Displaying items by tag: university of manchester - Rosie Garland
November 2018 - The John Rylands Library writer-in-residence
Finally, I can announce that I am inaugural Writer-in-Residence at The John Rylands Library in Manchester. It's fantastic news.
How? I put together a proposal, & asked. The power of asking, indeed.
Read the article in the University of Manchester magazine, here:
"When I first moved to Manchester I was stunned to discover this incredible library with such a surprising history," remembers Rosie Garland, singer with Leeds post-punk band The March Violets and writer-in-residence at The John Rylands Library.
"It's always been one of my favourite places in Manchester and the idea that I'm now working in it and writing about it as the Library's first writer-in- residence is a dream come true."
https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/magazine/features/novel-library-research/
5.11.2018 - The John Rylands Library writer-in-residence
Published in Gig List
1.11.2016 - University of Manchester Creative Writing Society
Contact Theatre
Oxford Road, M15 6JA Manchester
I love visiting Creative Writing groups, and this is no different! Looking forward to meeting the University of Manchester Creative Writing Students.
"Enjoy writing? Or simply want to give it a try? Maybe even you enjoy being around writers?
Then join us!
As a society we bring together writers to share their work, learn from others and simply have fun.
We run fun workshops at least once a month, such as feedback sessions, writing together and experimenting with different styles. We also try to vary our socials between a relaxed night a the pub and alcohol friendly and daytime socials too. This year we hope to extend our society and hold spoken word events, run a member-led blog and some inter-society projects, such as with the History society and the Drama society. Please contact us with ideas too as we're always open to trying new things out.
Our facebook group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/454110951444006/
https://uomwriters.wordpress.com/
Saturday, 23 January 2016 10:39
10.3.2016 - Regarding Women, Whitworth Art Gallery
Thursday Lates Wonder Women Takeover
Venue: The Whitworth Art Gallery,
Oxford Road,
Manchester, M15 6ER
Regarding Women - Portrait Gallery
Amid a collection of art works dominated by the male perspective, three writers present new work on women looking at themselves, interrogating the way they are depicted, and considering what it is to be a woman in the world. Kate Feld, Rosie Garland and Lara Williams will perform fiction, lyric essay and poetry in an event specially produced for Wonder Women.
This event is part of Wonder Women, Manchester's annual feminist festival. From 3-13 March 2016, we celebrate the women's movement born in our city through film, art, music, walking tours, gallery takeovers, comedy and debate, asking how far we've come in 100 years – and how far we have yet to go.
Click to visit Wonder Women site
September 2015 - Darkness & Light: Exploring the Gothic, John Rylands Library, Manchester
The John Rylands Library – Darkness & Light: Exploring the Gothic
The exhibition brochure is out... I am delighted to have an essay featured in it, to accompany the Gothic Women case I curated for the exhibition.
Here's the text of the feature, for those who aren't able to get to Manchester before December 2015. It really is worth making a visit – the exhibition has some wonderful displays. Check out the website for more info, times etc.
Click to visit The John Rylands Library website page
Women & the Gothic
"The Gothic: abject, unreliable, dangerous and downright weird.
Which also sums up how I've felt about myself since realising I didn't fit the one-size-fits-all template of marriage, kids and sublimation to the wishes of others (age 5, if you're asking). I've always felt like an outsider, which has not always been easy.
The Gothic has an extensive history of being ridiculed. In the 1980s, NME dismissed us as an uncool fad (we're still here, the NME isn't); Wordsworth and Coleridge wrote off Gothic literature as 'the trash of the circulating library'; Renaissance scholars dismissed 1000 years of art, erudition and scientific endeavour as 'The Dark Ages'; the Romans laughed off Alaric and his Goths as barbarian nobodies (and look what happened to them).
