We are wwm booklet

WE ARE

www.writingwestmidlands.org

Cover images Top row, left to right: Steve Camden and Simon Turner, ‘Everything Happens Here’ at Bullring, Birmingham Deb Alma, Emergency Poet Roy Fisher, Farmer’s Bridge Lock, Birmingham and Fazeley Canal (www.locklines.org.uk) Will Self, Birmingham Literature Festival Second row, left to right: Garrie Fletcher Library of Birmingham Cindy George Rochi Rampal Third row, left to right: Rosie Miles, ‘You Enter’ at Kings Heath William Gallagher Bottom row, left to right: Benjamin Zephaniah, Birmingham Literature Festival Polesworth Poetry Trail Fiona Joseph Lorna French, Young Writers’ Group, Birmingham

Writers are like bees. They produce good, sweet stuff and they pollinate our culture. The best can certainly produce more original metaphors than mine, but the important point is that a modern, sophisticated region needs to write its future – and have it read. That writing can be in so many forms, from the brief lines of the lyric poem to film scripts and words cut into stone. Making those words work for their living is the job of writers, and the West Midlands is rich in those who have taught themselves to cast, shape and hew the language to make wonderful new literature.

Writing West Midlands’ passion is to encourage these writers, at all stages of their writing lives. There are extraordinarily talented young writers in every corner of our region. Of equal concern for us are the many emerging adult writers, crafting, drafting, re-drafting the thoughtprovoking narratives that will become the novels and screenplays of the next decades. And we do of course support established writers across all media.

Words need audiences – readers, listeners, critics and commentators – and much of our work is to bring together writers and the wider world. The Birmingham Literature Festival leads this work, but we are constantly looking for

ways of helping people broaden and deepen their tastes and interests. We honour the leading writers of our age while we search for the new voices, perhaps writing in new forms, revealing new worlds to us all.

Our work is magnificently supported by so many individuals and organisations, but for it to continue to flourish we need to share our success more widely. Our twenty Young Writers’ Groups could be fifty and our festival could attract additional outstanding writers from across the world, with just a little more support. So, while this publication – We Are Writing West Midlands – is a first attempt to present the breadth of our work to everyone, it is also an opportunity for us to ask for support.

Consider becoming a Friend of Writing West Midlands, or sponsoring a Young Writers’ Group or a Birmingham Literature Festival event or supporting us in some other practical way. Do this and help us to continue to make the West Midlands a writers’ region.

Jonathan Davidson Chief Executive, Writing West Midlands 3

Overview Young writers

Whether or not they pursue it in later life, writing can be a brilliant way for young people to navigate the world around them and develop confidence. Through in-depth work with pupils and teachers, the Write On! programme helps to establish creative writing at the heart of the curriculum, while beyond the school gates our Young Writers’ Groups and online magazine give aspiring writers the opportunity to road-test and showcase their work.

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Developing writers

Writers rarely land fully formed. They tend to need support, advice, editing, training, or just simple encouragement.

Writing West Midlands provides all of this and more throughout the year and across the region, whether it be through workshops, residencies and networking groups, or creative development programmes like Room 204.

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“I wanted to be a writer from the age of six, and have spent much of my time since then trying to achieve this. Room 204 has been a life-enhancing experience.”

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Festivals and events

The writing process may be a solitary one, but every now and then literature needs to get out and socialise. Festivals are a forum for new voices, a place to discuss ideas, and a vital meeting place which can build momentum for the sector as a whole. As well as producing the annual Birmingham Literature Festival, bringing a host of respected and emerging talent to the city every autumn, we also collaborate with a rich calendar of other events across the region.

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Libraries and Partners

Our work with writers and audiences is only part of the picture. The West Midlands is blessed with some excellent talent, and there’s a whole ecosystem that can help it to flourish. Through partnerships with publishers, universities, galleries, libraries and many others, it’s our responsibility to create clear pathways for new talent and a culture that helps to nurture readers as much as writers.

