As part of the Across the Lines (IFI) programme at The Glens Centre, Manorhamilton.
Local singer songwriters Caimen O Shea (The Thing Itself) and Phoebe Dick (Open Mic Manor) will lead three workshops running concurrently in Enniskillen and Manorhamilton starting Wed 9th October. All participants come together for three final workshop sessions with Leitrim based performer Perry Blake in Lakeland Community Centre in Belcoo.
Phoebe, well known to many local people as a community arts facilitator and associated (along with others) with Open Mic Manor will focus on the ‘across-the-lines’ crossing boundaries and borders theme. She says she is “looking forward to helping individuals discover or define what it is they want to say and fitting this into a song-structure with them”. Phoebe herself loves song-writing for many reasons including “manipulating content for rhythm and rhyme” and speaking of her workshop approach she says” I see this as a playful sort of process, like solving a puzzle, that somehow takes something which may have been initially deeply personal or totally fictional and makes it something that feels familiar”. Caimen is a regular performer who recently has undertaken a residency in The Devenish Bar in Enniskillen. His aim in these sessions is “to get inspiration flowing and help folks either start writing a song or finish an existing song piece”. Participants will then have the opportunity to work with the acclaimed Sligo artist and recent returnee Perry Blake. This year Perry Blake released a new album, “Songs of Praise”, his first in 13 years which he feels is his best work yet. Participants can expect Perry to bring something of his own experiences and diverse musical experimentation to his workshops.
Ruth Moore , Coordinator of the programme, outlines that “these workshops are open to all” and “are a creative space for nurturing individual voice and by bringing participants toegther, individuals can learn and share together and be open to each other’s ideas and voice as common border dwellers. Further creative writing workshops will be held in the new year with the poet Maria McManus and song writing masterclasses. All participants will have the opportunity to try out new work in a cross border Open Mic in May 2020 co-hosted by Open Mic Manor and The Thing Itself with The Glens Centre.
To register to take part – Please get in touch with Ruth on 00353871669951 or 0871669951 or email: acrossthelines@theglenscentre.com and please indicate whether you are registering for Enniskillen or Manorhamilton workshops and provide your name, contact email and number. Workshops are free but places are limited.
