The Book and Arts’ Festival provides young people with the wonderful opportunity to meet, listen to and work with authors. Their experiences during the Festival week will inspire many young people to develop a wider interest in literature and encourage them to experiment in their own writing.
Staff and pupils are looking forward to attending a session of poetry and music with Carol Ann Duffy as well as participating in several writing workshops led by authors taking part in this year’s festival. Indeed, the festival has already started in the schools with Primary school pupils taking on the theme of ‘Nairnshire – its landscape and its peoples’ where P1 -6 pupils are writing short stories and descriptive pieces accompanied by art work. Poetry workshops for P6 pupils have been running since November and it is hoped that a book containing a wide selection of this writing will be launched during the festival. Older pupils will also be encouraged to develop their writing further through a creative writing workshop led by Tim Bowler.
The Festival is again very grateful to Nairn Rotary Club which has extended its sponsorship of a schools’ Short Story Competition. This year P7 and S1 pupils will submit entries with the successful applicants winning through to a workshop led by the acclaimed author Jamie Jauncey. Held in a local hotel, this exciting opportunity will allow young people to listen and experiment with their own writing in a relaxed informal atmosphere.
Following on from last year’s very successful event, secondary school pupils from S2 – S6 will be invited to attend a whole day event of writing in a local hotel. In the morning an author will conduct a workshop followed by a writing session in the afternoon. The budding authors’ work will then be judged with prizes and certificates being awarded.
During the festival artworks from the primary schools will be displayed at the Community Centre and from the Academy at the Library.
The Festival looks forward to welcoming its local, young, talented writers and artists to its programme in the future.
