SMASHING SUCCESS: Writers’ Conference Signals New Arena in Publishing

For Immediate Release

ONE Magazine and Partners Create New Arena for Literature, Arts and Culture

pictured: John Calder, Anne Clarke, Rupert Thomson

On 27 September 2008, the 40th anniversary of the Theatre Act, abolishing censorship in the UK, something new went right: the 1st Annual Merchant City Writers’ Conference in Glasgow proved that once again, change has begun within the arts, literature, theatre and culture — reading as we know it, will never be the same.

ONE Magazine, the fastest-growing independent publishing project in Scotland, along with a host of like-minded event partners including the Scottish Book Trust, StAnza International Poetry Festival, Mckernan Literary Agency, Little Brown Books, Theatre NEMO, Scotland’s Federation of Writers, Bookstart Rhymetime and John Calder of Calder Publications joined forces for a common message: innovate and create change.

The 200+ conference attendees came from all walks of life: business suits mingled with track suits, and people as young as 10 listened intently as the 81-year-old Calder reinvigorated a call for this new avante garde to challenge the status quo — age, gender, nor class figured into the events of the day.

Open mic readings, exhibitions and film screenings took place throughout the afternoon in addition to two highly spirited panel discussions. The first, Censorship and the Future: Market-Driven Trends or Social Realities? Included John Calder — Poet & Publisher, AC Clarke — Poet, Secretary - Federation of Writers Scotland, Jim Ferguson — Journalist - The Scotsman, Edwin Hawkes — Literary Agent, Rupert Thomson, Writer, Editor - The Skinny, and Martin Belk — Writer, Editor - One Magazine. The debate covered areas from social forces which currently affect the creation of new work to the decisions between an artist producing for the market vs. creating for an audience, with Edwin Hawkes underscoring the need for contemporary writers in particular to maintain or get back to creating their own truths in the face of quick media and a celebrity culture.

The second conversation, Your Mind for Your Money: 21st Century Education and Good Intentions… Can You Write What They Teach?, featured a new panel with Calder, Eleanor Livingstone — Artistic Director, StAnza Int’l Poetry Festival, Glasgow Councillor Bailie Gordon Matheson, Isabel McCue — Director - Theatre NEMO, Susan Reynolds — Curator of Czech & Slovak, The British Library, Brian Whittingham — Author, Creative Writing Lecturer and James W Wood — Poet, Writer, Critic. A passionate audience challenged the councillor and government policies while Whittingham criticized a curriculum of “dead poets” while Reynolds defended the works of classic authors as very much alive and relevant. Councillor Matheson asserted the need for robust core programs and defended community programs that teach writing about football as not “dumbing down” — and teachers responded with concerns over disciplinary exclusions. Theatre NEMO director Isabel McCue, whose organization is paving new avenues in mental health and wellness within the community and prisons brought up new challenges in a society of what some described as “throw away people”.

pictured: Eleanor Livingstone, Councillor Gordon Matheson, Susan Reynolds

Further, Eleanor Livingstone underscored the need for festivals and cultural institutions to become more and more free and accessible, while Belk went on to point the finger squarely at elitist “culture-cliques” in the US and UK, who seek to control the ability of new work to come forward through high-priced tickets while readers and participants are “herded like cattle into shallow celebrity shows by festival masters who value hype over content”. Echoing the sentiment was James W Wood, whose critical poem Song Of Scotland and article in the lastest issue of ONE are making waves of their own, calling for a new focus on content, and an abandonment of committee-based prize culture.

Early results show the ONE Magazine Writers’ Conference has begun a new conversation in Scotland and beyond, clearly demonstrating the need for innovation and change within society. The event was a distinct beginning of something new.

The debate continues… Full audio and transcripts of the event will soon be available online at www.IamONE.co.uk

Contact

JD Pryce
0845 626 2018
thefuture@IamONE.co.uk