A Mythical Half-Term at The Writer’s Block
Over the February half-term five young people from Carefree Cornwall have taken part in a 2-day writing workshop with The Writer’s Block which has just relocated to the incredible Old Passmore Library building in Redruth.
The brief, which the young people came up with themselves, was to create poetry or short stories based on traditional fairy-tales and myths. Led by writer, Olivia Lowry, the first day was spent engaged in creating pieces of writing expressing ideas around the stories we think we know so well, but twisting them and looking deeper into their meanings. Using the beautiful imaginarium space, the young people were free to explore new ways of telling stories and developing their own tales to share with each other.
Day two took the writing into a literal third dimension and supported by artist Tony Crosby, the young people created incredible boxes which told their stories with pictures and simple words and phrases. The sessions were filmed by film-maker Neal Megaw, with the young people verbally sharing their poems and stories as part of the video which will be created as a further element of their creativity. Everyone finished the day by reading their story and explaining how it fitted with their fabulous boxes, taking them home with pride and a continuing thirst for creativity.
So many transferable skills were learned throughout the sessions and as one young person said, ‘I’ve had the best day ever!’ We very much look forward to another visit to The Writer’s Block in May.
