Know Your Place Panel Debate
UrbanWords has teamed up with Spread the Word to present Know Your Place a panel discussion exploring the value of writing residencies.
Writers in residence can now be found in many places: at airports, bus stations, in shops and even on the Tube. But what impact do these residencies really have on the people, places and organisations involved, and how do they, in turn, shape the writing that's created? What are the objectives of those who employ writers this way, and what impact do these have on the writers themselves? What role do writers have - and what role could they have - in regeneration and place-making? The panellists include:
- Charles Beckett - Literature Officer for Arts Council England, London
- Sarah Butler - Director of Urban Words, and writer of 'Central Line Stories'
- Tamsin Dillon - Head of Art on the Underground
- Emma Hewett - Director of Spread the Word
- Kat Joyce - writer of Spread the Word's Neighbourhood Commission, 'One Mile Away'
- Lemn Sissay whose residency at the Southbank Centre created GPS (the Global Poetry System)
This event will take place in the evocative space of the German Gymnasium, a Grade II listed building at King's Cross , now redeveloped as the visitor centre for the King's Cross Central Development, one of the largest urban regeneration projects in Europe.
Staff at the German Gymnasium are happy to provide a free, short introductory talk on the King's Cross development to attendees. Please arrive at the venue at 5.30pm if you would like this.
Tuesday 2 February
6pm - 8pm
German Gymnasium
26 Pancras Road, Kings Cross, London, N1C 4TB
Train/Tube: Kings' Cross
£ 8/ £ 6 (concessions)
Booking: 0207 735 3111 or online
Case studies now online : In advance of the event, we are collecting together a series of short case studies to whet your appetite and spark questions to put to our panellists.
The first of these case studies is now online. Central line stories took place in 2009: a residency by Sarah Butler working with London Underground staff, commissioned by Art on the Underground.
Having read about Sarah's project we'd like to know what questions or issues you think it raises which could be a focus for the debate. What would you like to know more about this project? Are there others which you think are comparable? Please email Emma Hewett with your questions/responses at emma@spreadtheword.org.uk by Monday 25th January.
And don't forget to book your place!
With thanks to Arts Council England and Argent for their support
There are five new case studies on A Place For Words, the web resource hosted by UrbanWords which explores how writing based projects can meaningfully engage with regeneration schemes.
Sarah Butler is still blogging about related themes. Have a read and leave your comments: A Place For Words Blog.
Shaping Places Discussion and Networking Site
Shaping Place is an online space for writers, urban designers, architects and planners interested in creativity and place, hosted by UrbanWords using the social networking tool Ning.com. Its aims are:1. To provide a contained online space for interested people to discuss issues, share best practice, and test out ideas about how writers and urban design professionals can work together.
2. To create a space for writers and urban design professionals to profile their work and interests.
3. To enable people to get in touch with each other to take forward individual projects and conversations.
You can just visit Shaping Place and sign up. We've also put some notes together to help introduce you to the site, which you can download here. For further information contact:sarah@urbanwords.org.uk.
In Summer 2009, UrbanWords worked with All Change Arts, The Sorrell Foundation and VHH architects on a creative consultation project, exploring the aspirations of young people in Islington for a new performing arts centre in the borough. More information on the projects page.
Last updated 8th October 2009