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“It’s fabulous to see how the festival has grown, and how well it fits into the fantastic new Library of Birmingham” - Catherine O’Flynn 5

Birmingham Literature Festival

Year-round events The annual festival is supported by a range of one-offs and regular gatherings throughout the year, which help to develop audiences and showcase new voices. We’ve presented work at the Wenlock Poetry Festival, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Birmingham City University. Our monthly storytelling events, Tell Me On a Sunday, are presented in tandem with Ikon Gallery and curated by Cat Weatherill, one of Europe’s leading performance storytellers.

After fifteen years the Birmingham Literature Festival is firmly established in the cultural calendar as the region’s leading writing event, gathering household names and rising stars to celebrate the power of words.

The 2013 Festival was a landmark edition for a number of reasons. Rebranding from Birmingham Book Festival allowed us to reflect the changing face of the publishing industry, while retaining the communal, analogue thrill of a simple reading or discussion event. It was also the first independent festival in the new Library of Birmingham, a space which opens up all sorts of exciting possibilities for future events (see over).

Most of all, though, it offered the kind of varied, ambitious 6

programme that has won us a loyal and growing audience over the years: a mesmerising ‘sermon’ in Birmingham Cathedral

by Benjamin Zephaniah; Shami Chakrabarti of Liberty delivering a specially commissioned lecture; readings and talks from Will Self, Germaine Greer and Jonathan Coe; and poet Daljit Nagra unveiling a new, multi-disciplinary take on the Ramayana. Beyond the headliners, there was also a lively workshop series, and a chance to meet regional publishers including Nine Arches Press, Flarestack Poets and Offa’s Press.

We sold over 3,500 tickets, and our partnership with BBC Radio 4 gave us access to a listening audience of 1 million.

“A great event, so useful to ask questions (never enough at literary festivals); wonderful to have the chance to meet writers from two different ‘worlds’.” - Audience Feedback

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% of the audience rated events as very good or excellent.

60%

had never attended the Festival before.

“A really inspiring evening which validated our shared experiences and vulnerabilities in a way that celebrated our human-ness – fab, thank you!”

- Audience Feedback 7

Libraries

A Place Where Words Matter “Books are very precious. In some books, you will visit the core of your heart and in others you will go out into the universe. Books keep one’s feelings alive.”

- Malala Yousafzai, opening the Library of Birmingham The new Library of Birmingham has been an enormous boost for the region’s readers and writers. During a challenging time for the public sector, a bold and universally accessible resource like this one sends out a powerful signal about the importance of reading and ideas for all. The building attracted its millionth visitor only 100 days after opening, and as well as raising the city’s profile internationally it has already become a central feature of civic life.

The Library is also an important partner for Writing West Midlands, hosting much of the Birmingham Literature Festival in their impressive new studio theatre. The development has helped us to significantly broaden our audience – over 60% were first-time attenders in 2013 –

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and the overwhelming majority of them rated the building as very good or excellent.

Libraries come in all shapes and sizes of course. From high-spec multimedia facilities to intimate community buildings, they all play an integral role in creating a lively literary culture, and libraries across the region have hosted our writer networking events and young writers’ groups. Many have also taken part in Literature on Your Doorstep, a project we devised to connect the work of West Midlands publishers and writers with readers local to them.

Libraries give us all the space to discover the wealth of good writing created in this region, and far beyond.

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This project gave me ideas for making writing more enjoyable and interactive and also prompted other staff to be more creative. The parents who came to the workshop enjoyed the experience. It was a really worthwhile project for the children and me – thank you! - Teacher, Perry Common Junior and Infant School, Birmingham

Less visible than the events programme, and often happening on a smaller scale, our young writers’ projects are nonetheless crucial to the impact we have across the region. Young people – in this case 8 to 16 yearolds – can really take off as writers when given the right kind of support, whatever their background or level of ability. There are three main strands to this work: Writers in Schools From one-day visits to residencies spanning several terms, hundreds of schools across the region have benefited from this scheme. We draw on a large pool of writers with extensive experience of writing in education, and work closely with pupils and teachers to develop tailor-made programmes.

Young Writers’ Groups For those wishing to develop their skills outside the school environment, membership of a Young Writers’ Group provides a supportive network as well as expert advice.

We run groups from south Herefordshire right up to Stoke-on-Trent, each led by a professional writer.

