Expressing the Earth: A Geopoetics Gathering

6pm · Damascus Drum, Silver Street · £16

Buffet meal

Enjoy wonderful food, in a welcoming atmosphere, with great company. A perfect opportunity to share a meal before the film.

Chicken wraps, falafal wraps, vegetable wraps and samosa special with nibbles.

Bring your own bottle. Soft drinks available.

Booking required.

7.30pm · Cornucopia Unit Four · £10

Expressing the Earth — film screening and Q&A

A screening of the film, followed by a conversation with Glenda Rome (film-maker), Claire Pençak (dance artist) and Norman Bissell (producer).

Along rugged coastlines, through ancient forests, and into the geological bedrock of Scotland’s wild places, Expressing the Earth embarks on a cinematic journey into Geopoetics – the philosophy developed by the late Scottish poet-thinker Kenneth White, which seeks a deeper connection between mind, language, and the living world.

This powerful debut feature by Glenda Rome is a meditation on perception and belonging – guided by White’s poetry and thought, yet grounded in the Earth itself. Through immersive cinematography and the voices of artists, geologists, and thinkers influenced by his work, the film explores where landscape and mindscape meet, revealing a space where geology, art, and inner reflection converge.

9am – 10.30am · Meet at Cornucopia Unit Four · £5

Tao Te Ching For Interesting Times

See through the lens of the Tao with translators and designers Thorranze Cheung, Stuart Delves and Jamie Delves. This new book is both elegant and contemporary and is currently being prepared to go to print. Meet at Cornucopia, take a verse from it into the park, contemplate and respond, then return and share with the group.

Meet at Garfield Mill · £5

Writing Haiku

With Norman Bissell. We will learn the elements of haiku by reading and discussing Japanese examples by Matsuo Bashō and Yosa Buson, and those of former Edinburgh Makar Alan Spence in his book Glasgow Zen. Norman will also share examples of his own haiku and encourage us to write ours outdoors, weather permitting. We will then read and discuss some of the new work, which may be submitted for publication in our online journal Stravaig.

Meet at Cornucopia Unit Four · £5

Opening to a Sensuous World

With Alistair Duncan. In Kenneth White’s definition of geopoetics there are phrases which speak of “seeking a new or renewed sense of world, a sense of space, light and energy, which is experienced using all our senses” and of “becoming attuned to the world with a certain amount of de-conditioning of ourselves by working on the body-mind”. This workshop will approach these proposals directly. We will explore a number of practices that shift our perceptual and sensuous engagement with the land. And we will reflect on the experience of the earth, and of our place in her, that arises from them.

Meet at Cornucopia Unit Four · £5

Writing to Connect: A Bridge to the Living Landscape

With Jane Cormack. Writing and all forms of creative expression can be a bridge between ourselves, each other, and the natural world. In this short outdoor workshop we will explore sensory awareness and creativity as pathways to connection. Through close observation and deep listening we will experiment with creative writing, drawing, collaboration and nature-based exercises, and enter into a conversation with the landscape around us. An invitation to feel our way, through words, back to belonging and to the living landscape of which we are a part.

Indoors at Garfield Mill · £5

Connected Encounters: Exploring the land

With Emily McLatchie. Emily will do a talk around her work, and a guided tour around the pieces and explain the concepts, themes behind them and insight into her practice and background. She will provide some equipment and give visitors a shot of trying to make some paint. She’ll give insight into the places where she has found the materials and discuss the connection to place, showing more into the process as well as the meaning.

Indoors at Garfield Mill · £5

Writing with Stones

With Alyson Hallett. In this workshop, we’ll be reading different poems together, listening to rocks and stones and engaging with playful writing exercises. The emphasis is upon encouragement and experiment and everyone will be given a warm welcome. There’s no need to have any writing experience – it’s more important to have an open and curious mind.

Meet at Cornucopia Unit Four · £5 · limited places

Pause with the Viewfinder: slow instant photography and poetry

Join Jessie Growden to explore instant photography as a way of pausing to consider what is through the viewfinder, and around it. With only a limited number of exposures, take time with the nature in Hawick’s town centre, experiment with composition, and discover the sometimes unexpected results of pressing the shutter. Take notes as you go and find their poetic flow.

6pm · Garfield Mill · £13

Buffet meal

Supper together before the open mic night. Provided by local cafe No 16 Cookhouse.

11am – 4pm · West Buccleuch, Roberton, Hawick · Free but please register

Geopoetic Walk

With Bridie Ashrowan. A walk up-river following a tributary of the Tweed. Weaving the story of the nature we see, the more than human world, restoration & stewardship, the supernatural world of local writer, James Hogg, & being an ancestor. Bring you own lunch. Hot drinks will be available.