Saturday 16th May 2020 | Swindon LitFest

SATURDAY 16th MAY

ART ON TOUR: the story of Swindon’s Modern Art Collection with Katie Ackrill.

Lower Shaw Farm
West Swindon SN5 5PJ
Tel: 01793 771080
11am ~ 16th May ~ FREE

People are often surprised to hear that Swindon owns one of the best collections of Modern British Art in the UK, with artworks by nationally-known artists as well as work by local artists.
This vibrant presentation of Swindon’s art collection, from 1966 – 2020, will tell stories through 20 fascinating artworks, and reveal how they came to be in Swindon.
During the talk, there will be an opportunity to view a small number of original artworks from the Collection.
Wiltshire-based exhibitions coordinator Katie Ackrill works out of the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.

CAROLINE BORN – on a memorable journey on the hippie trail.

Lower Shaw Farm
West Swindon SN5 5PJ
Tel: 01793 524481
12.30pm ~ 16th May ~ £8 (£7)

In 1973 two young women, with the minimum of possessions and, at least figuratively speaking, flowers in their hair, set out on a journey through Greece and the Middle East, where the journey itself was the goal, a way of life on the road.
Their adventures and life-changing encounters were recorded in a little red diary, which has now become a book, a free spirited and beautifully illustrated memoir, The Heron in Isfahan.
Movement teacher, performer, and artist Caroline Born re-encounters her teenage self, whose adventures inspired her to write a book.

Can words well-used, in poetry and prose, take us to the heart of life?

SWINDON PROSE & POETRY SLAM – hosted with charm and good cheer by Sara-Jane Arbury, aided and abetted by steely Steve Rooney, and applauded, enjoyed, and maybe even partly-performed by YOU!

Court Theatre, Swindon Dance, Town Hall,

Regent Circus, Swindon SN1 1QG
Tel: 01793 524481
7.30pm ~ 16th May ~ £9 (£8)

What is the difference between prose and poetry? Is meaning all that matters? And what does it take to make any words work on stage instead of on the page?
Here is yet another new and happily hybrid event happening in Swindon. Yes, it’s Think Slam meets Poetry Slam!
Do you fancy it, taking this opportunity to take your gaze off the page and do it on stage; share your perfectly prepped prose or your profound and precious poems with an appreciative audience? Are you ready to seize your moment, put your prose out there or stanza and deliver?
This is what happens. Writers or creators of prose or poetry – in other words, anything in words, points of view, philosophy, and flash fiction, or poems that rhyme and verse that does not, whatever you’ve got - can apply to enter, but should do so as soon as possible. Number of competitors is limited – but number of applaudience is not.
Come along and enjoy the show!
On the night, competing prosers and poets are called up on stage to present or perform for three minutes each. From then on, it’s a knockout!
Though there may well be moments of seriousness, nervousness, humour, and puzzlement, a spirit of wonder, wit, and good cheer will prevail!
Kindly judges, chosen from the kindly audience, will decide who inspires and who expires. But whatever their fate, all competitors can feel like winners, expect a rush of adrenalin, roars of applause, chunks of chocolate, and showers of flowers.
But only one person becomes the first Swindon Prose & Poetry Slam champion and carries off the bubbly-filled trophy!
If you want to compete, write to: sjarbury@gmail.com or call 0781 4830031, asap!