“Being part of the Walsall Young Writers’ Group means a lot and is a great experience. Mandy (Ross) and Shan (Jones) have helped with my writing skills and confidence. I want to carry on for as long as possible – I have learnt so much.”

Write On! magazine We publish work produced by members of the young writers’ groups in our online magazine.

Write On! has strict submission criteria and is professionally edited, giving young people valuable experience of the publishing world.

“Playing the scene over and over again in my head, I knew this would haunt me forever: my life would never be the same again. I remember us driving, we turned the corner and a green blur whizzed past us, I felt the car jerk and everything went black.”

- Feedback from a member of Walsall Young Writers, and an extract from her work.

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Out and About

The Great West Midlands Poetry Relay

DEBORAH ALMA

As well as writing her own poetry and running sessions in schools and care homes, Deborah is the ‘Emergency Poet’, travelling the region in a converted ambulance.

What effect has working as an Emergency Poet had on your own writing?

I suppose the qualities employed in the process of listening closely to a stranger; namely those of empathy, intimacy and of trusting my intuition, are those that are best employed in the writing of poetry.

Jo Bell, Canal Laureate, leading Canal Writing Workshop

Where do you like to write?

I like to write in a little villa in Portofino, but as I’m never likely to get there, I write in bed on Sunday mornings and I’m lucky enough to now have my own little office. I also like to drive out away from my family, maybe in the ambulance and look out over the Shropshire countryside.

I like to write on rainy days.

Roy Fisher said ‘Birmingham’s what I think with.’ What do you think with?

I think with aloneness. I am seldom alone. Does this mean ...oh!

The West Midlands covers a fascinating range of landscapes, accents and attitudes, and a lot of our work is about responding to place. Recent site-specific projects have included: The Great West Midlands Poetry Relay A team of ten poets circumnavigated the region performing specially commissioned poems as part of the Cultural Olympiad.

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Writing by candle-light We hosted an all-night writing workshop in the Black Country Living Museum’s Locksmith’s House in Willenhall.

Reliable Witness This interactive storytelling project traversed Birmingham, a burgeoning romance which played out in the city streets and through social media.

It’s sometimes said that the West Midlands lacks identity as a region. Do you think there’s anything particular that characterises writing from this part of the world?

What nonsense! I think it’s characterised in these ways; often with humour, by looking at something square in the face, by not being impressed or frightened by anything.

What can writers gain from working with Writing West Midlands?

I can only speak for myself, but WWM has been invaluable. I have been part of Room 204, applied through them for a writer’s residency with Arvon, had help and advice for a successful Arts Council England bid, and been commissioned to write a poem which was tied to the leg of a pigeon....

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West Midlands Writers’ Map wolverhampton

walsall

stoke-ontrent

Meera Syal (1961 - ) Grew up just outside Wolverhampton in Essington, which she once described as ‘a cross between Twin Peaks and Crossroads’.

Carol Ann Duffy (1955 - ) Born in Glasgow, the Poet Laureate spent her youth in Stafford where two English teachers encouraged her writing ambitions.

Staffordshire

SANDWELL

Birmingham

dudley

Arnold Bennett (1867 - 1931) Hanley-born chronicler of the Potteries.

telford & wrekin

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) “Suit the action to the word, the word to the action.” - Hamlet George Eliot (1819 - 1880) Rural Warwickshire locations are recognisable in a number of Eliot’s novels including Middlemarch and The Mill on the Floss.

SOLIHULL

West midlands

Mary Webb (1881 - 1927) Author of romantic novels including Gone to Earth and Precious Bane.

Benjamin Zephaniah (1958 - ) Rastafarian, Villa fan, poet. Has described Handsworth as ‘the Jamaican capital of Europe.’

John Osborne (1929 - 1994) The playwright spent his last years in the Clun Valley, which now serves as an Arvon Centre, known as The Hurst.

Roy Fisher (1930 - ) Handsworth-raised poet and jazz pianist.

Worcestershire

William Langland (1332 - 1386) Born in Ledbury, and widely thought to be the author of 14th century dream-vision Piers Plowman.

