A creative writing workshop, based on material from Portsmouth City Archives -- led by T'Articulation's Amanda Garrie

As the funded Poet-in-Residence for Portsmouth City Council, Library and Archives Service (2019), I was privileged to have access to unpublished records regarding the impoverished, pauper children who came under the auspices of the town. Some of their stories are astonishing. This creative writing workshop will share some of those stories, as well as the general provisions for, and systems that dealt with, such boys of the parish, interspersed with short writing exercises based on the materials. Further guidance will be given on how else participants might use the workshop to inform further, possibly longer-form, writing.

The workshop is suitable for writers of all levels with an interest in the subject. Please bring a notepad and pencils with you. No pens are allowed in the workshop as it is being held in The History Centre where original archive material will be accessed. You can bring a laptop, but the space is lit by ranks of overhead fluorescent lights that reflect off screens and can be difficult to cope with.

No food, drink, or bags are allowed in the area, but lockers are available at no cost where you are encouraged to leave your items.

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Dr Amanda Garrie holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Portsmouth, where she taught on both the BA and MA degree courses in that subject. Prior to that, she had a career teaching and examining English and Media in mainstream schools and within Adult Education. After retiring, she now works as a mentor and editor, and teaches on a number of projects out in the community. She is also the lead facilitator for T'Articulation, a local spoken-word troupe.

Her writing includes both poetry and prose, ranging across factual, historical, memoir, fiction, and opinion -- with her work published internationally: UK; Eire; India.

She is pleased to maintain a relationship with Portsmouth Libraries and the Archive Service, which allows her to bring this event into being. It is hoped to offer a monthly programme of these archive-based writing events, so do follow this page to be alerted to any upcoming offerings.

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Groups are kept small, so please book as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.

Description supplied by the event organiser.