Glasgow: Books, Talks and Poetry Events
Writers' Groups in and around Glasgow
Aye Write Festival 2012
Aye Write's seventh festival will this year explore a range of themes including sectarianism, the economy, phone-hacking, global revolution, middle age and the 100th anniversary of The Titanic. The festival will also see the launch of Scotland's Bookshelf, celebrating Scotland's Literary Heritage.
Aye Write! 2012 tickets will be available to purchase from tomorrow (Saturday 21 January). Saturday's Herald also contains the full free colour brochure so make sure you get a hold of your copy.You can add comments or information about events in comments box at the bottom of this page or add to our What's On Calendar
Alex Harvey - A Tribute
4th - 5th February 2012
People's Palace
Free - Drop-in - no ticket required
February 4 is the 30th anniversary of singer Alex Harvey’s death – and 5 February would have been his 77th birthday.
Join us on a very special weekend celebrating the life of a Glasgow legend, and his Sensational Alex Harvey Band.
On Saturday, we'll be welcoming surviving members of the band, and Alex Harvey Junior, as guest speakers. Between 1pm and 3pm, each speaker will give a 15 minute talk, then at 3pm all four will answer questions together. Tear-off slips will be made available beforehand so that fans can submit questions.
Also on Saturday, at 11am, a rowan tree will be planted in Glasgow Green in memory of Alex Harvey.
On both Saturday (from 10am-12.30pm) and Sunday (11am to 3.30pm) fans are invited to bring along and show off their own memorabilia, and we'll also be screening a selection of Alex Harvey performances.
This special weekend marks the opening of a People's Palace display of costume, memorabilia and photographs which have been loaned to us by Harvey's family, friends and fans. The display will remain open to the public for several weeks.
People's Palace, Glasgow Green, Glasgow G40 1AT
The Glasgow Lectures on Culture 2011-2012
Michael Boyd, Artistic Director, Royal Shakespeare Company
Thursday 9th February 2012
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
6:00pm - 7:30pm
£8
Michael Boyd is known to Glasgow audiences for his eleven-year tenure at the Tron Theatre. Michael was born in Belfast, went to University in Edinburgh and trained as a theatre director in Coventry and Moscow before becoming director of the Sheffield Crucible Theatre. Now Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he gives us his take on producing theatre on both sides of the Atlantic.
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street. G2 3NY
Scottish Writers' Centre presents The Writer's Life with Jacqueline Smith
Thursday 16 February 2012
7:00pm : FREE
Call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900
The next big debate of the year, The Writer's Life. How can we transform the ups and downs of acceptance and rejection into creativity and craft? Talk and tools for the literary life.
Jacqueline Smith has published a Collection of Poetry, Muted Hellion available in selected Glasgow Libraries and online and has had various poems published over the years, the most recent, Dumbie & The Devil a Scottish ballad, in the Long Poem Magazine Issue 7, due out January 2012.
She attended the Creative Writing Project at GCNS in 2008 where she completed her first novel, and will complete the MLitt. in Creative Writing in August 2012 at Glasgow University whilst also finishing her second novel.
She was until recently MC and organiser at Poetry@The Ivory, and is now Chairwoman of the Scottish Writers' Centre based at CCA.
Further information
350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD
23rd - 26th February 2012
Festival pass: £55/£45
Margins comes to The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow.
To book your festival pass please call the Arches Box Office on 0141 565 1000 or visit us at 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow. Individual events can be booked separately. Some highlights.
Mammograms Save Lives
By Avril Dalziel Saunders
A stirring true story of triumph and recovery from breast cancer
Author Avril Dalziel Saunders says ‘…I want to inspire and encourage these women as well as women all over the world to have regular checks. …my profit from the book sales will go to Breast Cancer Care and Macmillan Nurses. I am shouting this out loud…‘MAMMOGRAMS SAVE LIVES!’…
ALHAMBRA Glasgow
Graeme Smith's book about the famous and iconic Alhambra Theatre, is now available in bookstores including Waterstones, Hyndland Bookshop and Milngavie Bookshop and directly, post free, from www.glasgowalhambra.co.uk. There is also a special offer on the website.
As with its companion volume The Theatre Royal:Entertaining a Nation this is a not for profit book, a contribution to our social and architectural history !
Graeme will be at the Aye Write Festival in 2012
Glasgow Botanics Book Fair
Opening hours 10am until 5pm.
Admission is free. We hope to see there.
The Glasgow Lectures on Culture
Leading cultural figures will examine the future of arts and creativity in brand new Glasgow lecture series
November 2011 - March 2012
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Featuring Sir Clive Gillinson, Michael Boyd and Dr Aleks Krotoski
Some of the world's leading cultural figures will visit Glasgow between November and March to reflect on future directions in the arts and creativity in a brand new series of lectures at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Created by Glasgow Life and the University of Glasgow, The Glasgow Lectures on Culture will mark twenty-one years since Glasgow's reign as European City of Culture with talks by Sir Clive Gillinson, Michael Boyd and Dr Aleks Krotoski.