The Gothic endures, despite never being quite in fashion, despite existing on the fringes. Perhaps that explains its allure and its terror. All of us have cobwebbed dungeons in the psyche. They are frightening places, and we are sold the lie that if we paint our world pastel shades and furnish it with white leather sofas everything will be all right. We ignore personal darkness at our psychological peril. Far wiser, in my humble opinion, is to explore the haunted castle and face those fearsome ghosts.
With that in mind and with lantern held aloft in trembling fingers, I undertook the challenge of making a personal selection reflecting Women and the Gothic. There was no way that my wish-list could be displayed. That would have filled The John Rylands Library in all its Gothic beauty.
Some choices are well-known, some are hidden from history. I was drawn to writers who were not content to follow, neither in their lives nor in their works. In the Gothic they discovered imaginative possibilities and seized those opportunities with verve and dynamism. They pushed the boundaries of the Gothic, using it to challenge and inform. Their writing transcends expectations. Here you will find no absent or marginalised gothic heroines, no quivering victims of Gothic male fantasy.
Here be dragons."
July - Dec 2015 - 'Darkness & Light', The John Rylands Library
Darkness and Light: Exploring the Gothic
Thursday, 16 July to Sunday, 20 December 2015
I was honoured to receive and invitation from Liza Leonard to curate a case at this exhibition! I took as my theme Women and the Gothic. I could have chosen a hundred books, easily, but was limited to five.. The choice was very difficult, needless to say. It's been a great experience to work with the staff of The John Rylands Library. I am particularly grateful for the help and support I have received from Xavier Aldana Reyes and Linnie Blake of The University of Manchester.
The exhibition is running till the 20th December and is free to enter.
'Housed in the neo-Gothic grandeur of The John Rylands Library, Darkness and Light reveals how Gothic architecture and anatomy inspired and influenced a literary genre, and how the lasting legacy of Gothic can be found in art, films and subculture today.
From the fantastical to the macabre, this intriguing exhibition unearths Gothic treasures from the Library's Special Collections to investigate subjects as varied as the role of women in the Gothic movement, advances in medical science and classic literature.
Amongst the fascinating items on display is Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto (1764), the first Gothic novel. With a Gothic medieval castle, doomed love and restless spectres of the past, it sets the scene for the genre and sits alongside a whole host of Gothic bestsellers including The Monk, Udolpho and Jekyll and Hyde.'
Click to go to the John Rylands Library page
16.2.2015 - UoM LGBT History Month, Manchester
"History is a Work in Progress"
LGBT History Month in association with The University of Manchester
Date: Monday 16th Feb
Venue: Trof (a dandyish den) at The Deaf Institute
135 Grosvenor Street,
Manchester M1 7HE
Free event – turn up on the night.
Join Rosie Garland, Rod Tame, Steph Pike and Gerry Potter
As they take you on a historic LGBT journey through poetry!
Click to go to Deaf Institute website
16.10.2013 - Manchester Literature Festival: The Palace of Curiosities SOLD OUT
The Palace of Curiosities
Wednesday 16th October
The Manchester Museum
Tickets £6/£4 concessions
Book on: 0843 208 0500
Join author Rosie Garland and Victorian sideshow performers for an evening of mystery and excitement in the atmospheric Living World gallery at Manchester Museum. Rosie will read from her startling debut novel which follows the fortunes of Eve and Abel – cast out by Victorian society, they become The Lion-Faced Girl and The Flayed Man, star performers in The Palace of Curiosities. Rosie has performed in previous incarnations as the singer in cult goth band The March Violets and as twisted alter-ego Rosie Lugosi the Vampire Queen. She has published five collections of poetry and last year won the Mslexia Novel Competition which landed her a publishing deal with HarperCollins. A circus troupe, also called The Palace of Curiosities, will provide further entertainment with the aid of fabulously inventive props and razor sharp wit. Prepare to be amazed!
http://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/the-palace-of-curiosities-306
'How to ask for a residency' - The John Rylands blog
How to ask for a residency
Since I wrote about the Power of Asking, I've been heartened by how many writers have told me they're going to ask for Writers' Residencies too. There are plenty of questions: What do you say? What do you ask for? This blog offers a few suggestions.
