StoryTalk Live with the UK’s leading storytelling experts at Exeter Library
Kicking off the next month, Exeter Library launches StoryTalks – a programme of talks from the UK’s storytelling experts. Audience members will have the chance to learn how they use creative writing techniques to produce award-winning content.
StoryTalks is programmed as part of Evolve, a new and imaginative programme of events and artworks within Devon’s Libraries delivered by Libraries Unlimited in partnership with artists and communities and funded by Arts Council England.
Connecting Exeter with the rest of the country, StoryTalk events will be livestreamed across the country as part of the British Library’s Living Knowledge Networkhttps://www.bl.uk/living-knowledge-network (of which Exeter Library is a member), and the final event, StoryTalk: Stage, Screen and Page event will also be livestreamed directly into the British Library.
StoryTalk events include:
From Glastonbury, BBC Radio 1 and the Royal Shakespeare Company, in this new season of exclusive work, Steven Camden (Polarbear), one of the most respected spoken word artists and authors in the UK and internationally, will be hosting the full programme of StoryTalks at Exeter Library.
Steven (Polarbear) has recently been announced the winner of the 2019 CLiPPA (Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award) for his debut poetry collection Everything All At Once (Macmillan Children’s Books).
StoryTalks: Young Adult Fiction
Thu 15 Aug 2019, Exeter Library, Rougemont Room, 17.30-19.00pm (£7/£5 under 18’s + concs). Target age 13+
Your host: Polarbear
With: Kevin Brooks and Jenny Valentine
Best-selling young adult author and winner of the Carnegie Medal, Kevin Brooks, (Martyn Pig, The Bunker Diary) will be joined by winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, Jenny Valentine (Finding Violet Park – Harper Collins).
In this intimate conversation with Polarbear, they will reveal their personal writing processes and the journey behind telling internationally best-selling stories for young adult audiences.
StoryTalks: Graphic Novels
Thu 10 Oct 2019, Exeter Library, Rougemont Room, 1900-2030pm (£8 / £6 under 18’s + concs)
Your host: Polarbear
With: Joff Winterhart and Katriona Chapman
Polarbear will be joined by two of the country’s most exciting and talented graphic novelists, Joff Winterhart (Driving Short distances – Penguin Books) and Katriona Chapman (Follow me in – Avery Hill).
Together they will discuss their inspiration, and how they are breaking new ground in their use of graphics and storytelling to create 3-dimensional work for this ever popular medium.
StoryTalks: Stage, Screen & Page
Thu 7 Nov 2019, Exeter Library, Rougemont Room, 19:00-20:30pm (£8/ £6 under 18’s + concs)
Your Host: Polarbear
With: Inua Ellams and Kieran Hurley
As a part of Exeter Literary Festival, we welcome 2 leading performance writers alongside Polarbear to talk through the process of writing for stage, screen or page.
Inua Ellams, a UK-based poet, playwright and performer who has written for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National Theatre and the BBC (Barbershop Chronicles) and Kieran Hurley, a writer, performer and theatre maker and winner of the Edinburgh Fringe Fest Award (Beats), are both leaders in their field and will be sharing their insights in telling stories across all forms.
Daniel Clark, Creative Director at Libraries Unlimited said “We’re so excited that our new StoryTalk events start in August. This programme celebrates and explores the craft of creative writing in its many forms including Young Adult Literature, Graphic Novels and Writing for stage & screen.”
Daniel continued “The events feature award-winning writers and will be hosted by the respected spoken work artist and author Steven Camden (Polarbear). This is an opportunity for the local community to access writers and artists of this calibre and to have informal discussions giving valuable insights into the writing and creative process.”
StoryTalk events will be livestreamed to libraries across the country as part of the British Library’s Living Knowledge Network https://www.bl.uk/living-knowledge-network (of which Exeter Library is a member). The StoryTalk: Stage, Screen and Page event will also be livestreamed directly into the British Library.
“The fact that these events, hosted in Exeter, will be livestreamed across the country and into the British Library just go to show that we’re creating content and events of national interest here in the South West. These events will help to raise the profile of Exeter and the cultural activity taking place in the city. This is a really positive outcome of the Evolve project run in partnership with artists and local communities and funded by Arts Council England.” said Daniel Clark, Creative Director.
Tickets for all events are available in advance via Exeter Library or online at librariesevolve.org.uk
