Maryport Arts and Literature Festival 2024: Life on the Edge
Maryport Arts and Literature Festival 2024: Life on the Edge
Talking trees, the ecology crisis and historic battles for justice will be among the topics discussed at the Maryport Arts and Literature Festival – back for its 14th year on 1st March at the Senhouse Roman Museum.
This year’s theme will be ‘Life on the Edge’, and features a programme of talks and writing, art, and photography workshops in collaboration with the Maryport Arts and Heritage Partnership. The opening festival weekend (Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd March) will take place in the museum, followed by workshops in Maryport town centre and along the Solway Coast to Allonby and Mawbray.
Highlights of the opening weekend include Caroline Moorehead talking about ‘Mountain Guru: The Life of Doug Scott’, her definitive biography of Cumbria-based mountaineer Doug Scott; Christine Raafat with her biographical novel The Will to Succeed: Lady Anne Clifford’s Battle for her Rights; and, a presentation on how trees communicate with each other, by Suzanne Simard, Professor of Forest Ecology at the University of British Columbia.
The workshop programme will include poetry writing, led by Cumbrian born poet Kathleen Jones and a painting workshop led by well-known local artist, Alison Critchlow. Further writing workshops will be led by local author Angela Locke, and photography workshops are also planned.
Jane Laskey, Senhouse Museum manager said: “The arts and literature festival is now a well-established annual event, and this year we‘re delighted to be collaborating with the Maryport Arts and Heritage Partnership to take the programme to an even wider audience.
“Life on the Edge is a very appropriate theme for this area, and over the course of the festival we will cover a wide range of environmental, historical and literary topics. The festival will also be visiting community hubs in Maryport and along the coast and encouraging people to create their own work with a programme of creative writing, art and photography workshops which lasts until the end of May.”
Other highlights of the programme confirmed so far include Alastair McIntosh, discussing his challenging new book Riders on the Storm about the ecology crisis; local author Angela Locke talking about her new novel, Tamarisk: Love and War in France; and, Steve Matthews who will be reading from his collection of sonnets inspired by artist Gwen John.
Further details and the latest programme can be found on the Senhouse Roman Museum website – www.senhousemuseum.co.uk
The festival is supported by an Arts Council England Project Grant and the events scheduled in the town centre are supported by funding from Historic England’s Heritage Action Zone.
To learn more about what’s happening follow Cumbria Guide on our social media
Share It:
