Kpf21 – Writing Workshop With Jen Hadfield – ‘manifesto!’

10am – 2pm | £45 | Max 10

In the past year, it’s really been brought home to us how notional our sense of our own control over our lives can feel. For many, it’s also been a hard time to imagine the future – this workshop is my prescription! In it, you’ll reconnect with your ideals and ideas and perhaps think of a few attainable steps that you can make to reset your compass and move in the right direction in the way that feels right to you. Your manifesto can be personal, ideological, ecological or creative – or all these at once. If you’ve been thinking about how you want to live, what change you’d like to see, what you want to make – this is the workshop for you. Could now be the most necessary time for us to consider the hopes, dreams and changes we want to see and to make in our lives?’

In it, you’ll reconnect with your ideals and ideas and perhaps think of a few attainable steps that you can make to reset your compass and move in the right direction in the way that feels right to you. Your manifesto can be personal, political, ecological or creative – or all of these at once. If you’ve been thinking about how you want to live, what change you’d like to see, what you want to make – this is the workshop for you.

In the morning we’ll look at some other people’s creative manifestos and share ideas, and after a wee lunch break, I’ll show you how to make a simple pamphlet/book to contain (or fail to contain!) your manifesto.

I keep workshops as informal as possible: if you’re juggling childcare and creativity on Sunday, please feel welcome to dip in and out as necessary, or let your kids join in – if your home environment is noisy, there’s always the option to mute in between contributions!

MATERIALS

You’ll need to gather a few very simple materials before the session:

NECESSARY

A needle with a big eye … a darning needle is ideal.

Strong thread (linen thread is great) or yarn

A bookmakers knife or good kitchen knife

Scissors

A range of papers – scrap, recycled, art, newspaper sheets – whatever floats your boat!

A choice of ways of writing/making marks including any of these: pens/pencils/letter stamps, letter transfers –

TREATS – tea/coffee/fancies!

OPTIONAL

Cutting mat and craft knife

Pritt stick

Welcome to Kendal Poetry Festival. This year, the 3-day festival in our beautiful South Lakes town has become a 9-day immersive online experience, bringing together poets, audiences and organisers from across the UK. Tickets range from £0 to £5 for readings and £16.50 to £45 for workshops. We also have a limited number of £60 festival passes, giving access to all events (excluding workshops). This is a huge saving of £40 if you bought each ticket individually.  All audience members will be issued with invitations to two free half-hour sessions: “Zoom for Beginners”: Thursday 4th February, 19.00; and “How to make the Most of Your Online Festival Experience”: Thursday 11th February, 19.00.

The first 200 people to buy a ticket will receive an exclusive Festival Survival Kit contains a limited edition Kendal Poetry Festival badge, surprise gifts from a couple of our local sponsors, and an exclusive pamphlet – featuring work from Dove Cottage Young Poets; visual art from our Young Artist in Residence; and work from local poet and artist Alan Forsyth.

With our trademark emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility, we continue to offer free tickets to young people and people with disabilities. We have extended our offer to include all local care home staff and residents.  These are difficult, distant times, but poetry brings us together. Whether it’s your first time at our festival or whether you’ve been before, whether you’re in Kendal or Canada, Windermere or Wisconsin, we’re happy to have you with us.