Where do you want your residency to be?
Chip shop, bus stop, lighthouse, theatre, cemetery. The choice is yours. Think of where you'd love to write. It may be a place you pass every day on the way to work, or somewhere you've stumbled on by chance. Perhaps you have a connection already. For example, when I was invited to read at The John Rylands Library, I fell in love with this Mancunian gem. It sparked a train of thought…
I've a pretty simple plan: my next novel is set in The John Rylands and I'm exploring what it's like to write 'on site', drawing inspiration from the spirit of the place. You'll have your own ideas. It's a wonderful opportunity to try something new, with time to focus on your writing in an inspiring workspace. The clearer you are about what you'd like to create and how it's connected to the venue you've chosen, the better. Do your research, and put together a proposal. I've broken this down below.
How long is a residency?
Weeks, months, or a year – it's largely up to you and the organisation. My residency is running for a calendar year; time to produce a first draft of the novel. I've committed to being on site for one day a week, but can't keep away from the place…
What can you offer?
As well as being clear about what you want to achieve, think about what you can offer your host organisation. Ideas can include giving talks, workshops, writing tutorials or readings, and writing blogs on the progress of the residency. You might produce a poem etched in the window, or devise a grand finale performance. There's no limit.
If you're unsure, ask for advice from writer friends (or friends of friends) who've done residencies in the past. If you don't know any – ask the internet. Social media can be a lot more supportive than you might imagine.
How do you get an introduction?
You'll need to approach your chosen organisation to find out of they're interested in your idea. I asked writer friends for signposting, and got an introduction. People were only too pleased to help, a warm reminder that we're in this together. There's a community of writers out there, and we are pretty groovy people.
What about money?
This blog is about building your own residency from scratch, not applying for a funded opportunity. So, when the question of money and payment arose (pretty much the first question), I said no. Nowhere has money for residencies, unless it's a regular gig like The Forestry Commission
And, unsurprisingly, these residencies are massively oversubscribed.
A personal tip is to source funding elsewhere. I applied to The Arts Council - Successfully.
Then again – aim for the stars! One writer told me she's asking for a residency at a private members' club with buckets of money. Needless to say, she IS asking them to fund it.
What's the worst that can happen?
Fear of the word no can stop us asking in the first place. Your chosen venue may say no. But they're not going to poke you with forks. Trust me on this one. And in the words of Steve Jobs: "Most people don't get experiences because they never ask. I've never found anybody who didn't want to help me when I've asked them for help."
Keep going. Keep asking.
https://rylandscollections.wordpress.com/2019/02/26/how-to-ask-for-a-residency/
Written on Sunday, 24 March 2019 10:08
Tags: the john rylands library blog how to ask for a residency rosie garland writer in residence writer interview writing community writers community
'The Power of Asking' blog - The John Rylands Library
As part of my Writer's Residency at The John Rylands Library, I'm writing a series of blogs… here's the first – The Power of Asking.
"I've just been appointed the first writer-in-residence at The John Rylands Library. How did I manage this wonderful achievement? I asked.
Sounds easy.
It wasn't. If you're anything like me (and the longer I live, the more I realise I'm not alone), asking is far more difficult than it sounds.
Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. Unless you were born with a set of silver spoons in your mouth (which is everyone reading this, right?), then you've worked out that opportunities don't fall magically into your lap. You've had to work hard to get where you are.
I like what Julia Cameron (author of the inspirational 'The Artists Way') says: "Pray to catch the bus, then run as fast as you can." It's a reminder to put myself into the path of opportunities. The bus does not come to the front door. I have to leave the house, and darn well run for it.
I have to take a deep breath, and ask. So, why is it so difficult?
