Creative Connections: Connect Dudley by Rick Sanders

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PROJECT: Connect Dudley
ARTIST: Rick Sanders

ABOUT THE PROJECT: Connect Dudley was an online writing workshop that connected people during lockdown. Designed by Rick Sanders, a poet and artist living in Lye, the workshop aimed to bring people together through writing, asking them to reflect on what lockdown means to them and those around them during extraordinary times…

The 8 week writing course focused on exploring what the group had to give up during lockdown and what they had to do differently over the same period, reflecting on the thoughts, feelings and emotions of living during lockdown. “

We will be writing letters to ourselves over this period and they will form a collection of work that, as a whole, will tell a story.

Together with the letters, the group will be asked to take a single photograph of those they are in lockdown with – either family, friends or by themselves. The letters and the photographs will then be responded to by two poets and the poems will be gifted to the participants as a creative keepsake.”

All the work will also go exhibition at CoLab Dudley, 201a High Street, Dudley once the lockdown period is over. An online event with poetry readings will take place during Winter 2020.

Comments from the participants:

”The sessions were well organised and offered lots of chances for participation. The tutor and host were both welcoming and encouraging of all participants to share their work.”

”A really enjoyable and thought provoking writing process. Getting to hear everyone’s thoughts and feelings over Zoom in relation to the weeks writing prompt allowed me to feel closer to those involved in the group. It helped me reflect and understand my own thoughts and opinions about Lockdown and Corona and how I was feeling about the upheaval in my life. Getting a poem in response to my own writing was amazing, it was personal and understood everything I had incorporated in my letters.”

”Fabulous opportunity to engage my writing brain for some purpose other than self amusement.”

“Really enjoyable, well organised, accessible event. Sparking lots of ideas for my own writing and reflection on lockdown.”

“Was good to have it weekly to encourage us to write regularly. I enjoyed being set a 'homework' to help guide our writing. Was incredibly kind of Rick and Nina to offer to write us individual poems at the end. Environment was welcoming and non-judgemental. Would have been nice to have more 'small talk' before and after the main topic of each session, to get to know the other participants more, but that is really hard in a virtual space.”

Creative Connections, DudleyKerry O'CoyCreative Connections, Poetry, Rick sanders