Are you ready for some tear jerking, heart thumping, edge of your seat, laugh out loud moments?
Then join us as we celebrate the love of reading and writing over the summer months of 2016, with our packed programme of literacy inspired activity:
Too Write Competition with Hot Air Literary Festival open until 20th May for all ages. Get your pen out and start writing!
The Little Library Van started it’s journey round the city on 5th April, sharing stories with children and families. You can book it for your community event to bring a love of reading to your doorstep. Contact Stoke-on-Trent Libraries.
100 Reads is a list of the 100 favourite children’s books chosen by local children (and some parents and teachers). Every child will get a copy of the list, and libraries and schools will get a copy of each of the 100 books. The Stoke-on-Trent Libraries and Stoke Speak Out 100 Reads project will be celebrating on the 18th May. Look out for lists and books in your local library from then.
The Big Read – Staffordshire University will give a new book to all Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children in the city, in partnership with Beanstalk, Stoke-on-Trent Libraries, and local newspaper the Sentinel – there will be two weeks of press stories about literacy activities.
Voices Festival on the 8th June is a one day literacy festival at Staffordshire University for 110 secondary school students from Horizon Academy. They will be encouraged to develop their writing skills in workshops led by professional writers and to explore their own regional voices through performance poetry, story writing and drama. As part of the celebrations of Shakespeare’s anniversary, The Globe Theatre will also work with a company of student players to present a performance of Macbeth at the end of the festival.
Stoke’s Literary Festival “Hot Air” runs from the 9th to 11th June 2016.
The programme includes the Too Write competition prize giving on the 9 June at Staffordshire University, a talk with Catherine Burgass a lecturer at Staffordshire University, interviewing Lisa Blower and a Hot Air author workshop at Staffordshire University on the 10 June.
Read Poetry Out Loud on Friday 10th June – Join with everyone in every school in Stoke-on-Trent, people at Staffordshire University, Stoke Sixth Form College and other organisations across the city reading the poem ‘“Read To Me” by Jane Yolen out loud at 11am.
Staffs Fringe Community Open Day at Staffordshire University & Stoke Sixth Form College on Saturday 11th June includes “Somewhere Special To Read” spaces for reading and storytelling with Beanstalk Charity.
The Big Book Swap Picnic in Hanley Park on Sunday 12th June invites the whole community to bring a picnic and a book to swap, from 12-2pm. If you haven’t got a spare book you can write a story or poem in exchange for a spare book. (Secondhand books donated by Stoke-on-Trent Libraries and service). For ALL ages. Adult and Community Learning and Family Learning, Creative Learning and Wavemaker will run free workshops and activities. Organised by the University Quarter Community Action Network.
And there is more planned – keep your eyes open for the Wee Free Library Boxes coming your way soon!
Look for updates on the University Quarter facebook and twitter
as well as Staffs Fringe facebook and twitter.