David Rudkin (1936 - ) After spending his early life between the Midlands and Ireland, David Rudkin now lives in south Worcestershire. His work for stage, screen and radio often draws on the region’s landscape and its ancient past.

COVENTRY

Shropshire

“Birmingham’s what I think with.

It’s not made for that sort of job, but it’s what they gave me.”

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892 - 1973) His childhood adventures around Sarehole Mill inspired the world of the Shire in The Lord of the Rings.

Herefordshire

Allan Ahlberg (1938 - ) Children’s author who used his war-time Oldbury childhood as inspiration for Peepo!

Map by Kerry Leslie www.kerryleslie.com 14

Warwickshire

Jonathan Coe (1961 - ) The Rotter’s Club conjures up a 70s prog-fuelled Birmingham adolescence.

Jerome K. Jerome (1859 - 1927) Walsall-born author of Three Men in a Boat.

Washington Irving (1783 - 1859) A number of Irving’s short stories, including Rip van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, were written while he lived in Birmingham.

Catherine O’Flynn (1970 - ) Debut novel What Was Lost drew on her sweetshop childhood and an early job at HMV Merry Hill.

Sathnam Sanghera (1976 - ) Has written both memoir (The Boy with the Topknot) and fiction (Marriage Material) about his Wolverhampton Punjabi upbringing.

Susan Hill (1942 - ) The author of The Woman in Black started out as a journalist in Coventry.

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Developing Writers “Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink.

Drink and be filled up.” - Stephen King Carving out a writing career is no easy matter. It’s competitive, often underpaid, and requires a huge amount of solitary toil. But it can be done, and not all of it alone. Writing West Midlands is committed to supporting talented writers, giving them the confidence to keep going and the skills to construct a living from their words.

Room 204 Not a creative writing group, but a development programme with a great track-record in helping writers to make connections, access funding and find work. Each year 15 to 20 writers receive support from the scheme.

The Writers’ Toolkit Our annual networking and discussion event which connects writers from all over the region with representatives from across the literature industry, including the British Council, Granta, the BBC and the Arvon Foundation. We also host a special Toolkit each year for student writers.

Writer Networking All of this work is underpinned by a series of smaller-scale networking events that take place across the region throughout the year, with a variety of partners.

Over the following pages a selection of writers that we’ve worked with offer a snapshot of their working lives.

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WILLIAM GALLAGHER

A writer and journalist who has written for publications including The Independent, The Los Angeles Times and Radio Times, as well as creating a number of Doctor Who audio plays.

CINDY GEORGE

Cindy George was a music journalist for the NME and others in the fallow period between acid house and Britpop, and spent many years in radio advertising. She is currently working on her first novel, ‘about gods, astronomy and middle management.’

You’ve written for BFI Classics on Alan Plater’s The Beiderbecke Affair. Has Plater been an influence on your own work?

The late Alan Plater was an early interviewee of mine and became a friend who continues to have a striking influence on my writing. I’m nowhere near it yet, but I am always striving to emulate his way of appearing to be so relaxed that nothing is happening even as his characters go through the most profound changes.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m finishing a non-fiction book about Blake’s 7, I’m editing Catherine Schell’s autobiography, I’m doing a lot of workshops and talks in schools, universities and prisons. And I have more radio drama, comedy, books, stage, television and journalism proposals in with editors, producers and commissioners than I ever have. So many irons in the fire that they must surely be melting together at the centre.

You’ve worked as a copywriter and journalist in the past. Do these skills help or hinder your creative writing?

Radio advertising generally allows around 100 spoken words to engage the listener and tell them why they should be interested in a product. This is great training for writing fiction, as it teaches that every word on a page should be there for a good reason.

Where do you like to write?

I’m lucky enough to have a spare room and a partner who is supernaturally talented in the assembly of flat-pack furniture, so I have a lovely office to work from. Though I have been known to write in front of the telly, on the sofa with the laptop.

Favourite means of procrastination?

When I’m trying to write is the only time the house gets cleaned.

Where do you like to write?

I write anywhere. I learnt to write under pressure in BBC newsrooms and one benefit is that I can pick something up and continue it in any spare minute. I’ve recently found that I write the best and the most in my home office at 5am.

