Endangered crafts, where to start writing, and what's on?
Read about the UK red list of endangered crafts, a new writing group hosted by Rosie Johnston, this month's writing opportunities, and what's on?
CRAFT: First Friday, 7th June 6-9pm
Whether you knit, stitch, design, make or simply appreciate great craftsmanship, join us on Friday 7th June to celebrate all things Craft. The night is inspired by the UK red list of endangered crafts and we want to spotlight and celebrate some of the talented studio and desk holders here at Marine Studios, as well as local makers, sharing their passion for making and materials with a studio-wide exhibition and creative workshop.
We're really excited to have English Folk artist, Celtic shaman, and magic practitioner Conker hold a free "make your own corn dolly" drop-in workshop. Conker’s work explores themes around nature and spirit, natural materials, process and place as a mechanism for co-creation and communication between human and other-than-human beings. Their art seeks to uncover the sacred and sublime within nature and ourselves through resonant creative practices that connect us to land and culture.
We will also be exhibiting work from resident writers and craft makers at Marine Studios. Inspired by his late grandmother, Ed Garvey-Long will be bringing his hand stitched quilts, Ellie Dangerfield brings nature shrines celebrating local ecology, land connection and natural material culture to the evening, plus designer and maker, Jenny Duff, will be exhibiting her bold and beautiful place mats and coasters.
Friday 7th June, 6-9pm at Marine Studios, 17 Albert Terrace, Margate, CT9 1UJ. This event is suitable for all ages, under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.
To find out about upcoming events visit our website.
Accessibility: find out about this event and space in our access statement.
What are endangered crafts?
Photo by Conker Art
Did you know there is a red list of endangered crafts? Taking inspiration from the IUCN Red List, UK charity Heritage Crafts has employed a status system to assess the sustainability of heritage crafts.
Examples of extinct heritage crafts include: lacrosse stick making, mould and deckle making, mouth blown sheet glass making, cricket ball making and gold beating.
Heritage Crafts celebrates, supports and safeguards traditional craft skills, defining a heritage craft as an activity that:
employs manual dexterity and skill at the point of production;
requires an understanding of traditional materials, design and techniques; and
has been practised for two or more successive generations.
Why do these crafts matter?
According to culture writer Leisha Chi-Santorelli, “[L]osing just one craft can lead to a negative knock-on effect on others. [L]osing the capacity to make mouth-blown flat glass in the UK has affected the restoration of historic stained glass windows, in local churches or ancient buildings for example, which is why it has now been added to the Red List.”
To find out which crafts are classed as endangered, head over to the Heritage Crafts website.
We are excited to explore the theme of endangered crafts at our next First Friday event on 7th June. Join us!
Looking back: How to Find Hope
We loved First Friday: How to Find Hope
We had a map of the Isles of Hope from Dan Thompson, a hopeful reading room from Connor Sansby of Kent Poetry CIC, 100% biodegradable coat hangers from The HOL group and biochar from The Bay Trust.
But our biggest thanks goes to Bernadette Russell for sharing her beautiful, joyful stories through the night. She put the room at ease and the positive energy she brought was infectious - her stories were fierce, funny and above all, hopeful, and we all walked away feeling like we had the power to do something good for ourselves, our communities and the world.
See you on 7th June for our next First Friday on craft (did you know there’s a red list of endangered crafts?).
Check out our reel on Instagram.
New Group: Where To Start Writing with Rosie Johnston
A new writing group is coming to Marine Studios! Join writer, poet and journalist Rosie Johnston in a new writing group at Marine Studios.
The group will meet once a month to scribble or type together and chat about writing. This group is for you whether you’ve ever written anything or not. Rosie’s previous writing groups have helped people write memoir, screenplays and poetry as well as short and long fiction. Rosie is here to help you find a resilient writing practice, whatever you want write. The group is for you if you want to know where to start from scratch; where to start writing regularly, no matter what life throws at you; and where to start again if you’ve stopped (we all do) and want to gather it up again.
This group will be very light touch and a bit different to our lovely Margate Fiction Writer’s Group – no-one reads aloud until they are absolutely sure they want to. Less of a critique group, and more of an encouragement workshop. Bring your favourite writing materials and yourself. The group is free to join!
About Rosie:
Since the mid-1990s, Rosie has been a journalist (and still reviews poetry for London Grip), had two novels published (in Dublin and London) and four books of poetry published by Lapwing in her home town, Belfast. Mica Press is due to publish her fifth book of poetry in spring next year. Rosie been running informal writing groups since 2011, sharing tricks and skills she has gained over thirty years, she holds groups like this because so much help for writers costs money (not everyone has time or funds for a degree). Plus Rosie gets an unequaled buzz from writing alongside other writers for the fun of it.
For more information, check out Rosie’s recent blog.
WHEN: Sundays 3 for 3.30–5.30pm: 9 June; 7 July; 8 September; 13 October
WHERE: Marine Studios, 17 Albert Terrace, Margate, CT9 1UJ
RSVP to join: rosiejohnstonwrites@gmail.com
Opportunities for writers
Essays on Queer Ecology for Orion Magazine
Orion Magazine are looking for queer ecology writers for their next issue! A technicolor refutation to the idea that queerness is unnatural, Orion are looking for stories about food. From May 10-25th, send us your pitches about the queer ingredients in your pantry and the queer crops in your garden. Find out more here.
Scratch A4 - Summer ‘24 Writing Competition
Scratch A4 is a biannual short story event held in London. Enter your < 1000 word story for the Summer '24 event taking place on Saturday 6 July. Find out more about Scratch A4 on their website.
What’s on?
Something Borrowed with Harry Baker
Tuesday 28th May, 7.30-9pm / Forts Coffee
Join slam poetry world champion Harry Baker with special guest Toby Campion for a night of conversation, poetry, music and a chance to perform your own work. From £10 / Book tickets here
Margate Bookshop Bookclub
Wednesday 29th May, 6.30pm / Fort Road Hotel
Join Margate Bookshop Bookclub for this month’s discussion on The Hearing Test by Eliza Barry Callahan. Free to attend
INKLING
First Friday: Craft
Where to Start Writing Group
Sunday 9th June, 3-5.30pm / Marine Studios
The group is about where to start from scratch with writing. Where to start writing regularly, no matter what life throws at us. Where to start again if you’ve stopped. Less of a critique group, and more of an encouragement workshop. Free to attend / RSVP
Writer’s Block
Friday 14th June, 9.30am-12.30pm / Marine Studios
Margate Fiction Writers Group
Monday 17th June 6.30-8.30pm / Marine Studios
Join us for a friendly and supportive prose fiction session on the Third Monday of every month at Marine Studios. Share your work, offer (and receive) constructive criticism and support fellow local scribes. Bring along 500–700 words that you're happy to read aloud.
Free to attend / RSVP
Margate Stanza
Wednesday 19th June, 6.30pm-8.30pm / Marine Studios
A friendly poetry critique group where you’re encouraged to bring and read a poem you’re working on and receive feedback from the group. Free to attend / RSVP on FB or send us an email
Camp Book Club
Thursday 20th June, 7pm / Camp Margate
Join Camp Book Club for an evening of relaxed conversation around a selection of queer curated reads. This month: LOTE by Shola Von Reinhold. Free to attend
Writer’s Block
Friday 28th June, 9.30am-12.30pm / Marine Studios