What's On At The Abergavenny Writing Festival 2017!

The Abergavenny Writing Festival is back for its second year following last year’s hit debut event! This year the festival will be taking place at the Kings Arms Hotel and Broadleaf Books in Abergavenny across three days and evenings 20^th, 21^st and 22^nd April 2017. The aim of the event is to get people together to get writing, be inspired and have fun. The Aber Writing Fest aims to cover as many areas of writing as possible: from writing a novel, a diary, an article, a poem, a film, a speech, a song or a letter. There will be workshops, talks and performances for all ages and interest groups. The Abergavenny Writing Festival is sponsored for the second year by Abergavenny estate agent Christie Residential and Literature Wales is also supporting the event in 2017.

For the young ones children’s authors Nicola Davies, Sarah Hill and Bev Carr will give talks and workshops and there will be storytelling from Alison Newsam and Louby Lou’s Storytelling. The eclectic 2017 programme includes a songwriting workshop from singer songwriter Kizzy Crawford; a fantasy / science fiction writing workshop from Abergavenny writer Stephanie Burgis and a Letterpress printing workshop from poet and artist Francesca Kay.

For budding journalists the line-up includes talks from BBC Countryfile magazine editor Fergus Collins and Guardian and Observer arts journalist and Radio 4 documentary maker Jude Rogers. There will also be poetry, creative writing and mindful writing workshops, so plenty of opportunities to put pen to paper or just absorb the creativity in a relaxed environment.

The three evening events will be all about kicking back and relaxing; listening to inspiring words and music. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at the Kings Arms Hotel will be packed full of talks, music and readings, from poets Christopher Meredith, Phil Bowen and Paul Henry; non-fiction writers Georgina Jones, Emma Bevan and Robert Penn and bilingual musicians and writers Kizzy Crawford and Rufus Mufasa.

Abergavenny Writing Festival organiser Lucie Parkin explains: “I want everyone to feel that they can just come along and have a go, connect with people and be inspired by what others are already doing. My view is that we are all ‘writers’, whether we write professionally or privately. It’s really about communicating, connecting and finding your own voice. ”

Tickets are available via the www.abergavennywritingfestival.com website or to buy in person or by phone from the Borough Theatre Box Office, Abergavenny.

Abergavenny Writing Festival Events

For more detailed event descriptions visit www.abergavennywritingfestival.com

Thursday 20^th April

Sarah Hill, ‘Whimsy Woods’ children’s workshop and talk (10.00-11.00am)

Nigel Jarrett: Getting your work published in literary magazines (10.30-11.15am)

Nicola Davies: A Whale in Words (11.30am-12.15pm) and Words and Pictures (12.45-1.45pm)

Pam Smail & Anna Goodson ‘Writing for Fun’ Workshop: Inspiring Creativity (3.30-5.00pm)

‘Stories to take away’ with Alison Newsam (4.00-5.00pm) at Broadleaf Books

Phil Madden Haiku poetry workshop (5.15pm-6.15pm)

An evening of inspiring talks from three non-fiction writers: Robert Penn, Emma Bevan & Georgina Jones (7.30-10.30pm)

Friday 21^st April

Artist Catherine Wynne-Paton ‘in and out of text’ talk and workshop (10.00-11.30am)

Bev Carr reading from her children’s book Oliver and the Missing Scientist (11.45am-12.30pm)

12.30pm 24 hour film challenge briefing at Get Together, Nevill Street

Marketing workshop with Abergavenny Chronicle editor Liz Davies and Borough Theatre’s Linsey Wheeler (12.30-1.30pm) at the Chronicle Offices

Mindfulness Writing Workshop with Tom George (1.30-3.00pm)

Tom George is interested in Buddhism and spirituality, with his work reflecting these perspectives. He is currently working on writing projects with a number of wellbeing and mental health organisations. “In Mindful Writing we look with a deep curiosity at the world around us, finding a rich world of detail in the smallest things, looking with the non-judgemental wonder of a child. We gain insight from ancient Buddhist techniques that calm the mind and open up the senses. In this session we will try out a range of creative writing techniques, do a little meditation and discussion, and step outside to find inspiration in the natural beauty of Abergavenny (weather permitting!) Mindful writing is not about writing to impress. It is a self-compassionate and non-critical practice where the process is as important as the result. The aim is not to engage so much with personal stories or narratives but to be ‘in the moment’, to be immersed in sensory stimulii and write from that place.” “In Mindful Writing we look with a deep curiosity at the world around us, finding a rich world of detail in the smallest things, looking with the non-judgemental wonder of a child. We gain insight from ancient Buddhist techniques that calm the mind and open up the senses. In this session we will try out a range of creative writing techniques, do a little meditation and discussion, and step outside to find inspiration in the natural beauty of Abergavenny (weather permitting!) Mindful writing is not about writing to impress. It is a self-compassionate and non-critical practice where the process is as important as the result. The aim is not to engage so much with personal stories or narratives but to be ‘in the moment’, to be immersed in sensory stimulii and write from that place.”Fantasy / science fiction writing workshop with Stephanie Burgis (3.30-4.30pm)

Create an artful story with Helen Cotterill (4.00-5.30pm) Broadleaf Books

BBC Countryfile magazine editor Fergus Collins – improving your writing skills (5.00-6.00pm)

A celebration of ‘Poetry Upstairs’ with readings from Christopher Meredith & Phil Bowen (7.30-10.30pm)