What can writers gain from working with Writing West Midlands?

There are specific and practical advantages to working with Writing West Midlands in that they get you work.

Sometimes that’s directly with them on their projects, more often they connect you with other people and companies. But for me the deeper gain has been from how the organisation feels plugged into everything and that by being with them, I am too. Plus, it’s just a great set of people: working with them can stretch and challenge me but it never actually feels like working.

It’s sometimes said that the West Midlands lacks identity as a region. Do you think there’s anything particular that characterises writing from this part of the world?

One striking thing that comes to mind is that West Midlands writers, from Tolkien to Jim Crace, often seem to work in imaginary landscapes. This might be to do with being landlocked - perhaps we feel the need to create horizons for ourselves.

What can writers gain from working with Writing West Midlands?

There are a lot of “unknown unknowns” for emerging writers, and Writing West Midlands are able to help even when you don’t know what question you should be asking.

Having experts to call on is an invaluable benefit.

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GARRIE FLETCHER

Northampton-born, Birmingham-based writer who has performed his work at events across the region. Widely published, he writes short stories, novels and poems and is a member of the Tindal Street Fiction Group.

You’ve been a writer in residence at the Regal Cinema in Tenbury. How did it go?

At first it was a bit daunting: write 250 words or less about, or around, a film you may, or may not, have seen, without giving the plot away. The Regal would then project the work onto the screen before the films were shown, so no pressure. They’ve since gone on to produce a booklet that collects all the writing from the project, which was a rather wonderful surprise when I got my copy.

Roy Fisher said ‘Birmingham’s what I think with.’ What do you think with?

Growing up in Northampton during the 70’s and 80’s, I had a typical working class upbringing that was spent playing on building sites and exploring fields. I always have with me the brutal concrete of the new town and the ancient heart of countryside. So, if I take a leaf out of Roy’s book: Northampton’s what I think with.

It’s sometimes said that the West Midlands lacks identity 18

as a region. Do you think there’s anything particular that characterises writing from this part of the world?

Who said this? Where do they live? Seriously, this is only said by people who don’t live in the Midlands. There’s a wealth of writing talent here. The thing that gives the Midlands a genuine richness is the diversity of writing.

If I was pushed to find a common denominator I’d have to say it was our humility.

What can writers gain from working with Writing West Midlands?

On a practical level, I’ve got to know people, interesting and useful people. I’ve met other writers, thanks to their essential Room 204 initiative. Some, working in areas similar to me and others who are doing crazy, bonkers, wonderful stuff that makes your jaw drop.

Writing West Midlands are an incredible bunch of people. If you have a chance to work with them, grab it with both hands.

FIONA JOSEPH

Fiona is a former university lecturer who runs an EFL website called Flo-Joe. Her latest book is a full-length biography of Beatrice Cadbury.

How does historical research shape your writing?

Research is key to all my writing, particularly so with fact-based/ historical stories. What drives me to the archives is a fascination with the past and the desire to root out those untold stories that deserve, in George Orwell’s words, “to get a hearing”.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m in the middle of writing Comfort for the Troops, a fact-inspired novel about the lives of four women working at Cadburys during WW1. And I’ve just started a commissioned biography of the socialist industrialist Godric Bader of the Scott Bader company – it’s an amazing life story and a natural follow-on to the themes in Beatrice Cadbury’s life.

Favourite means of procrastination?

The usual suspects: washing up or cleaning the fridge! But procrastination is a luxury I can’t really afford. I’m a fan of David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) and those productivity

tools are very helpful in staying disciplined and on track.

It’s sometimes said that the West Midlands lacks identity as a region. Do you think there’s anything in particular that characterises writing from this part of the world?

That’s a fair point. Creatives in this region tend not to brag or say ‘Hey, look at me’; we just get on with it. I sense an authenticity at the core of writing in the West Midlands. We’re also good at connecting with audiences through live readings and performance.

What can writers gain from working with Writing West Midlands?

Support, encouragement and opportunities – in spades! Being on the Room 204 programme is marvellous in terms of exposure, networking with other writers and producers, and it’s led me to some really interesting writing and speaking commissions I wouldn’t have had on my own. I’d urge all writers in the West Midlands to make a connection with the team.