The series launches on 21st November, 2011 - Full details
Book Launch - Bring Me the Head of Ryan Giggs (Tindal Street Press)
April 4th
Rodge Glasss new novel
"Rodge Glass skillfully warps sincerety with an ironist's ear"
This novel is a satire on football culture in England, and an analysis of the effects on society of 24 hours sports news culture in communities which have rejected religion, class, national identity.
6.30pm.
Mono
12 Kings Court Glasgow G1 5RB
Scottish Writers' Centre Events:
CCA, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow
The programme reflects our desire to be international in outlook. All events are FREE - and will be held at the CCA in Glasgow.
The Scottish Writers' Centre is grateful to the CCA and to Culture & Sport Glasgow for their generous support of its work.
David Hempleman-Adams: Heart of the Great Alone
22 February 2012, 7:30pm
University of Glasgow, Boyd Orr Building, Glasgow
Ticket Prices: £8, Under 18s, students, RSGS members 0
Discount for students
One of the world's foremost polar explorers discusses The Heart of the Great Alone, a book and exhibition of photographs taken by members of Captain Scott's disastrous Antarctic venture
"The Edinburgh Companions to Scottish Literature"
The Centre for Scottish and Celtic Studies have launched this new series.
The volumes are:
- The Edinburgh Companion to Robert Burns ed. Gerry Carruthers
- The Edinburgh Companion to Twentieth-Century Scottish Literature, ed. Ian Brown and Alan Riach
- The Edinburgh Companion to Contemporary Scottish Poetry, ed. Matt McGuire and Colin Nicholson series
The Mitchell Library, North Street, Glasgow location
Launch of Os Cionn Gleadhraich nan Sraidean and Mo La Gu Seo
20th January, 2012
Celtic & Gaelic Department, University of Glasgow, 3 University Gardens, Glasgow
4pm
The Scottish Gaelic Texts Society and Celtic & Gaelic at the University of Glasgow are celebrating the launch of two new collections of writing by the Rev. Dr Thomas M. Murchison. The two collections, Os Cionn Gleadhraich nan Sraidean and Mo La Gu Seo, are edited by Professor Donald E. Meek.
For further information about the launch event email
360 Narratives Residency
19th - 25th March, 2012
Playwrights' Studio Scotland
360 Narratives Residency offers writers and narrative creators the opportunity to work together over a week's residency, followed by support to approach industry. The programme aims to broaden networks and find common ground to create characters and worlds.
Share practice and experiences, access skills and build new ideas and projects together across your chosen media. Ideas and projects must be reproducible in two or more forms e.g. a book and a film, a game and a graphic novel, a children's picture book and a play, etc.
For more information contact Projects Manager on 0141 3324403 or email
The Leningrad Albums
Wilma Stark
Less than two and a half months after June 22, 1941, when the Soviet Union was attacked by Nazi Germany, German troops were already approaching Leningrad. The Red Army was outflanked and on September 8, 1941 the Germans had fully encircled Leningrad and the siege began. It lasted for about 900 days, from September 8, 1941 till January 27, 1944. 2,887,000 civilians (including about 400,000 children), plus troops didn't even consider any calls for surrender. Food and fuel stocks were very limited (1-2 months only). All the public transport stopped. By the winter of 1941-42 there was no heating, no water supply, almost no electricity and very little food. In January 1942, in the depths of an unusually cold winter, the lowest food rations in the city were only 125 grams (about 1/4 of a pound) of bread per day. In just two months, January and February 1942, 200,000 people (!!!) died in Leningrad of cold and starvation. But some of the war industry still worked and the city did not surrender. In January 1943 the Siege was broken.
Review of Bob Dylan's autobiography, Chronicles Volume One
Bob Dylan Chronicles Volume OneIf you worship at the altar of Dylan this book will definitely have you on your knees, hands crossed, eyes closed and bathed in the celestial Bobness light. For Bob Dylan fans it will be like an intravenous drip of ... the drug of your choice. But is it a good book?
Yes, Bob Dylan can write prose as well as songs - which isn't enough of course - but thankfully he can also tell a story.
Speakers' Corner, Kelvingrove
Speakers' Corner Comes to Glasgow; Glasgow's first ever 'Speakers' Corner' will be launched on the Sunday 10th of July, and every Sunday thereafter, located in Kelvingrove Park in the West End of Glasgow. The Glasgow speakers' corner will use a very similar template to the speaker’s corner in Hyde Park, London: Providing a non-profit, freewheeling forum of verbal discussion on an array of different issues between locals and visitors alike.
For more information contact Jack Littlejohn
Writers' Groups - in and around Glasgow
Artists in Exile (Glasgow)
8-10 Osbourne Street, Glasgow G21 5QD
0141 552 7668
email
All Writers Easterhouse Group
Pauline Hope,
c/o Easterhouse Library
5 Shandwick Street, Glasgow G34 9DP
Barmulloch Writers' Group
Flat 0/1, 2 Oatfield Street, Balornock, Glasgow
0141 558 2672
email
Barrhead Writers' Groups
Walter Wilson
18 Craighead Way, Barrhead, Glasgow
0141 881 1315/ 0141 881 9065
Barrhead Writers' Groups meet every Wednesday from 7pm - 9pm.
