Geopoetics News March 2017
Expressing the Earth Conference
Thursday 22 – Friday 24 June 2017
Seil Island Hall Argyll
You are cordially invited to take part in a trans-disciplinary Conference with creative workshops, presentations, field visits, films, seminars and performances.
‘Geopoetics is concerned, fundamentally, with a relationship to the earth and the opening of a world’.
The Scottish Centre for Geopoetics and the University of the Highlands and Islands are hosting Expressing the Earth in Argyll 2017 to bring together creative artists, musicians, poets and film makers along with local people, academics, researchers, students and teachers to explore, create and debate the earth and the environment in this spectacular area of Scotland.
Expressing the Earth will address the ways in which people are influenced and brought together by island and rural environments from the Neolithic and Bronze Age, early Celtic Christian heritage and seafaring history to more recent industrial exploitation of the Slate Islands.
Themes and activities include literature, history, visual arts, film making, archaeology, geology, geography and theology – with active engagement and creative outcomes as central to the conference as academic papers and presentations. Speakers include Michael Russell MSP, Neil Simco (UHI), Mairead Nic Craith, Norman Bissell, Mairi McFadyen, Kenny Taylor, Elizabeth Rimmer. Workshops include Mandy Haggith, Andrew Phillips, Helen Boden. Performances include Mark Sheridan, Helen Moore, Finlay Wells.
The Conference will take place at the Seil Island Hall in Argyll with field visits to create new work on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June to Kilmartin Glen, Easdale Island and the Isle of Luing. There will be poetry readings, musical performances and social gatherings on the Thursday and Friday evenings. It is intended that the work created by the conference will feature in publications, travelling exhibitions and workshops in 2018.
Ellenabeich with Seil Island Hall beside the largest quarry pool on right: Birgit Whitmore
Booking
Cost £120 for 3 days, £45 per day. Places are limited, so book early at Eventbrite here: http://bit.ly/ExpressingEarth.
First preference will be given to those who can attend all 3 days.
The 3 day cost includes all sessions, 3 lunches, 2 evening meals and 2 ceilidhs, all teas/coffees and return transport to Isle of Luing, Easdale Island and Kilmartin Glen (and Kilmartin Museum entry).
Free Wifi available in the hall.
All participants will receive a free copy of Grounding a World: Essays on the Work of Kenneth White, Alba Editions rrp £9.95. Participants with relevant books to sell at the Geopoetics bookstall in the Hall should contact us in advance.
The conference programme will be available soon.
Accommodation links: B&B & Self-catering: www.seil.oban.ws
http://www.easdale.org/links/accommodation.htm
Caravans: www.oban-holiday.co.uk
Camping: Argyll Kayaker Cove, North Cuan, Seil 01852 300366
Camping & Camper vans: Highland Arts, Ellenabeich : 01852 300273.
The latest issue of our online journal Stravaig is now available to read here:
There are essays from Jane Verburg and Antonia Thomas, the first and second place prize winners in the Hugh Miller Writing Competition, + James McCarthy on Nan Shepherd, Lisa Macdonald on The Coigach Conundrum and Bill Eddie on an Encounter with a Wall Creeper. There are also poems by Lisa Macdonald, David Francis, LesleyMay Miller, Mike Roman, Clare Diprose and Helen Moore.
Many thanks to all the contributors and to Bill Taylor who designed the new look Stravaig. Your feedback on its content and form would be most welcome.
Wall Creeper at Neuschwanstein; Bill Eddie
Connecting with a Low-Carbon Future – the Challenges for the Arts and Humanities Conference University of Stirling Wednesday 19 – Thursday 20 April 2017
This conference is part of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Research Network in the Arts and Humanities ‘Connecting with a Low-carbon Scotland’, and is hosted by the University of Stirling Centre for Environment, Heritage and Policy. It includes panels for literature and theatre, law and politics, visual arts and media, and history and philosophy. Poet and Scottish Centre for Geopoetics Council member Elizabeth Rimmer will be speaking at the conference.
Further information:
https://www.stir.ac.uk/cehp/projects/connectingwithalow-carbonscotland/.
Register and pay here:
http://shop.stir.ac.uk/conferences-and-events.
Geopoetics Membership
If you join or renew your membership of the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics you will receive:
A free copy of Grounding a World; Essays on the Work of Kenneth White: ed. G Bowd, C Forsdick & N Bissell rrp £9.95.
Twice yearly Newsletters by e-mail.
Advance news of and discounts on books relating to geopoetics.
Advance news of Kenneth White and geopoetics events.
Invitations to all our meetings and field visits.
The satisfaction of assisting the development of our geopoetics work and publications.
Encouragement to develop your own understanding of and creative response to geopoetics.
Please send this completed form with a cheque for £10 waged/£5 unwaged, payable to the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics, to David Francis, 214 Portobello High Street Edinburgh EH15 2AU or to arrange to make a bank transfer tel. 07825 788861.
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Please circulate this Newsletter to friends who may be interested. Thank you.
