy Darby, Richard Tyrone Jones. A children's club with art facilities and reading will be available at The Gate making this a real family-friendly event.

Venue: The Gate Library, 4-20 Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate E7 0QH
Date: Tuesday 24th March 2009
Time: 5.30pm for a 6.00pm start
Finishes: 7.30pm

4. And finally Stratford Library plays host to the official launch of Vincent De Sousa's 2nd collection of poetry called Resurrecting Knives published by Salt Publishing on Tuesday 31st March at 7pm.

Vincent studied English and Philosophy at the University of East Anglia and for many years worked as an advertising copywriter. He set up and ran the 1980s experimental London workshop Physical Poets and currently co-hosts the poetry and short story reading series Ride the Word. In 2007 his first collection Weightless Road was published by Salt Publishing. Vincent is currently one of the facilitators on the Changing Face Writing Competition workshops.
The evening also features readings and performances from local writers. Light refreshments available.

Venue: Stratford Library, 3 The Grove, Stratford E15 1EL
Date: Tuesday 31st March 2009
Time: 7pm - 9pm

I look forward to seeing you at these exciting events.

Chou for now!