St Magnus International Festival is a midsummer celebration of the arts, taking place in Orkney in June. Each year a visiting national orchestra, ensembles and recitalists perform alongside theatre, cabaret and locally produced shows, all packed into six days.
Due to the success of the inaugural Orkney Writers' Course in 2011, the Festival is offering the Course again in 2012. The Orkney Writers' Course will sit alongside the long-established Conductors' and Composers' Courses and the brand new Orkney Singers' Course.
In partnership with Orkney-based literature organisation, the George Mackay Brown Fellowship, the Orkney Writers' Course will run over four full days, including the weekend of the Festival, from 20th to 24th June (Wednesday evening to Sunday afternoon), in the stunning surroundings of the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness.
Directed by Orkney-based poet Pamela Beasant, with guest tutor, Shetland-based poet Jen Hadfield, the inaugural Course offers intensive poetry workshops and the opportunity for participants to perform their work as part of the Festival programme. An exciting new addition
Sessions include:
- a session delivered by Festival Poet Alice Oswald
- advice on how to get your work into print
- one-to-one mentoring on request
- the chance to read your work at a dedicated Festival event
- the opportunity to interact with composers on the Orkney Composers' Course
Selections of the work produced will be published after the Course. and online on the Festival and GMB Fellowship websites.
Course fee £450
The fee includes:
- all tuition
- five nights' (20-24 June) hotel accommodation in Stromness
- lunch on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Students also receive an invitation to the opening Festival reception on Friday 20th June, and one ticket to a Festival weekend evening event. |
