WORD

Work is underway towards events and projects for Word2014 which begins on 1 May 2014.

We’re pleased to announce that an amazing collection of arts organisations, writers, poets and artists will be working with Islington residents of all ages for the festival this year – under the theme of UNHEARD VOICES, highlights include…

…Apples & Snakes are leading Unheard Voices in Islington Secondary Schools; Out of the Blue with MIND; and bringing another day of SPIN performances to our primary schools; Cardboard Citizens and Lyrix Organix will create a Speakeasy performance with young adults at City YMCA; the Garden Classroom and Little Angel Puppet Theatre will be delivering magical projects in our Primary Schools; Islington Community Theatre will be bringing us theatrical treats by young people in person and online; Cubitt will host their annual Spring Ball – an extraordinary afternoon of tea-dancing and so much more; All Change’s young parents project – Inspire! will present an extraordinary exhibition and performance event at Free Word to mark its 10th Anniversary; Free Word will bring us Translators in Residence and Weather Stations …

… plus there will be exciting contributions from individual writers including Paul Lyalls, John Hegley, Michael Rosen, Innua Ellams, Yemisi Blake, Kat Francois …. and many much more!

The new Festival brochure will be available in April 2014 – filled with activities, events and projects for all ages.

WORD2013 was our biggest and best yet and saw Islington residents working closely with some of our finest artists and arts organisations on more than 49 separate events and activities.  We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved.

Plans are developing for WORD2014.  We are now looking for Expressions of Interest from artists and arts organisations wishing to develop dynamic and innovative projects that will continue to help our residents discover the joy of reading and writing and promote freedom of expression.  As ever funding is limited so the maximum that we can contribute to any project is £5,000.

The theme for Word 2014 is, ‘Unheard Voices’.  We’re looking for ideas that will inspire and encourage  a broad cross- section of the community  to find their voices and actively participate in the festival.

Please do read the  guidelines and application forms carefully before submitting your EOI.  The deadline for submissions is 12 noon on 21st October 2013.

Download guidelines and application form here:Word 2014 Expression of interest app form-1 word-2014-festival-expression-of-interest-guidelines

This month WORD2013 is pleased to be supporting Archway with Words 21 -28 September 2013 – A new literary festival with superstar authors and wordsmiths, exciting activities and interactive curiosities hosted by Archway’s venues, spaces and shops.

Check out the website for details of the full programme of events and activities.

Commissioned by the Archway Town Centre Group (ATCG)and funded by Islington Council and WORD2013.

To celebrate 100 years of Arsenal FC in Islington, the Word Festival organised a competition for local school pupils to submit a poem inspired by their love of all things Arsenal! The winners all received tickets to the Emirates Cup on 4 August. Here are a two of the winning poems:

by Michael

Oh Arsenal, Oh Arsenal

I love you with my heart

Although we win no trophies

You’re still No. 1 in my chart

Invincible season, how about that

We’re better than the rest, so Gooners give yourself a pat

Never been relegated from Division One

When the Gooners are playing, we’re always having fun!

by Omar

AfterWORD…

28 June 2013: If you’re in the Finsbury Park area look out for some eye-catching Word2013 Festival Hoardings created by All Change working with Magpie Studio in collaboration with John Jones,the Park Theatre, City North N4 and the Business Design Centre Group.

Where are you going? features fragments of stories from local people, interviewed by playwright Sarah Rutherford and a team of actors as part of a theatrical project called N4 Stories. Sarah and her team spent six months talking to over 100 people in the N4 area, searching for stories that would inspire a play for the new Park Theatre. The resulting play, Allah in Neon, will be staged at Park Theatre in 2014.

Frames of Mind, which is currently being installed features fragments of poetry created by local people of all ages as part of a series of creative projects – Transforming Buildings, In Between, Occupy Platform, B Voices and Outer Space with writers Paul Lyalls, Kenny Baraka, Kat Francois, Aoife Mannix and Yemisi Blake in 3-dimensional frames created and customised by John Jones. These hoardings will develop over the next few weeks…

Word2013 came to a close yesterday for this year, but there will be plenty of events and activities to keep us going until next May and WORD2014. The AfterWORD programme starts now!

This week in Islington 1-9 June 2013: is Islington Giving Week and Holloway Arts Festival with lots of activities for local residents taking place across the borough.

Keep an eye on this site for more updates and opportunities, including an extraordinary hoardings project coming soon to Finsbury Park by All Change, The Park Theatre, John Jones, City North N4 and the Business Design Centre Group.

31 May: Today is the final day of this year’s festival, but there’s still plenty to enjoy today…

3-5pm: T3XT – Almeida Theatre performances of  short scripts created over a 3 day script writing project for young people to an invited audience.

6-7.30pm: We Are Poets – Islington Arts and Media School. Screening of award winning, inspiring film organised by young people for young people aged 14-16. £2 (£1 for students)

6 – 8pm: Speakeasy Ope Mic –  Islington Community Theatre’s secret collective of young playwrights, Speakeasy curate their first ever Open Mic night at the new Vagabond N7 cafe on 105 Holloway Road.  Whisper the password on the door for dynamic short plays, spoken word, rap and a special guest performance by poet and playwright Joseph Coelho.

7-10pm: Come Rhyme with Me, Cottons Caribbean Restaurant, 70 Exmouth Market, EC1. Poetry event – Starter: Yrsa Daley Ward, Main Course: Paul Lyalls, and Dessert: Simon Mole.

Thursday 30 May:

Music Box – rare stories from the animal world for parents and under 5s:

10.30-11.15am North Library 12.30-1.15pm Central Library 2.30-3.15pm Finsbury Library

11am: Fiction Flicks at Platform – The Kite Runner (12A) Free admission.

Today’s ‘Free Word of the day’ can be found at a new THEATRE near Finsbury ‘PARK’…

Wednesday 29 May:

Punjeet and Judy-gee – a Bollywood Punch and Judy Show – 11-11.30am, Lewis Carroll Children’s Library & 2.15-2.45pm, Archway Library. Prof Patel performs his own unique version of Punch and Judy. Age 3+

Tuesday 28 May:

11am: Fiction Flicks at Platform  – The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (PG) – Free Admission

2-4pm: The Magic of Story, West Library a creative writing workshop with author Sarah Grant. She will discuss the joy of writing and read from her new series Magic Trix. Suitable for children aged 7-11. 20 places available.