West Mids writing conference in Bham

^{New! 30.09.08}  
  There’s to be a one-day conference on the writing industry, aimed at West Midlands writers, in Birmingham on Sat 18th Oct 08…

“The Writers’ Toolkit is a day for emerging and established writers and anyone working in the writing industry to learn about aspects of the business in greater detail, connect with other writers and those working in writer development. A mixture of presentations, seminars, question and answer sessions and discussions, it will bring together people and organisations concerned with writing in the West Midlands. Sessions will include – pitching ideas for stage and screen, teaching creative writing, becoming a business, publishing and using an agent, working with BBC radio, careers in literature development, producing live literature and many more”

Villa want videos

^{New! 30.09.08}  
  Aston Villa F.C.’s new community online-video service, V Cube, is seeking original ideas for documentaries featuring local people in the West Midlands. They are concentrating on programmes… “designed to raise educational attainment, community regeneration, voice health issues, promoting development of the arts, and lifelong-learning projects”. More information from: iris_production _at_ yahoo.co.uk

Frontline Dance seeks board members

^{New! 29.09.08}     The management of Frontline Dance, one of Creative Stoke’s past interviewees, requires new board members. Ideally you’ll be able to bring skills in funding, marketing, and/or business finance to the organisation. Frontline has its annual AGM on 13th October 08. More information from Rachel Lines at: rachael _at_ frontlinedance.org.uk

Pilot theatre event – call for participants

^{New! 26.09.08}  
  Coventry’s Talking Birds, a newly-funded Arts Council organisation, are putting on a one-day theatre event at Birmingham’s Custard Factory. Pilot will be on 18th December 08, and for it they’re looking… “for theatre companies of nerve, wit, ambition [ and ] a 10 to 20 minute
fragment of a show which you’d like to test out in front of a smart and supportive audience”.

Five theatre companies will be chosen, and… “there’s an actual fee too, as if further incentives were even necessary”. Deadline: 9am on 30th October 08. Submission details are online here.

Black Cat Theatre

^{New! 26.09.08}  
  Added to the Directory: Black Cat Theatre is a ‘Theatre in Education’ theatre company based in Stoke-on-Trent. Black Cat Theatre have toured both nationally and internationally, and have a professional script writer on the team. Black Cat is currently seeking local schools who want to use an experienced ‘Theatre in Education’ troupe. They also run workshops for children during the half-term holidays.

Plus+ bursaries

^{New! 26.09.08}  
  Birmingham’s Plus+ Festival features the best in national and international graphic and typographic design. Plus+ is currently offering five bursaries to those working in… “paper-based work, 2D or 3D work, installation, or screen media.” If you win one of the bursaries you’ll get £200 to help you show your work at the Plus+ Festival. The submission process is:

* outline proposal of no more than 500-words
* an abbreviated C.V. as an MS Word .doc
* up to five low-res JPG images

Email to: info _at_ youplusus.net by noon on 3rd October 08.

Full-length details are available here.

Big Draw in Stoke

^{New! 25.09.08}    The Big Draw 2008 will be holding a free workshop at the Burslem School of Art in Stoke-on-Trent. The date will be Saturday 25th October 08, from 2pm to 5pm, and the workshop will be led by textile artist Rachel Grant… “to create a huge alternative map of North Staffordshire”. More details from:  info@uvns.org

Creative Stoke – the Facebook group

^{New! 24.09.08}    Creative Stoke readers now have an official Facebook group. Everyone welcome!

Keele hauled

^{New! 24.09.08}  
  Keele University Art Gallery has just published the Autumn/Winter 2008/09 programme of practical arts workshops at the gallery. These include painting with masters such as David Gleeson, and also Chinese brush painting, calligraphy, and embroidery. The first workshop is on 1st November 08. Sign up early, as tickets are sure to sell out quickly.

^{New! 24.09.08}  
  Keele University has a new M.A. degree in Creative Writing, with start-dates in September and January.

^{New! 24.09.08}  
  Keele University will be running a Keele Short Story Prize competition this coming autumn/winter. It’s open to all those who live in Staffordshire. The deadline is Valentine’s Day 2009, and there’s a top prize of £300. There’s also an accompanying programme of poetry readings at Keele.

Free public lecture at Keele

^{New! 24.09.08}  
  Keele University is hosting a free public lecture by antiques expert Paul Atterbury (BBC Antiques Roadshow). The lecture will be about the emergence of the ceramics industry in Stoke-on-Trent. The Keele Honorary Graduate Lecture will be on Tuesday 21st October 08, at 6.30pm in the University’s Westminster Theatre. The lecture is free of charge, but it is necessary to reserve a seat — email: whatson@kfm.keele.ac.uk