Here's my take. I grew up with a spectacularly unhelpful dictum: Ask, don't get. Don't ask, don't want. I shared this with friends recently, and was shocked to discover it's very common. I end up stuck in a bizarre Catch 22 situation, thinking that if I have to ask for something, then I don't deserve it. Or, that I must to wait for someone else to ask me. The most I'm allowed to do is stand around looking hopeful.
This lose-lose mentality is combined with a vicious internal critic. I call her Mavis (I've blogged about her here and run Anti-Mavis workshops). She never, ever says anything nice. If someone says they like my writing, Mavis jumps in and whispers 'they're only being nice.' In fact, she can be neatly summed up by this great Savage Chickens cartoon (Doug Savage):
Naturally, my internal critic undermined any notion that somewhere as amazing as The John Rylands Library would want the likes of me.
So – standing up and asking for what I want can be pretty damn hard. I'm swamped with fears of rejection, coming over as needy, an underachiever, someone who's failed because they need to ask.
Luckily, this isn't a poor-me blog.
Years ago I decided that I was not going to let fear of rejection stop me living a life that is too darn short as it is. I take inspiration from Jia Jiang, whose TED talk about dealing with rejection is well worth 15 minutes of anyone's time.
So, however hard it is to ask, to put myself forward, to send that manuscript to a competition or agent – I take several deep breaths and do it. In the words of Susan Jeffers: 'feel the fear and do it anyway'.
And here's the good news. The John Rylands Library is delighted to have a writer-in-residence. Correction: The John Rylands Library is delighted to have me as a writer-in-residence.
I have told Mavis to put that in her pipe and smoke it.
Coming next – what I asked for, and how to ask for a residency."
https://rylandscollections.wordpress.com/2018/12/10/the-power-of-asking/
Written on Saturday, 02 March 2019 15:36
Tags: the john rylands library john rylands writer in residence rosie garland manchester library doug savage savage chickens feel the fear and do it anyway julia cameron the artist's way mavis internal critic the power of asking
January 2019 - short fiction highlights
Great to start the new year with a slew of short fiction highlights!
My story 'Burning Girl' is in the 'Disturbing the Beast' anthology from Boudicca Press, out February 2019.
My flash fic, 'Your sons & your daughters are beyond' is being published in Longleaf Review on Feb 10th 2019 http://longleafreview.com/
… flash fic 'What goes on in the bushes' is featured in issue 16 of The Cabinet of Heed, mid-January 2019
https://cabinetofheed.com/
I've been
Longlisted in TSS flash fiction competition, winter 2018
https://www.theshortstory.co.uk/flash-fiction-400/flash-fiction-results/
Longlisted in Reflex flash fiction competition, winter 2018
https://www.reflexfiction.com/flash-fiction-contest-schedule/
Written on Wednesday, 16 January 2019 14:20
Tags: boudicca press disturbing the beast longleaf review cabinet of heed tss the short story competition flash fiction reflex flash fiction rosie garland
1.12.2018 - Man City match - singing The Pankhurst Anthem
What an adventure!
On Saturday December 1st, I sang the Pankhurst Anthem – specially written by Helen Pankhurst & Lucy Pankhurst - in Etihad Stadium in front of the Manchester City crowd at half time!
I can honestly say I've never sung in front of a crown of 50,000 people. What an experience.
All part of the run-up to the unveiling of Hazel Reeves wonderful statue of Emmeline Pankhurst in St Peter's Square, Manchester on December 14th 2018.
Written on Friday, 07 December 2018 11:01
Tags: man city manchester city man city football club mcfc man city bournemouth suffragette emmeline pankhurst emmeline pankhurst statue #ouremmeline hazel reeves helen pankhurst lucy pankhurst pankhurst anthem eithad rosie garland
Written on Monday, 12 November 2018 10:43
Tags: john rylands john rylands events john rylands library the john rylands library enriqueta rylands university of manchester uom writer in residence writer residency manchester library manchester events manchester writers novel writing life rosie garland rosie garland interview university of manchester magazine jill jennings