They are ace.

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ROCHI Rampal

Rochi writes scripts and stories. She has worked as co-deviser and performer with companies including Stan’s Café, Foursight Theatre, Black Country Touring and Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

You act and write. Is your acting useful to your writing?

As well as using similar techniques for developing characters and backstories for both processes, I try to hear the words I write as though they were to be performed. So yes, they are an absolute part of one another, and do feed each other.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’ve just started writing a stage play which had a short reading at Birmingham Repertory Theatre recently. The plan now is to finish it, but I’m good at putting things off.

Roy Fisher said ‘Birmingham’s what I think with.’ What do you think with?

Good on him. I like that and I wish I’d come up with it. I’m from Birmingham, and have always lived here, so I suppose I can’t help but ‘think with’ the place I’ve always been in.

It’s sometimes said that the West Midlands lacks identity 20

as a region. Do you think there’s anything particular that characterises writing from this part of the world?

I get frustrated with that perception. It’s short sighted. For me, the diversity of this region is precisely what defines it (as a Brummie, it’s also what defines me and inspires my writing too).

I think this often characterises the art (not just the writing) that comes out of the region. We are a mixture of a place with people who have arrived from all over – and settled in these urban and rural locations. We’re all bumping alongside one another and that’s the very thing that shapes our identity.

What can writers gain from working with Writing West Midlands?

New work and network opportunities. Gentle nudges in new directions. WWM are a force of energy, knowledge and ideas.

Since working with WWM I’ve had my first two writing commissions, and met and worked with brilliant writers.

HELEN CROSS

Helen was raised in Yorkshire, studied creative writing at UEA, and lives in Birmingham. Her 2001 debut novel My Summer of Love won the Betty Trask Award and was adapted into an acclaimed film by Pawel Pawlikowski.

You’ve been a student and a tutor of creative writing courses. What do you think courses offer writers?

It’s the space to write, the encouragement of professionals and the company of other writers that makes these courses important. A good creative writing class insists you search for your voice as a writer. Critical feedback then pushes you to hone what you want to say, to sharpen the clarity, humour and drama.

Heath, often at the sides of pools where my kids swim. At home I sit under a blanket near radiators in natural light and write longhand in notebooks. Bright light is crucial for me. I’m always by a big window – another reason why trains are good for writing.

What are you working on at the moment?

Most urgently I’m writing a commissioned story for the BBC about food chains. I can’t say I’ve got even a tiny morsel of an idea, so I am just wandering around eating and vaguely worrying. I’m also, as always, writing another novel and a screenplay and am tinkering around with a sudden glut of short stories.

What do you think characterises writing from this region?

It’s astonishing diversity. It’s a place where cultures collide. This creates a certain vibrant dramatic tension - exactly where you always find the best stories.

Where do you like to write?

Anywhere. I’m very adaptable.

Sometimes at cafes in Kings

Roy Fisher said ‘Birmingham’s what I think with.’ What do you think with?

As a woman. And with a sense of humour.

What can writers gain from working with Writing West Midlands?

The inspirational opportunity to meet and change the lives of a wide range of people through creative writing.

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Our Partners None of the work we do could happen without a wide, active network of partners and supporters who share our vision for the region. These include: l l l l

all fourteen public library authorities over twenty literature and spoken word festivals and event producers a dozen independent literary publishers ten universities running creative writing courses

We also work closely with other cultural organisations across the West Midlands, including The New Art Gallery Walsall, Ikon Gallery, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Belgrade Theatre. Whether we’re leading strategic network groups, providing a platform for publishers or offering informal advice on writing residencies, the responsibility is the same. One of Writing West Midlands’ greatest assets is a store of accumulated experience and contacts which we can use to support others and develop the sector as a whole.

Further afield, key national partners include the Arvon Foundation and the Freeword Centre. We value our association with the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society, and with the British Council. Our relationship with BBC Radio, developed over many years, enables us to attract diverse talent and reach a massive listening audience.

Finally, and crucially, the ongoing support and enthusiasm of Arts Council England makes possible all of the activity described within these pages.

