Scottish Arts Council - Literature notices

Featuring notices and announcements from the Scottish Arts Council's Literature department about its activities, opportunities and other key notices about literature in Scotland. Be sure to check the International area of our website for more opportunities.

This is a taster of a new quality literary magazine Scottish Review of Books, supported by the Scottish Arts Council is aimed at promoting Scottish literature. The new magazine is edited by Alan Taylor and published by Argyll and Birlinn Publishing.

Black & White Publishing are delighted to announce the publication of a new series of small books, the "Say It In Scots" series, published by Black & white. The series has been launched with four titles:

Through Stranger Eyes (9-17 May) is the Centre’s first ever travel stories season, with a range of performance and discussion events to explore ideas and tales of travel, discovery, journeys, and travel writing in Scotland.

As part of the season, the Centre is delighted to be welcoming Kimho Ip, Scotland’s leading Chinese musician and composer, alongside community performers, for an evening of music, readings and calligraphy inspired by Chiang Yee’s classic book The Silent Traveller in Edinburgh.

A Chinese Traveller in Edinburgh (Friday 16th May, 7.30pm) is an atmospheric evening of music, spoken word (in English and Chinese) and visual projections, which gently create a picture of Edinburgh through the eyes of one explorer.
Tickets are £6 (£4 concessions) and are available from the Scottish Storytelling Centre box office on 0131 556 9579.
A Chinese Traveller in Edinburgh is supported by China Now in Scotland.

China Now in Scotland is part of CHINA NOW - the UK's largest ever festival of Chinese culture with over 800 events taking place nationwide. In Scotland the programme is supported by the Scottish Government and co-ordinated by the Confucius Institute for Scotland.

The Poetry Society's National Poetry Competition allows anyone who enters the opportunity to discover their own potential. Whether you are an established poet or someone new to writing, winning often provides the essential spur to take your writing further.

It is also an exciting opportunity to have your poems read by three of today's leading poets, booster the coffers with 35000 prize money, appear at the Ledbury Poetry Festival 2009, add your name to long prestigious list of past winners, free annual membership of the Poetry Society and - if all that wasn't enough - an annual subscription for Aesthetica Magazine, the new media partner for the competition. The judges this year are Frieda Hughes, Jack Mapanje and Brain Patten.

The competition is the longest running poetry prize, and since it began back in 1978, has turned the spotlight on some exciting new poetry stars, as well as giving further encouragement to already established poets. As well as entering the National Poetry Competition 2008 to discover your own potential, you can judge your own favourite competition winner from the past 30 years on The Poetry Society website.

One of Publishing Scotland's aims is to ensure that those working in publishing and related areas are kept up to date on industry developments. They are therefore keen for as many people as possible to attend the April course Digital Publishing: Update. Places are still available. Publishing Scotland is also keen to encourage skills training and this year they are pleased to offer an important new course on Getting the Best Out of Your Authors. This course in May is aimed at anyone in publishing who manages authors.

Other courses on offer include Writing for the Web, Copywriting, Making Book Covers Work, Grammar Refresher, E-Marketing and Editorial Project Management.

Spring has sprung and the Scottish Storytelling Centre's new training and development programme is now available. Building on the unique training opportunities provided by the Centre for the last 10 years, this year's further extended programme affirms the Scottish Storytelling Centre as the lead provider of storytelling training. Offering a generous and wide-ranging array of traditions and skills workshops, professional development in-service days and national development events, the programme has something for everyone from the beginner to master storyteller, facilitated by the cream of Scotland's storytelling professionals.

For further information contact Caroline Budge, National Storytelling Coordinator on 0131 652 3272 or send Caroline an email.

Writers Factory - Introduction to Screenwriting Course - Express! (23/24 Feb & 8/9 March)

The University of Liverpool Creative Writing Society for Lifelong Learning is to commemorate

The 2nd Annual Ted Walters International Short Story and Poetry Competition 2008

Entries must arrive before or on 31 May 2008. No late entries will be accepted after this date.

Mr Tommy McBride (Group Secretary)
The University of Liverpool Creative Writing Society for Lifelong Learning
50 Onslow Road
Kensington
Liverpool
Merseyside
L6 3BB

The Global Short Story Competition is launched

Aspiring writers from Scotland are being invited to enter a monthly short story competition that is aimed at writers across the planet. The inaugural Global Short Story Competition is designed to appeal to writers everywhere, from the arid outback of Australia to the baking deserts of Africa, the towering skyscrapers of the United States to the humid cities of Asia, the bustling capitals of Europe to the steamy villages of South America.

It is being run by Certys Limited, of Darlington, County Durham, England, a company which already has extensive experience in running such competitions in the UK. Previous competitions in which it was involved attracted writers from Asia, Europe, Australia and the United States as well as aspiring authors all across the UK and Ireland. Now, the company has launched a competition which will be marketed in countries across the world.

For more information and to submit an entry, visit The Global Short Story Competition website

The Scottish Writing Exhibition is taking over 100 Scottish titles to the Modern Language Association Convention this year in Chicago. Fifteen Scottish publishers will be represented at the MLA, the largest convention in the Humanities. Scottish Studies is a burgeoning field at the convention and among North American university departments, and the Scottish Writing Exhibition acts as reference and resource for international scholars of Scottish Literature and culture.

'I have no doubts that Angus Peter Campbell is one of the few really significant living poets in Scotland, writing in any language.' Sorley MacLean, West Highland Free Press, 1992.

Acair Publishing are delighted to announce the publication of Angus Peter Campbell's first poetry collection for 15 years. This unique trilingual book, which contains 67 new original Gaelic poems, alongside Scots-language versions by the renowned scholar and translator J Derrick McClure, and English-language translations by the poet himself, marks a watershed in trans-language publishing in Scotland.

