On 14th December 2021 Mainspring Arts will hold an informal introductory evening for all participants and tutors. Tutors, and some previous Mainspring participants, will introduce themselves and share some of their work with you, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions. The courses will then begin in the new year with your individual tutors.

Classes will be held via Zoom on Tuesdays at 7-8pm (Oral Storytelling is 7:30-8:30pm) on the following dates: 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th January 2022

A ballot system is used to assign places. There are TWO spaces per course reserved for BAME applicants. If this applies to you, and you are not selected in this specific ballot, then you will also be entered into the main ballot.

FREE

These courses are run by neurodivergent professionals, and tailored specifically for neurodivergent participants who want to develop their creative skills in a warm and inclusive environment. You can apply for one course only and you must be 18 years or older. As they are a UK-based charity, they can only accept applications from within the UK. Please note that if you have previously benefited from one of our courses, you won’t be eligible to apply for these.

Poetry with Kate Fox

Kate says

‘We’ll be looking at developing a poetry voice (both on the page and potentially when reading aloud or performing), thinking about “filtered” and “unfiltered” thought in poetry, asking how far poetry is in itself a neurodivergent form and doing lots of different poetry exercises, sharing our work and getting nurturing feedback from me and the other participants.’

Oral Storytelling with Justine de Mierre

Professional storyteller Justine de Mierre will lead you through a series of exercises to understand the nature of oral storytelling and how to release your inner storyteller.

‘We’ll look at how to find inspiration and create tales from objects and everyday experiences, we’ll learn storytelling techniques and work towards crafting an oral tale using a written text as source material. Participants who want to can leave with a tale that is performance ready – whether that’s to family and friends or you’d like something to try out at a spoken word night.’

Please note that for the oral storytelling course, you need to be comfortable speaking aloud in a group. This can include AAC communication devices and BSL with interpreter, but not typing in a chat (for example). There will also be break-out rooms in the sessions, where you work with one or two other people.

Submissions Masterclass with Emma Pass

Finding a literary agent can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! In these four sessions, award-winning YA and adult author Emma Pass will help demystify the process, helping you to research the right agent for you and your work, crafting a query letter and synopsis and much more. Expect some exciting guest contributors!

They will let people know whether they’ve been selected by 7th December. If you have indicated on your form that you are happy to be on the waiting list, they may get in contact with you again if a place comes up.

https://www.mainspringarts.org.uk/mainspring-virtual-studios