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Our mission is to support the making and sharing of creative writing of the highest quality for the West Midlands.

Writing West Midlands Writing West Midlands evolved from the work of Birmingham Book Festival, established in 1999. The organisation is now the literature development agency for the region. We achieved National Portfolio Organisation status from the Arts Council in 2012; an important step which confirmed our strategic role in building the sector’s diversity and resilience.

The annual festival, recently renamed Birmingham Literature Festival, remains at the heart of our work and is now the biggest literature event in the region.

The 13,000 square kilometres that make up our region – from Ledbury to Lichfield, from Stoke to Sandwell are home to 5.2 million people and a broad range of communities, many marginalised by location, education, race or class. We want all individuals and communities in the region to have equal access to good writing, and equal opportunities to create it. That’s why our approach is

I hope this brochure illustrates how the West Midlands is a region rich in writers and also how it is enriched by that writing.

How you can help

always holistic and long-term, and that’s why collaboration and partnership is so important to us.

Our work is as much behind-the-scenes as it is frontstage. We recognise that literature can be experienced collectively and publicly – for instance at festival events and in readers’ groups – but is most often experienced individually and privately. We also understand that while the thrill of good writing endures, fundamental changes are taking place in the way people get access to this writing.

Part of our role is to help readers and writers navigate this new landscape.

We are very proud of the relationships we have built up in this region, but there is so much more work to be done to ensure that more people get to make and share great writing. This is what drives us on.

Writing West Midlands plays a unique cultural role supporting creative writers and their writing across our region.

Our support from the Arts Council gives us stability as an organisation, and the means to make our work sustainable.

But other sources of support are becoming increasingly valuable to us, and to the individual writers and readers we work with.

Income derived from sponsorship and private-giving gives our work both depth and breadth: depth, particularly in terms of our investment in young writers; and breadth in terms of our ability to reach a wider audience for our festival and events programme.

Young writers are the touchstone of a thriving writing culture. We need to make sure they get the best support and encouragement at the right time in their lives if we are to sustain and build on our region’s literary success.

Equally, we need to create opportunities for writing to be enjoyed by as wide an audience as possible, and in the best possible ways, from big events with high profile writers like Benjamin Zephaniah and Carol Ann Duffy, to grassroots activity in local communities.

Sian Buckley

If you would like to find out more about opportunities to engage with our sponsorship and private-giving programme, I would be really pleased to hear from you.

Sian Buckley Marketing Co-ordinator Writing West Midlands sian@writingwestmidlands.org 0121 246 3083

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More about us Staff Jonathan Davidson – Chief Executive Sara Beadle – Programmes Director Abigail Campbell – Acting Programmes Director Joanne Penn – Projects Manager Sian Buckley – Marketing Co-Ordinator Chris Swann – Events Manager Hayley Frances – Youth Project Fieldworker Emma Boniwell – Friends Scheme Manager

Board of Trustees Philip Monks (Chair) Dr Danielle Fuller Roz Goddard Tim Thackaberry Lisa Jordan Dr Ceri Gorton Melanie Crooks Carol Phillips Dr Gregory Leadbetter Our Patrons are writer David Edgar and writer and broadcaster, Stuart Maconie.

We are based in The Custard Factory in Birmingham’s Eastside Cultural Quarter.

You can find out more about us at www.writingwestmidlands.org and more about the Birmingham Literature Festival at www.birminghamliteraturefestival.org Regular updates are available through our email newsletters, on Twitter (@writingwestmids or @bhamlitfest) or on Facebook - Writing West Midlands.

You can call us on 0121 246 2770 or write to us at Writing West Midlands Unit 204 The Custard Factory Gibb Street Birmingham B9 4AA Writing West Midlands is registered in England as a Company Limited under Guarantee No. 6264124. Registered Charity No. 1147710

Credits Photography: Lee Allan Copywriting: Ian Francis Map: Kerry Leslie Design: Empty Creative Thanks to Steven Camden and Simon Turner, and The Bullring, for permission to reproduce ‘Everything Happens Here’.

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WE ARE

www.writingwestmidlands.org