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Summer Salon

The Summer Salon took place in August. It was a week filled with events, workshops and inspiration!

The Summer Salon offers four distinct events, each in two halves. Every evening, we’ll host talks from artists and poets on living a creative life, ways of building and growing new projects, and how they keep ideas flowing. In the morning, we’ll pick up the threads from the night before with an inspiring workshop on the same theme. An optional writing hour follows this session.

Guest speakers this year include graphic novelist and architect Sabba Khan and the poet, naturalist and wild swimmer Anna Selby. The week will conclude with a special event on generosity and creativity with writer and founder of the Astro Poets website, Dorothea Lasky.

Our unique programme aims to capture the edges of dreams and uncover all kinds of hidden ideas. The Summer Salon takes place online via Zoom so you can take part wherever you are based.

Book now: £199 for a week of writing! Limited places. Full programme below.

Produced in partnership with Bea Colley.

Reflect

Monday 15 August, 7.30-8.30pm
We begin with a reflective welcome event that takes place just before sunset. Join us with a cup of tea (or wine!) for a calming evening of creativity. Guided by Gemma Seltzer, we’ll consider the year so far and how we can care for our writing and ourselves.

Reflect

Tuesday 16 August, 7.15-9am, followed by optional writing hour (9-10am)
Inspired by poetry, memoir and fiction, in the first morning writing workshop we’ll consider mirrors and how we see ourselves. We’ll write in the clear dawn light about inner and secret selves, immediacy and intimacy. We’ll take time to reflect and connect to our creativity this summer.

Creative Constraints

Tuesday 16 August, 7.30-8.30pm
An evening event with inspiration from visual artist, graphic novelist and architectural designer Sabba Khan, winner of the Jhalak Prize 2022 for her wonderful book ‘The Roles We Play.’ Khan weaves design ideas into her art practice, and will share her thoughts on how rules, shape and order contribute to her creative practice.

Creative Constraints

Wednesday 17 August, 7.15-9am, followed by optional writing hour (9-10am)
In this morning workshop, we’ll consider how rules and creative constraints can provide focus, enhance our writing and challenge us as writers. We’ll look to artists and poets who’ve set and broken rules. Expect a playful morning exploring structure and form, shapes and patterns!

Creative Freedom

Wednesday 17 August, 7.30-8.30pm
Poet and naturalist Anna Selby joins us to talk about how wild open spaces and the natural world, curiosity and exploration are vital for her writing and creativity. Anna is author of ‘Field Notes,’ the bestselling poetry collection written on waterproof notebooks in and under the Atlantic Ocean.

Creative Freedom

Thursday 18 August, 7.15-9am, followed by optional writing hour (9-10am)
For this session, we’ll embrace freedom in all its forms. Inspired by poetry and music, we’ll think about what holds us back, what sets us free, and the role of place and landscape, space and openness in our writing.

Generosity

Thursday 18 August, 7.30-8.30pm
Poet Dorothea Lasky joins us for this special event on generosity and creativity, and how we bring our writing selves off the page and into the world. Dorothea is the author of five full-length collections of poetry and one book of prose, and based in New York City. She’ll talk about her writing projects including Astro Poets, founded with Alex Dimitrov, which mixes poetry, pop culture and astrology.

Generosity

Friday 19 August, 7.15-9am, followed by optional writing hour (9-10am)
To close the Summer Salon, we’ll think about generosity, kindness and joy as inspiration. We’ll consider how we can be generous to ourselves and to others. We’ll write about abundance and moving beyond limitations—in our writing and our lives, too. You’ll leave with a plan for embracing the new moments and opportunities the year ahead will offer.

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