This course invites both new and experienced poets to develop their art within a friendly, supportive environment. A combination of workshops, readings and one-to-one tutorials will explore the craft and mystery of writing poetry.
The value of learning from a broad range of poetic voices will underscore workshops partly inspired by the inner landscape of Memory and by the stunning dales surrounding the retreat. Tutorials will help you in the redrafting of your poems and in approaches to form. Above all else, ‘Writing Poetry’ will offer you precious time and space to enjoy refining your work in a relaxed atmosphere and in the company of fellow poets. Bring along your favourite poems, to share in the evenings, and a musical instrument, if so inclined!
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Tutor: Paul Henry – Poet/Songwriter
Paul Henry came to poetry through songwriting and is the author of eleven books of verse, including The Brittle Sea: New & Selected Poems and Boy Running. Described by U.A. Fanthorpe as “a poet’s poet” who combines “a sense of the music of words with an endlessly inventive imagination”. Paul has tutored Creative Writing for many years and is a Writing Fellow at the University of South Wales. He has read and performed his work at festivals across Europe, India and the USA. He’s also presented programmes for Radio Wales, BBC Radio 3 and 4. www.paulhenrywales.co.uk “Henry is working at the core of lyric poetry, with love and loss and the ‘deeper river’.” – “His poetry deepens our perception of the world.” – Hugo Williams Photo: Zed Nelson |
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Guest on Wednesday evening: Philip Lyons – Poet
Philip Lyons is a teacher and poet. He has taught creative writing and English literature classes in a variety of settings, including universities, prisons and psychiatric hospitals. Philip is the author of one full-length collection, Like It Is (Poetry Space, 2011), as well as two pamphlet collections, Borrowed Time (Ozymandias Press, 1995) and Rainy Day (Loxwood Stoneleigh, 2003). His poems have also been published in magazines and anthologies, and he has given readings throughout the South West, including the Wells Festival of Literature and the Thornbury Arts Festival. Philip is currently employed as an Area Education Manager for the WEA (Workers’ Educational Association) and presents a weekly country music show on a community radio station called BCfm. He lives in Bristol with his wife, Penny, and has a grown-up stepdaughter. |
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| PRICES | Fee includes all day and evening tutored workshop sessions, readings, accommodation and full board (not including alcohol).
Single – En-suite room £750 |
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| INCLUDED |
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| WHAT TO BRING |
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| START TIME | Please arrive between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm on Monday 24th July. | ||||||||||
| END TIME | After breakfast, 10:00 am on Saturday 29nd July. | ||||||||||
| LOCATION | The Garsdale Retreat, Clough View, Garsdale Head, Sedbergh, Cumbria LA10 5PW |
Courses
The Garsdale Retreat provides an inspiring place to develop as a writer. Our courses offer opportunities for new, emerging and experienced writers. The tutors, all professional writers, lead group work and also give one-to-one tutorials to help the individual student. In the remote and beautiful setting of The Yorkshire Dales, The Garsdale Retreat gives a wonderful opportunity to escape from the daily stresses of life and to draw inspiration from fellow students, tutors and the landscape itself.
All courses start on Monday afternoon, arrival time 4.00 – 5.30pm and finish after breakfast on Saturday, 10.00am
Course Structure
Although there will be slight variations, according to the type of course, students can generally expect the following outline.
Writing Workshops
Each day begins with a morning workshop at 9.30am where students explore particular aspects of the chosen genre and take part in writing exercises to further their understanding and expertise. Tutors also write alongside the students, sharing and developing work with participants. The immediacy of hearing or reading an expert’s emerging work gives invaluable insight and inspiration into the art of writing. All students have opportunities to share their work with the tutor and fellow writers in a safe, supportive and nurturing environment in which individual work is respected and confidence developed.
There is a mid-morning coffee break and the session finishes at lunchtime (1.00pm)
After lunch, participants are free to do whatever they like, such as: relax, go for walks, enjoy The Dales, nap, draw, paint, read or work on individual writing projects.
All students have at least one individual tutorial which usually takes place in the early evening after tea and homemade cake.
Each evening there is an after-dinner event. The precise nature of this vary varies according to the type of course but participants can typically expect a tutor reading on Tuesday followed by a reading from a guest writer on the Wednesday evening. There is an informal activity on Thursday such as a student ‘open-mic’ night, or a tutor devised activity. On Friday, students and tutor take part in a reading of their work from the course-produced anthology. This is followed by an informal celebration where participants are welcome to play music or sing etc. The Retreat has a grand piano, key-board and acoustic guitar but students are free to bring any instruments along with them.
After-dinner events for performance style courses will usually involve workshop performances by participants of work accomplished in the day.
All courses will conclude after breakfast on Saturday.
Writing Course Anthology
An integral part of a course, is the production of an anthology of the week’s writing. Tutors and students have an equal allocation of pages (usually two sides ofA4) and select the work they include. These pages can be illustrated or decorated. Each participant takes ownership of their pages and is free to determine the overall look and style which may be hand-written or word-processed. It is, of course, accepted that work may not be completely polished and there is an element of work-in-progress about it. However, the aim of the anthology is to reflect a flavour of the work accomplished on the course by both tutor and participants and to provide them with an attractive record of their time at Garsdale. The Retreat stores copies of anthologies in the library, providing pleasure and inspiration for future students.
Musical Theatre Courses
These are essentially the same as the writing workshops in terms of the structure of the day. The main difference is that the evenings are devoted to performance of work produced each day. An informal concert of work produced over the week is given on the Friday evening.
Musical Theatre Course Recording
For musical theatre and performance poetry based courses, an audio anthology is produced. Each student selects work they’ve produced over the week to be recorded. As with the written anthology, the audio version is not expected to be a complete and polished work but more of a work-in-progress which reflects the week’s endeavours. A copy of the anthology recording is given to each student at the end of the course. The Garsdale Retreat will archive the anthology, providing pleasure and inspiration for future students.
