A Decolonising Creative Writing Workshop- Series 1

A writing workshop created for and welcoming people from the Black community, the African and Caribbean diaspora, those who identify as part of a minority community, and anyone who feels impacted by colonialism.

If you would like to find ways that your voice and story can influence how we see the past and how we can impact the present, this workshop may be a good place to start!

Engage with the history and story of one of the newest displays at the Holburne museum, The Plantation Day Book from Barbados.

The Holburne family and Caribbean plantations

It doesn’t matter if you have never tried creative writing before or if instead you are confident in your writing skills, this workshop is rather about creating a safe space for the creative exploration of uncomfortable pasts. Each session will introduce approaches to express our reactions, thoughts, and feelings in the face of a history that still influences our present.

You can expect:

Guided exercises, presentations, readings, and collaborative group work.

You will be encouraged to bring what inspires you (music, poetry, visuals, objects, and more) and to share it with the group.

Session 1 Thursday 7th October 6-7.30pm Introduction and establishing our aims. Exploring how creative writing can become a tool for individual and collective interpretation of the past.

Session 2 Thursday 14th October 6- 7.30pm The Plantation Day Book (intro and presentation). How can we work with objects that bear witness to uncomfortable and painful pasts?

Session 3 Thursday 21st October 6-7.30pm Listen to the writers. A selection of poetry and prose by writers who have worked and dealt with Black and other minorities’ history. You are encouraged to bring your own favourite pieces and to play with the writers’ style and techniques. Other forms of creativity, especially non-written creativity, are also included.

Session 4 Thursday 28th October 6-7.30pm Final craft. Drawing from the previous sessions you can now rework some of your pieces, alone or in a group, and share with the other participants what did and didn’t work for you.

This workshop series is FREE to attend. By signing up, participants will be expected to attend all 4 workshops to get the most value from their experience. All workshops will be hosted on Zoom.

About the workshop leader:

Sabrin Hasbun is an Italian-Palestinian transnational writer. She has always had to mediate between two cultures and every day for her is a journey across borders. She studied literary theory at the University of Pisa, the Sorbonne University and Bath Spa University where she is now finishing her PhD in Creative Writing and History in collaboration with Exeter University and with AHRC funding support. Her research focus on using creative non-fiction and multilingual writing to explore histories of minorities. She has recently worked as writer, editor and translator for the Embassy of Palestine to the Holy See, the international journal Transnational Literature, and Tuscany Now and More. Sabrin is looking to publish her first book, the family memoir Wait for Her.

Twitter: @HasbunSabrin

For all enquiries relating to this workshop series please contact a.highley@holburne.org