Stories From Our Streets includes a free-to-enter writing competition for anyone currently resident or working in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

We're looking for short pieces of nonfiction celebrating people and places of BCP, past and present. Who are the treasured characters of the neighbourhood? What tales can you tell of the streets, parks, and beaches? 

We want to hear from everyone - a story from each postcode - to learn what, where or who in BCP makes your day or holds a special place in your memories and thoughts. For further inspiration and prompts download our community activity pack here.

The winning entry will be awarded £50 of book vouchers, a family ticket to the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum AND a family ticket to Highcliffe Castle.

Entries can be submitted on paper via BCP libraries, or online to stories@artfulscribe.co.uk. 

Further details can be found on our website.

Poets, writers and storytellers take centre-stage, accompanied by the quick-witted musicians of the Tongue Fu band.

One of the the UK’s leading spoken word and music shows for over a decade, Tongue Fu is led by poet, musician and founder, Chris Redmond (BBC Radio 1, 2 and 4, Sky Arts) and features musicians whose credits include playing for Jamie Cullum, The Last Poets, and Massive Attack. Tongue Fu is part gig, part experiment; a high energy, big hearted show with a wide appeal.

This showcase will feature local writers from ArtfulScribe’s How To Play A Poem Like A Song writing course, plus special guests and is supported by Arts Council England.

Book tickets here.

Announcing ArtfulScribe Audio - a strand of podcasts showcasing writers who contribute to ArtfulScribe’s events and conversations. These programmes are drawn from ArtfulScribe’s audio archive and commissioned works, supported by Arts Council England. To listen to the latest recording, please click here.

Write a Note is a monthly open mic and platform for poetry, spoken word, and live literature, hosted by Anita Foxall. Entry is free and booking is essential. Donations are encouraged on the night to support the featured guest.

Forthcoming dates: Mon 10 July, Mon 18 Sept

Running Time: 2 hours approx.
Age Advice: 14+

Register here for tickets.

• Stories From Our Streets are creating a story map to celebrate the voices of our diverse communities across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Every voice matters. Every story matters. We want to hear yours. Regular story writing workshop and event updates here.
   
• SO:Write Women with Susmita Bhattacharya 
  Author Susmita Bhattacharya leads this supportive group for women to develop skills and confidence in Creative Writing, inspiring new writing through workshop prompts, reading choices, and life experiences.
  
  Online via Zoom: Thursdays | 6th JUL | 11:00 - 1:00. Booking here.
  
  In Person at Southampton Central Library: Saturdays | 22nd JUL | 11:15 - 1:15. Booking here.
   
• Writing for Wellbeing with Joanna Barnard
  In a supportive and welcoming environment, the group will be using poetry, prose and journal forms to explore mental and emotional wellbeing, reflect, and find joy. The aim of the programme is to generate a body of work, both individually and as a group, that may be shared to encourage others to discover the impact of writing for wellbeing.
  
  Online via Zoom: 13th JUL | 11:00 - 1:00.
   
• Writing for Performance: a NEW online offer for academic years 10-13 on Saturday mornings from 10.00 - 11:30 at MAST, led by Lydia Rynne.
   
• Writing for Page and Stage: a NEW online offer for ages 18+ on Monday evenings, 7:00 - 8:30pm, led by Tabby Hayward.
   
• Our weekly creative writing groups for ages 7-10 and 11-14 year olds at MAST Mayflower Studios & Lighthouse Poole. Instances are listed on our events page.
   
• Lighthouse Junior Writers: a weekly creative writing group for 7-10 years,  Saturday mornings during term-time, at Lighthouse Poole

The Commission

Soup and a Story is a commission for £1,000 to create a soup recipe (or idea) responding to food and/or the land story of Wild Woodbury and/or the wider Dorset AONB, with a contextual story/narrative to be shared live with the Inside Out Dorset audiences, of approximately 15 – 20 minutes.

The Details

When: Sharings will take place between 20 & 24 Sept 2023. Soup & a Story may happen several times throughout the day, and sometimes on multiple days.

Deadline: Friday 14^th July 2023

Notification: Friday 28^th July 2023

Submission: Friday 1^st September 2023

Payment: £1,000 per commission

Please contact us if you have any access requirements and plan to attend.
Commission brief and further info available here.

Have you written a novel, novella, short story, memoir or travelogue and you’d like someone else’s opinion on how to improve it?

Are you considering entering a competition or submitting to an agent?

Author and workshop leader Joanna Barnard can provide an objective critique of your work, looking at voice, language, structure and style. She can also review your manuscript for spelling and grammatical errors, and those annoying little typos we ALL miss in our own work!

Reduced rates are available for writers quoting Artful Scribe. More details, pricing and writer testimonials can be found here: https://joannaibarnard.wordpress.com/writing-critique-service/

• October Books - Author talks, Spoken Word, meetings and community groups from Southampton's Premier Independent Bookshop
   
• Waterside Writers - A dynamic and supportive group of people, who encourage and push each other to write more and write better | Every 2nd Thursday of the month during term | Marchwood | 9.30AM to 12PM | Free
   
• Word Live In Libraries Presents Nikki May - Join author Nikki May, author of Wahala, for a deep dive on the novel writing process | JUL 27th | 11AM | £5 | Hamworthy Library
   
• Winchester Poetry Prize 2023 - ​Judge: Zaffar Kunial | Entry fee: £6 for first poem, £5 for subsequent poems | Closing Date: 31 July 2023 (11:59pm)
   
• MAST Mayflower Studios Artist Network Meeting - the perfect way to meet local artists and find out about upcoming offers | AUG 5th | 6-8PM | Free
   
• Mad World: The Politics Of Mental Health by Micha Frazer-Carroll - In this talk Micha Frazer-Carroll discusses mental health as a political issue, and presents a radical and hopeful antidote to pathologisation, gatekeeping and the policing of imagination | AUG 6th | 7PM | £8 adv. 
   
• FREE Rehearsal Space at MAST Mayflower Studios - MAST Mayflower Studios rehearsal spaces are available for FREE for local artists to develop work from 9-25 August. This could be for one day or multiple days for up to 7 hours a day. Please complete the interest form linked to be considered for space.