Craigdhu Writers
Morag Thomson
36 Roselea Drive, Milngavie, G61
0141 942 6431
Eastwood Writers
Pamela Duncan
Woodfarm High School,
Rasbee Road,
Thornliebank,
East Renfrewshire
0141 639 6438
email
Eastwood Writers meet at Woodfarm School, every Monday at 1.30pm.
Erskine Writers' Group
Mandy Sinclair,Bargarran Centre, North Barr, Erskine, Renfrewshire
0147 554 0655
Gatehouse Writers Workshop
Gavin Nicol, Gatehouse, Spenser Street, Glasgow G13 1EA
0141 950 1771
Glasgow Writing Group
Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow
0141 332 1658
Landsdowne Parish Church SF Writers
Mr Stuart, 416 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 8HA 0141 339 2678
Landsdowne Parish Church SF Writers meet on Mondays from 7pm - 9pm.
Larkfield Writers' Group
Larkfield Centre, 39 Inglefield Street, Govanhill, Glasgow G42 7AY
Sean Clerkin 0141 424 1797
Maryhill Writers' Group
c/o Maryhill Library. 1508 Maryhill Road, Glasgow
0141 946 2348
Maryhill Writers' Group meets on Wednesdays at 10am.
Neighbourhood Writers
Ruth McGregor
Ibrox Library, 1 Midlock Street Glasgow G51 1SL
0141 632 5769
email
Neighbourhood Writers meet ever Friday from 10am - 12noon.
Strathkelvin Writers' Group
Irene Lebeter
5 Melrose Court, Rutherglen, Glasgow G73 3DB
0141 589 9136
Tollcross Park Writers Group
Derek Read
Courtyard Buildings, 274C Wellshot Road, Glasgow G32 7AX
0141 763 1863
Thursday 1 - 4 p.m.
Women Writing Southside
Valerie Clements
Pollockshields LIbrary,, 30 Leslie Street, Glasgow G41 2LF
0141 423 3231
Women Writing Southside meet on Tuesdays from 1.15pm - 3.15pm
Glasgow Women's Library
It's on the move. Find out all about the library and what it has to offer. Glasgow Women's Library
Group for aspiring local writers
All welcome
Maryhill Library
1508 Maryhill Road
Glasgow
G209AD
Bookings: 0141 946 2348
Book Groups
Love reading and discussing books. Why not join one of the Book Groups in Glasgow Libraries. Hillhead Library has a range of groups, who meet to discuss all types of litrature. Something for everyone.
Mitchell Library, North Street
Brand new Mitchell brand new Cafe...check it out!
The Mitchell has a lending service with fiction and non fiction titles available
called Mitchell Express
it is located near the main Kent Road entrance
also Scottish fiction can be borrowed from the Literature Centre on level 5
The Mitchell is a Wi-Fi 'hotspot' see Hillhead Library below
Hillhead Library
Welcome to Wi-FiFREE wireless access
Glasgow library members can use their laptop to connect to the internet using Wi-Fi 'hotspots'
Hillhead is a 'hotspot' (we knew that anyway!)
for technical support 020 8423 2244
more info: 0141 287 2999 or lil@cls.glasgow.gov.uk
Full list of Glasgow West End Wifi hotspots here
Volunteers!
Home Library Service-Can you spare just 3 hours a week?
-Would you like to meet new people?
-Can you help deliver books to people?<
Make a real difference in the community!
Find out more, have a chat with Lynne Healy
at the Mitchell Library, North Street
Phone 0141 287 2869 or email lil@cls.glasgow.gov.uk
Full training will be given
Lapidus
Literary Arts in Personal Development
Writing Well Seminars
more info from Larry Butler, 14 Garrioch Drive, G20 8RS
Tel 0141 946 8096 or butlerlarry@hotmail.com
or visit http://www.lapidus.org.uk
Book Discussion Groups
Hillhead Library 1st Thurs of the month 2.30pm
contact: Jean Kavanagh 0141 287 2923
or Catherine McInerney 0141 287 2838
1st Thurs 7.30 contact: Brenda Rankine 0141 287 2923
or Kay Scruton 0141 353 3943
Partick Library (Poetry Group) 2nd Thurs 6.30
contact:Catherine McInerney 0141 287 2838
or Ronnie Campbell 0141 287 2863
Whiteinch Library last Thurs 7pm
contact: Wilma Moore 0141 353 3943 or Carmela Vezza 0141 550 4849
Storytelling in Glasgow
at the Better Crack Club
Glasgow's only storytelling club for adults meets
3rd Fri of each month at 7.30pm in the
Tchai Ovna Teahouse
42 Otago Lane (off Gibson Street)
Hillhead Library
Go and hear some Monstrously Good Stories
every Fri at 3.30pm
Poetry in the Palace
from Survivors Poetry Scotland
1 -2pm last Fri in every month in the Kibble Palace at the Botanic Gardens
more info on 334 2422/3354
Did You Know?
Residents living in residential or nursing homes or sheltered housing can get large print books, tapes and videos delivered to their door from the Council!
telephone 0141 287 2869 for this service
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