Writing for Children Workshop

News flash- This workshop is now full.

Here is an opportunity to attend a writing workshop in Wellington specifically for emerging writers in the Children’s Book genre, led by internationally published children’s book author, creative writing teacher and manuscript assessor, Fleur Beale.

When: Sunday October 5th 2008, 9.30am-4pm
Where: The Arts Centre, Abel Smith St, Wellington
Cost: $50 (includes morning and afternoon tea)

Limited spaces- for bookings and more information, (including assessment of writing sample) email: the.wcba@gmail.com or write to us at P.O Box 1242 Wellington by September 20th

N.B a $20 deposit will be required and the workshop will be filled on a first come first served basis- bookings essential.

Literary Agent hits town!

New Zealand writers should be the stars of our literary industry.

And what better way than to promote our writing over the ditch? As part of New Zealand Book Month, Sophie Hamley of The Cameron Creswell Agency in Sydney is visiting our fair shores and NZBM and NZSA along with The New Zealand Book Council invite you to attend a light lunch to discuss the Australian publishing scene, and answer your questions. This is a great opportunity for Wellington writers to meet an Australian literary agent and discuss opportunities and developments internationally. Do you want closer ties to Australian agents and publishers? Are you aware that you can submit to agents in Australia and, indeed, anywhere overseas? She’s interested to hear how you feel about rights and what's happening in the industry from your perspective.

International Literary Exchange Luncheon
Saturday 30th August
Te Whaea – National Dance and Drama School – Studio One.
Hutchinson Road, Newtown, Wellington.
$3 contribution at the door
A light lunch will be served from 11.45am to start discussions at 12noon.

Sophie Hamley has worked in the print and online publishing industries since leaving school. She started by doing her time in the bookselling trenches while at university and then, after a year working in children’s books in Vancouver, BC, went to HarperCollins Publishers Australia, starting as an editorial assistant. From there she moved to Penguin, and then into the online world for several years, at the Seven Network, Massive Interactive and CCH. After deciding to move back to books, she worked as a senior editor at HarperCollins across a wide variety of titles, before becoming senior literary agent at The Cameron Creswell Agency in May 2006.

The Cameron Creswell Agency:
The film agency, Cameron's, was established 32 years ago; Rosemary Creswell merged her eponymous literary agency with Cameron's in the 1980s to form The Cameron Creswell Agency. The agency looks after writers of all descriptions — book authors, playwrights and screenwriters for film and TV — as well as other individuals in creative fields, mainly film, television and theatre. This year the literary division has seen the publication of six first novels, as well as children's and non-fiction titles. The client list is eclectic, covering both literary and 'commercial' writers, and many different genres. Our authors are published across the full spectrum of Australian publishing houses, both large commercial houses and independents.

Supported by

NZ Book Month

Te Papa Book Launch sequence initiated!

The countdown is starting! Te Papa Tongarewa will launch New Zealand Book Month on Sunday August 31st from 10am and we want Wellington kids to show us their stuff!

There’s plenty of content for adults: contemporary Wellington musicians from conceptual group Fly My Pretties, witty conversation from David Eggleton, Jock Phillips, Duncan Sarkies and Joe Bennet, quirky live performances of Kiwi books in the Fruit Salad Sampler and Gregory O’Brien gives this year’s Janet Frame Memorial Lecture.

But this year the kids program is chocka! From making a giant snake, to craft and illustration with Good Morning’s Fifi Colston, The Void at Te Papa becomes a haven for young readers! What’s more we want ukulele’s there- as many as possible – so get your music class practicing and come along with your ukuleles! Expert Mike Dickinson will teach fab ukulele tunes for the Great Wellington Ukulele off! With special guest ukulelers!

Lynley Dodd will also be waiting to be impressed. It’s a fantasy dress up competition so come along as a character from her three fantasy titles: The Nickle Nackle Tree, The Other Ark and The Dungeon is Coming. Last years Hairy McClary competition was fantastic – but we know that Wellington can beat it so we’re hoping for some fantastical creations.
And there’s more!

Kate De Goldi and Jacqui Colley present their popular Lolly Leopold series with readings and badge making, while Capital E National Theatre for Children entertains with their dazzling puppetry and contemporary staging of Kiwi Moon. Finally, the Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust will be on hand all day with great Kiwi reading guides for Kiwi kids.
It’s going to be a dazzling day, full of brilliant books, fantasy characters and the chance to meet your favourite writers. We’ll also have fliers for our great Lunch Pack competition – where you can win great prizes! Don’t miss out! Get your class to come along and we’ll see you there.

For full event information on the Te Papa launch event please see below:

KIDS – a feast of foody and groovy titles to munch on- Location - The Void
10.30 – 11am: Capital E National Theatre for Children – Kiwi Moon Puppet Performance
11.30-12 am: Joy Cowley’s award winning Snake and Lizard book comes to life!
12.30-1pm: Dress up competition with Lynley Dodd.
1.30-2pm: Fifi Colston (TVNZ): Craft and illustration for kids
2.30-3pm: Kate De Goldi and Jacqui Colley – with their award winning Lolly Leopold series books: Readings and Badge making for kids.
3.30-4pm: Mike Dickinson will teach kids great ukulele tunes for a great Wellington Ukulele off! With special guest ukulelers!

