Although our bicentenary naturally causes us to look back over our last two hundred years, we’re also keen to use the occasion to introduce new and exciting elements to our programme.
To this end, we invited Bath poet Sue Boyle to organise a series of arts workshops at BRLSI, each one offering a wealth of prompts for new writing as well as providing opportunities for artists, photographers and performers who want to make use of BRLSI’s technical facilities and performance space. Sue’s writing workshops have featured in literary festivals in Exeter, Appledore and Torbay. She also curated the B&NES sponsored Cultural Olympiad workshop series and annual writing days in Bath Guildhall in aid of the Chairman’s Charities.
All of the BRLSI workshop days will include scholarly presentations, open-ended discussions, lively performances and chances for participants to showcase their newest work. The mornings have been designed to provide plenty of prompts for new creative pieces whereas the afternoons will offer performance opportunities to everyone who has something relevant to the workshop themes that they want to share.
February’s workshop The Story behind the Face, for example, includes one presentation based on the recent Face to Face exhibition of vintage photographs in The Museum of Bath at Work and another on the fascinating ceramic figures of Somerset Guild of Craftsmen member Ingrid Johannesson.
The Sense of Place workshop in April will feature a collaborative performance piece created by Bath writers in Kelston Barn and photographs taken specially to complement local author Andrew Able Lawrence’s recent best selling book, Bath – I Walked Every Street.
Other West Country poets, artists, novelists, book binders, singer songwriters, open mic performers and arts organisers will be joining us through the year.
To book tickets, please follow the links below to each individual workshop, or come into 16 Queen Square to buy your tickets (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm). Space is limited so please book early!
If instead you would like to play an active part in shaping one or more of the bicentenary workshops please email reception@brlsi.org – we would be delighted to hear from you!
Saturday 3 February (am): The Story Behind the Face (workshop) – book here
Saturday 3 February (pm): Performing Poetry (workshop) – book here
Saturday 13 April (am): The Sense of Place (workshop) – book here
Saturday 13 April (pm): The Art of Portraiture (concert of readings & presentations related to February’s morning workshop) – book here
Saturday 15 June (am): Forbidden Fruit (workshop) – book here
Saturday 15 June (pm): Places of the Heart (concert of readings & presentations related to April’s morning workshop) – book here
