Be inspired by books, poetry and artists

Professional artists and poets will be delivering top notch workshops and events in local libraries this month thanks to Inspire, Nottinghamshire's new cultural organisation.

The September workshops programme is built around the ‘3x3x3: Three Books, Three Poets, Three Artists’ exhibition and has something for everyone.

Print, drawing and poetry workshops, as well as great family fun, will all be on offer as part of the September scheme.

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Author poet Jacqueline Gabbitas and artist illustrator Martin Parker, both from Nottinghamshire, feature among the artists exhibiting and run the publishing house Stonewood Press.

Booking is now open for these creative experiences.

Visit www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/events or www.inpsireculture.org.uk.

Here’s a round up of what’s on offer locally...

Mansfield Central Library:

Family workshop, Tales from the Night Library with Anna Robinson and Martin Parker

Friday 24 September, 11 – 1pm, The event is free and anyone interested can just drop by.

The promotional material says:

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Libraries are special places and they hide a thousand stories.

How many of these stories are yours?

To compliment The Night Library exhibition showing in the gallery from September 6 – October 9, poet Anna Robinson and artist Martin Parker are running this workshop and will have hidden special story books in and around the library.

‘Go along and join them to seek them out and add your own story and illustrations.’

As for the background of the artists, Martin Parker was born in Warsop.

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He is a visual and sound artist with an MA in fine art from Central Saint Martin’s, London.

He works as a freelance graphic designer and clients include the Tate Modern, The Wallace Collection and Royal Museums Greenwich.

His art has been exhibited in Edinburgh, London and abroad and also featured in several books, magazines and album covers.

To find out more visit www.stonewoodpress.co.uk.

Anna Robinson‘s first collection, The Finders of London (Enitharmon Press), was shortlisted for the Seamus Heaney Poetry Centre Prize in 2011.

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The Night Library with artworks by Martin Parker was published by Stonewood Press in 2015.

Anna has taught at the University of East London, The Poetry School, HMP Brixton, and in schools, libraries and public record offices.

She has also been (and no doubt will be again one day) a librarian. Anna is currently the chairman of the Friends of Waterloo Library.

You can find out more by visiting www.annarobinsonpoetry.co.uk

Exhibitions:

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The ‘3x3x3: Three Poets, Three Artists, Three Libraries’ event has already been launched and is running until to Sunday October 9. It is free of charge.

The promotional material says: ‘Take three poets, match them up with three artists, and the results are three very different books: Small Grass, a short collection of nature poems written from the viewpoint of grass; The Night Library, a love song to libraries, and Lace, a celebration of lace and the women who made it.’

Small Grass, a short collection of nature poems written from the viewpoint of grass will be shown at Worksop Library Gallery

The Night Library: a love song to libraries will be shown at Mansfield Central Library Gallery

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Lace: a celebration of lace and the women who made it will be shown at Arnold Library Gallery.

Worksop workshops:

Writing Workshop: Red in Tooth and Claw, poetry writing with Worksop-born poet Jacqueline Gabbitas.

The event is being held at Worksop Library on Saturday September 10 (10 am to 12 midday). The cost is £15.

A Small Grass workshop will be held at the same venue on September 10 (1 pm to 4 pm). The cost is £35.

If the two worksops above are booked together the combined cost is £40. To book call the library or visit smallgrassworkshop.eventbrite.co.uk.