ADULTS – a menu of taste sensations - Location – Te Marae
10.20-11.00: Opening and Six pack awards
11.30-12.30: Feast my pretties – musicians from Fly my Pretties and The Black Seeds present great kiwi poetry to live music. ( David Eggleton MC)
1pm – 2pm: Books and BBQs – Jock Phillips talks with: David Eggleton , Duncan Sarkies, and Joe Bennett.
2.30-3.30: Fruit salad sampler – Books come to life with live performance of a quirky range of kiwi titles. (MC Dave Armstrong)
4pm-5pm: Janet Frame Memorial Lecture – Gregory O’Brien.

For more information on the national programme of events as part of NZBM, visit http://www.nzbookmonth.co.nz/ or for the Kids Lunch Pack competition http://www.kids.nzbookmonth.co.nz/

An Invitation from the City Council:

You are invited to discuss the future of Wellington city’s arts sector in a series of sessions facilitated by Wellington City Council’s City Arts team.

Mapping the Future of the Arts in Wellington: FAQs

What is “Mapping the Future of the Arts in Wellington”?
Mapping the Future of the Arts in Wellington is a series of arts sector hui aimed at building a shared vision of Wellington’s arts and identifying some key steps towards realising this vision. The sessions will be hosted by Wellington City Council’s City Arts team. There will be six sessions, each dedicated to specific art forms, with one general session in recognition of the growing culture of cross-art form practice and for people who can’t make other sessions.

Who is it for? Why should I come?
It is for all people working in the arts in Wellington - from emerging artists to established practitioners, from teachers to producers, from arts organisations to amateur groups.
We are going through a time of rapid change. The arts sector faces new opportunities and challenges.
We need all voices of the arts sector represented to work together and ensure the sector’s continuous contribution to the city. These sessions will clarify what the issues are and provide discussion on what we want the future of arts in Wellington to look like and how we can all work together to achieve this.

When are the sessions?
The dates are:
Performing arts [including theatre, dance, circus, comedy, amateur dramatics, etc]
Friday 29 August, 10am–4pm
Visual arts [including 2D and 3D art forms, etc]
Saturday 30 August, 10am–4pm
Music [including classical, contemporary, pop, folk, jazz, etc]
Tuesday 2 September, 4pm–10pm Note that this is an evening session
Māori arts [including kapa haka, visual arts, literary arts, contemporary and traditional art forms]
Wednesday 3 September, 10am–4pm
All art forms: Saturday 6 September, 10am–4pm
Literary arts [including writers, publishers, promoters, etc]
Wednesday 10 September, 10am–4pm.

Where are the sessions?
All sessions will take place at Capital E in Civic Square.

How much is it?
There is no cost for the sessions but it is important that you RSVP to arts@wcc.govt.nz so we can make sure there is lunch/supper for you. Please let us know if you have particular dietary needs.

What will happen at the sessions?
The sessions will be led by Lawrence Green, an experienced arts sector facilitator. Each session will include a combination of structured sessions - that have been informed by preliminary discussions with the sector – and open space to allow for fresh ideas to be explored. We aim to progress these ideas as far as possible before and during these sessions so that we avoid going over the ‘same old ground’.
There will also be presentations from Creative New Zealand about changes to their contestable funding programme and from The Big Idea on their soon-to-be-launched upgraded site, TBI 2.0.

I want to attend, so what do I need to do?
You need to RSVP to arts@wcc.govt.nz letting us know which session/s you’d like to attend. Please RSVP four days before the session you’d like to attend.

Can I come to more than one session?
Absolutely. We encourage you to attend as many as you feel are relevant to you. This is a great opportunity to get an insight into some of the issues present for art forms other than your own area of expertise or interest.

What will happen to the information that comes out of the sessions?
Three things:
The information from these sessions will be available to anyone. We will email this information out to all attendees automatically. If you are unable to attend but would like to be kept informed, then please email arts@wcc.govt.nz to receive this information.
Information, ideas and activity from the sessions will be taken away and put into action by organisations, artists and arts practitioners.
The information from these sessions will also be fed into the current review of Wellington City Council’s Long Term Council Community Plan [LTCCP]. This plan outlines the Council’s intentions for the coming 10 years and is reviewed every three years. Specifically this information will inform the current review of the Cultural Wellbeing Strategy which is one of the seven strategic areas of the Council’s planning process. When the LTCCP is drafted, the Council will consult with Wellington residents before it is finalised.

If I can’t attend, will there be other ways that I can feed into this process?
Yes. Once the notes from the sessions have been distributed you are welcome to respond to these. Or you can feed in at a later stage through the public consultation of the LTCCP.
Who do I contact for more information?
Please contact Briar Monro on arts@wcc.govt.nz