Dayschools and courses

Dayschools and courses

Please click on the links to see details of previous dayschools. Available here are links including:

publicity for dayschools and courses
programmes of past dayschools and courses
reports on past dayschools and courses

List of courses and dayschools, past, present and future, run by Crystal Clear Creators:

In July 2004, Crystal Clear Creators hosted a two-day workshop for school-age children in Leicester, in conjunction with Leicester City Learning Centres. Tutors included Maria Orthodoxou and Robin Webber-Jones.
On the 30^th October 2004, Crystal Clear Creators hosted a creative-writing dayschool for the public at Loughborough University. Writers and tutors included Mitzi Szereto on ‘Erotic Writing,’ Deborah Tyler-Bennett on ‘Performing Poetry,’ Peter Lewis on ‘The Spoken Word,’ Robin Webber-Jones on ‘The Media.’
In 2004-5, Crystal Clear Creators obtained funding from Awards for All to host a series of dayschools for the public, and subsequently to produce a published anthology of work called Speaking Words: Writing for Reading Aloud. The dayschools took place on 5^th March 2005 (at Loughborough University), 30^th April 2005 (Loughborough), 17^th June 2005 (Louth, Lincolnshire), and the 25^th June 2005 (Learning Centre, BBC Leicester). Tutors involved included Tony Coult, Julie Boden, Maria Orthodoxou, Mystie Hood, Peter Lewis, Mitzi Szereto, Robin Webber-Jones, Deborah Tyler-Bennett, Gareth Watts and others.
In 2005, Crystal Clear Creators received funding from Riverside Housing to run a series of three dayschools in BBC Leicester’s Open Centre for creative writers of 14+ in the area. These dayschools took place on 1 October 2005, 21 January 2006 and the 29 April 2006. Tutors included Kate Delamere, Mystie Hood, Maria Orthodoxou, Tony Coult, Mellissa Flowerdew-Clarke, Gareth Watts and others.
In November 2005, Crystal Clear Creators ran a course of six evening classes for adults on ‘Fiction Writing.’ These took place in Loughborough, and were funded by Charnwood Arts / Astra Zeneca as part of their ‘Arts in the Community’ scheme. Tutors included Gareth Watts and Mystie Hood.
In September 2005, Crystal Clear Creators received funding from Ernest Cook Trust to run three creative writing dayschools under the heading ‘Creative Writing and the Curriculum,’ two for school-age pupils, one for teachers. The first of these dayschools took place at Beauchamp College, Oadby, on the 8 April 2006. Tutors included Jonathan Taylor, Kate Delamere and Tony Coult. The other two dayschools took place in BBC Leicester’s Open Centre (17 June 2006) and Loughborough College / Loughborough University (8 July 2006). The second of these dayschools was for teachers, and explored the place of creative writing in the Key Stage 4 curriculum. Speakers included Julie Boden and Geni Lovegrove. The third dayschool was again for school-age pupils, and included workshops led by Mellissa Flowerdew-Clarke, Mystie Hood and Vicky Smith. The project was completed with a report on ‘Creative Writing and the Curriculum’ written by project organiser, Maria Taylor. A copy is available on the website.
In December 2005, Crystal Clear Creators received a grant from Loughborough University Development Trust to host two creative writing dayschools at Loughborough University, and subsequently publish a short anthology of work. The first of these took place on 20 May 2006, and was taught by writers Mystie Hood, Kate Delamere and Carolyn Scott-Jeffs; the second took place on 28 October 2006, and included workshops led by Tony Coult, Simon King and Louise Pymer.
From 2006-8, we were funded by L.C.V.Y.S. (Leicestershire Council for Voluntary Youth Services) to run a series of dayschools for school-age writers, and subsequently publish an anthology of work. Dayschools took place in Beauchamp College, Oadby (Saturday 26 2007), where workshop leaders included Amanda Whittington, Mystie Hood and Jonathan Taylor; and at the YMCA in Hinckley for young excluded people, led by Deborah Tyler-Bennett and Robin Webber-Jones, in May and June 2007.
In 2006-7, we were funded by the Arts Council to run a series of dayschools on ‘Introducing Media.’ The first of these took place on 9 December 2006, at the Learning Centre, BBC Radio Leicester, featuring a tour of the studios, and seminars led by members of the Radio Academy, and a professional journalist. The second dayschool took place on 12 May 2007, Learning Centre, BBC Radio Leicester; this dayschool was entitled ‘Writing for the BBC,’ and consisted of two seminars, one given by BBC Birmingham’s Commissioning Producer, Kate Chapman, and one by Paul Ashton from BBC Writersroom. The third and fourth dayschools took place on 8 November 2007 and 4 December 2007 at South Leicestershire College, and consisted of seminars led by a professional journalist and a professional photographer.
During 2007, we were funded by Awards for All to host a series of four dayschools called ‘Writing Histories’ at BBC Radio Leicester’s Learning Centre. These dayschools took place on: 17^th March 2007, including workshops led by Philip Monks, Maria Taylor and Tony Coult; 29^th September 2007, including workshops led by Victoria Rose Poolman, Victoria Smith and Simon King; 20^th October 2007, including workshops led by Deborah Tyler-Bennett, Lorna Piatti and Sue Mackrell; and 5^th January 2008, including workshops led by Amena Khan, Amanda Richardson and Tony Coult.
In June 2007, we ran a dayschool entitled ‘The Sound of Science’ for English Martyrs School. This creative writing dayschool at BBC Radio Leicester was for 13-17 year-olds. Workshops, which were on the inter-relationship of science and writing, were led by Victoria Smith, Simon King and Jonathan Taylor.
In February 2007, Loughborough University Development Trust and Alumni Association awarded Crystal Clear Creators a grant to run a series of creative writing evening classes for Loughborough University students. These took place on seven Tuesday evenings in a row, between 30 October 2007 and 11 December 2007, at Loughborough University Students’ Union. The classes were led by Mystie Hood and Gareth Watts.
In January 2008, Crystal Clear Creators was awarded a grant by Local Network Fund to run a series of dayschools and recordings in Leicester investigating the relationship between sports and writing. The four dayschools took place in January, at Crown Hills City Learning Centre and South Leicestershire College. Each of the dayschools was led by someone from the sporting world, who was followed by a writer who encouraged the students to explore their reactions in creative terms. The dayschools included the following workshop leaders: on Saturday 5^th January 2008, Warren Harvey (Heavy Weight Natural Bodybuilder and Mr England) and Mark Harvey (Ex England Basketball player and PE Teacher), and Victoria Smith (writer); on the 12^th January, Alan March (Commentator for the Blind at Nottingham Forest Football Club), and Simon King (writer); on the 19^th January, Leon Gordon (Member of the England Junior Judo Squad) with Krista Cartlidge (Ex-Chair of Loughborough University Judo Club and BUSA competitor); and Mystie Hood (writer); and on the 23^rd January, Robin Webber-Jones led a creative writing workshop about sport at South Leicestershire College.
In December 2007, Crystal Clear Creators was awarded a grant by Heritage Lottery Fund to run a project called Reflecting on the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. The project comprises a series of seven workshops, which are currently on-going. Saturday Workshop dates are: 5^th April, 19^th April, 3^rd May, 17^th May, 24^th May, 7^th June, and 21^st June 2008, to be held at venues in and around Leicester. If you are interested in taking part, or you want to learn more about the project, please contact Vicky at victoriaellensmith@gmail.com or tel. 07847191290.

Crystal Clear Creators

Dayschools and courses

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