Top Secret Agent News this week. I, Agent Louisa, won a poetry competition this week for International Women’s Day 2025.
I’m thrilled to be reading it at Swindon Central Library Saturday 8th March, tomorrow as I write this, at noon and receiving my prize from Swindon Borough Councillor Marina Strinkovsky, former cabinet member for Culture (now Planning). (I’m not going to say anything about my poem yet because I’d like the chance to read it to an audience first. Even sharing the title gives away too much.)
Swindon’s really getting involved. The poetry competition is run by Shouting Softly Swindon, an Arts Council project running since March 2024 primarily to support women ages 14 to 25. “Through creative workshops, research and community based conversations, events and conversations, our project will
culminate in a new play performed in spring 2025,” said lead practitioner Flis Tattersall.
Swindon Libraries, Museum & Art Swindon, Swindon Hub and Create Studios are running events tomorrow.
Create Studios is showing All We Imagine as Light, Cannes Film Festival 2024 Grand Prix winner and the first Indian-made film to compete in the main competition for 30 years. If you need soothing tomorrow, then this is ‘a beautiful, comforting film to revel in’ says Create. Screening is at 7.30pm at the Carriage Works.
Swindon Hub read my mind with their events – a creative writing workshop, a Sewing Craftivism group and a menopause support group. 11am-4pm is a Female Makers Market and a vinyl DJ set between 2pm-3pm called ‘Cheer Up Love’ – I know exactly what they mean.
Read this leaflet about all the events and follow Shouting Softly Swindon on Instagram.
If you’re local to Marlborough, Wiltshire and interested in a group for writers, take a look at this one.