“Your events are always inspiring, welcoming and thoughtfully put together.” ~ Helen Mort
Welcome to the page where I am trying to bring together some of the more recent events and workshops that Fair Acre Press has had the pleasure to bring to audiences!
I have only just had the idea for this page in May 2021 – so I am afraid only the most recent events and workshops include comments from audiences and special guests! Also I am only really including events and workshops from the past year. You can see more non-publishing “stuff” under Projects – I have project managed, and taken part, in five Arts Council England-funded projects to date.
Thank you to everyone who has given me unsolicited feedback over the years – it is wonderful to know that you have enjoyed an event, workshop, festival or book!
And thank you to the people I have asked, and they have given permission to include their words here. Nadia x
May 2021 – Carl Tomlinson’s poetry pamphlet zoom launch with 3 special guests
Helen Mort, Alan Buckley and Charles Foster very kindly joined us in celebrating the launch of CHANGING PLACES! Along with 75 in the audience! You can watch it on youtube here
“I loved yesterday! It was a pleasure. So glad Charles decided to do his analysis of Carl’s poems too, it felt so genuine and honest.” ~ Helen Mort
“A very great pleasure and privilege.” ~ Charles Foster
“What a stunning event on Sunday. It was so moving and rich. You do make magic happen!” ~ Khadija Rouf
May 2021 – Vegetation Verse workshop by Steph Morris
Taking inspiration from Steph Morris’ poetry pamphlet PLEASE DON’T TRAMPLE US; WE ARE TRYING TO GROW! Steph kindly hosted a two-parter zoom workshop – with 1o participants – for Fair Acre Press.
“I have to say this was one of the most enjoyable workshops I have participated in, either online or in ‘real life.’
The selection of poems chosen for discussion was inspiring; the range, with a particular focus on contemporary writers, enabled enthusiastic and insightful contributions from the very start. There were a good number of participants – enough for a range of opinions, with adequate time to express them. Steph’s quiet encouragement allowed discussion to flow freely –no mean feat in an online context. Time management was good – in the first workshop there was time enough to write initial notes, and the prompts were very useful. Two weeks in which to develop a first draft was fine. Feedback on participants’ work was sensitive, informed and constructive, from Steph and from other writers. For me, discussion on line endings, structure and punctuation was very helpful. Even in this short space of time I felt a warmth and sense of community was established – I am looking forward to seeing final drafts, and perhaps to future workshops. ~ Sue Mackrell
“Interesting and varied selection of poems for close reading. Right number of participants consistent with everyone being able to engage on Zoom. Excellent prompt sheet from Steph, many of the favourable comments about my piece were about elements that came from my thinking about those prompts. Steph is a friendly and thoughtful facilitator, he’s got plenty to offer but doesn’t dominate proceedings. Good value.” ~ Carl Tomlinson
“Nadia, this was extremely good. Steph did a great job, and the participants were all fabulous and created some lovely feedback and positive suggestions for improvements. I really enjoyed both sessions.” ~Tonnie Richmond
“I just want to let you know how much I enjoyed Steph’s Vegetation Verse workshop. It was very well conducted, the atmosphere was pleasant and relaxed and I got so much out of it. I hadn’t attended a workshop for some time and was a little nervous particularly as I was mixing with poets of such high calibre. However, they were a lovely bunch and combined with Steph’s gentle but firm leadership, I settled right in. And I am delighted with the poem inspired by those two wondrous Saturday mornings!” ~ Frances Browne
April 2021 – Paul Francis’ poetry collection zoom launch with 3 Fair Acre Press-published guests
Stella Wulf, John Mills and Emma Purshouse very kindly joined us in celebrating the launch of RESCUE FROM THE DARK! Along with an audience of 50! You can watch it on youtube here
“A great gathering of poets to help launch Paul Francis’s new poetry collection: Rescue from the Dark. So much good work in one place.” ~ Jeff Phelps
March 2021 – Fan-peckled launch with Jean Atkin and Katy Alston with 3 Fair Acre Press-published guests
John Sewell, Steve Griffiths and Carl Tomlinson very kindly joined us in celebrating the launch of FAN-PECKLED! Along with an audience of 70! You can watch it on youtube here
“What a lovely event! Please thank Jean and Katy of course, but the other contributors were also fascinating (and new names to me).” ~ Pam Parish
“Thank you for a really lovely event. So much shared in only one hour – amazing.” ~ Patricia White
November 2020 – Steph Morris’ launch of his poetry pamphlet with fellow poets from the first Poetry School M.A cohort
Steph Morris reads from PLEASE DON’T TRAMPLE US; WE ARE TRING TO GROW! and is joined by fellow poets who also graduated from the Poetry School’s M.A. in poetry, along with an audience of 60!
September 2020 – John Mills’ launch of his poetry pamphlet with 3 special guests
Helen Mort, James Sheard and Clare Shaw very kindly joined us in celebrating the launch of John Mill’s poetry pamphlet NO GUIDING STAR, along with an audience of 70! You can watch it on youtube here
“Thanks for that, Nadia. Very moving event.” ~ Geoff Sutton
2020 The Word Bin podcast
I ran a podcast during lockdown called The Word Bin and am very proud to have released over 100 episodes!I hope to revive it soon – and its sister podcast that hasn’t yet been born!
‘Dope idea.’ ~ Akau Jambo Puondak, South Sudan
‘I love the gentle humour and also the intelligence of it. Also the guitar work is fantastic! It’s just a real salve for the soul.’ ~ Jonathan Edwards, award winning poet, Wales
‘I have wired into ‘The Word Bin’ & I think it’s fab! Great format.’ ~ Susan Evans, England
‘It’s straight from the heart and is a feeling I’ve been looking to articulate for a while but could never find the right words. I’m so pleased that The Word Bin has given me the motivation and opportunity to say it like this.’ R.M. on taking part, Scotland
‘It’s a super interesting idea with creative results that not only tell us about people, but leave us thinking.’ A. Rafael de Silva, Portugal
‘It’s clever, thought provoking and fun.’ Michael Corrigan, Greece
You can read more about it here
September 2019 – Chris Kinsey and Kaite O’Reilly launch at Mid Wales Arts Centre
Chris Kinsey’s poetry collection From Rowan Ridge, and Kaite O’Reilly’s Ted Hughes Award for New Poetry award-winning book Aeschylus’ Persians launching into the world seemed a good excuse to celebrate with a Poetry Party! We were joined on stage by Deb Alma, Jean Atkin, Graham Attenborough, Carol Caffrey, Thirza Clout, Tina Cole, Cherry Doyle, Ted Eames, Pat Edwards, Paul Francis, Steve Harrison, Liz Lefroy, Ian Parr, John Sewell and James Sheard and a fantastic audience!
April 2018 – Inspired in Caersws poetry and music and art festival
Based at Mid Wales Arts Centre, and supported by Arts Council Wales I curated and hosted a 2 day festival that was full of poetry, music and art.
You can read a little more about it here