In his introduction to the collection, the great modernist poet, Professor Donald MacAulay describes the poems as 'innovative, thought-provoking and rich in language and imagery' while the leading contemporary Irish poet Louis de Paor writes 'this is a poetry anchored securely in the great Gaelic tradition, yet open to the variousness and wonders of the modern world. A terrific collection.'

The collection, titled 'Meas air Chrannaibh' in Gaelic, and 'Fruit on Brainches' in Scots, and 'Fruit on Branches' in English, will be officially launched at the Scottish Book Trust HQ, Sandeman House, in Edinburgh's Royal Mile on Wednesday 28th November at 7.30pm.

Are you looking to create links with Chinese Arts Organisations, unsure how to get started, or need guidance on how to over come bureaucratic hurdles to further develop links already established? Connections through Culture could be just the scheme for you.

China — UK Connections through Culture is a joint initiative between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the British Council with support from the Scottish Government. The initiative offers support, information, advice, networking opportunities and development grants to cultural organisations in China and the UK, aiming to build relationships and to develop exciting cultural collaborations between organisations in the two countries.

There is a website which contains a searchable database of organisational profiles and interests. All cultural organisations in the UK and China can register on the database to enable potential partner organisations to make contact.

For further information visit the Connections website, email Malena Malbaek, Projects Co-ordinator, British Council Scotland or telephone 0131 524 5729.

Finborough Theatre's Literary Department accepts unsolicited new plays. Scripts are dealt with by the Literary Manager and a team of script-readers in association with the Artistic Director.

Fire Works is a young company based in Glasgow who are looking for writers who have plays ready to be produced by them.

They have approx five actors, all very keen to do Scottish work, and are looking for something to suit a 20 – 25 year age group, but not something as heavy as Look Back in Anger.

For more details and information email Judith Riddell or telephone on 07731571106.

In 2008, it will be 500 years since the first book was printed in Scotland. The project to celebrate this anniversary is promoted by the National Library of Scotland, the Scottish Printing Archival Trust and the Scottish Print Employers’ Federation and endorsed by the Scottish Government. A range of local events and initiatives across Scotland throughout the year is planned.

The aim of the celebration is to allow the public to see everything from the first printed Chepman and Myllar book to a modern day printing press. The project is supported by other organisations, including local museums and libraries throughout Scotland, the National Museums of Scotland, the National Trust for Scotland, the National Archives of Scotland and several universities.

Hands up if you've got some books to give away - keep your hand up there if you'd like to pick up some new ones absolutely free...In that case come along to the Bookcrossing Meetup in Edinburgh.

The friendly bookcrossers are easily identified by the piles of books that normally surround them. For more information and to register books, visit the Bookcrossing website and set your unwanted books free.

Play sales - A wide range of published plays by Scotland's playwrights is available from the Playwrights' Studio. You can buy discounted copies of texts direct from the studio - visit the Playwrights' Studio Plays Sales Page.

In the bookshop - A Play, A Pie and A Pint in print
You can now purchase Òran Mór's plays in print from the Playwrights' Studio's Bookshop. To find out what's available email the Playwrights' Studio.

Introducing a new series of literary readings by Scottish writers to be held monthly at the National Library of Scotland on George IV Bridge.

The Bridge Readings will showcase a writer each month who will read from their work, or take part in an 'in conversation', followed by an audience Q and A session and then a book signing. All for free.

It is hoped that the series will be hugely popular (and with the crème de la crème of Scottish writing appearing, how can it not be?) and grow to include more writers on each bill as well as an 'open' session for aspiring authors. Visiting international authors will also be included, when in town. The first three-month programme comprises AL Kennedy, Laura Hird and Alasdair Gray.

For further information on each individual session, please see our 'What's on' in Literature pages, or email Helen Loughlin, Organiser, The Bridge Readings or telephone 07784 319 868 or email Lynne Kontou, Cultural Events Officer, NLS, or telephone 0131 623 3842.

All events are free but ticketed. To book tickets, please email the National Library of Scotland or telephone 0131 623 3845.

Scott Brown of the Art Department is seeking a number of storytellers, artists and actors to join his art group which takes place every Saturday from 6-9pm at Leith Community Centre. The aim of the group is to create and build a character based on Scottish folklore and myth. If you are interested in joining the group please contact Scott by email or phone 07982214381.

Live Literature Scotland (LLS) is a national initiative that enables Scottish citizens to engage with the nation's authors, playwrights, poets, storytellers and illustrators, run by the Scottish Book Trust and funded by the Scottish Arts Council. The following key changes will improve this popular scheme:

The scheme subsidises funding for literature activity through an application process.

For more information about how the scheme works, application guidelines and examples of successful events and projects, please visit the Scottish Book Trust website.

A meet-up group has been started in Edinburgh for aspiring children's authors. The group will meet on the second Monday of each month at Cafe Nero on Rose Street, starting in December. You can sign up online free of charge by visiting the Meet Up website and typing 'Edinburgh children's writers' meet-up group' in the search box. Although the group has been set up for aspiring authors, published authors would also be welcome, as they would have advice and experience to share.

Northwords Now is a free newsprint literary magazine, supported by the Scottish Arts Council and Hi-Arts, Inverness, with a print run of 6,000. The next issue of the magazine will be available from the second week of October. The magazine is available widely in the north but also in venues in Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. You can also subscribe for 'home delivery' by sending a cheque for £6.50 for four issues, to Northwords, PO Box 5706, Inverness, IV1 9AF. Cheques should be made payable to Northwords.

For other Literature news - go to the Literature news page