Group Prize Winners - King Lear Prizes 2023

Congratulations to our King Lear Prizes 2023 Group Winners!

Group Poetry Prize - Open Age Poets
Group Short Story Prize - The Swarthmore Scribblers (Leeds)
Group Writers’ Prize - Writing From Home
Group Art Prize - Dromboughil Artists
Group Mixed Arts Prize - Droitwich Arts Network

See the winners of our individual prizes here

OPEN AGE POETS

Tell us a bit about your group..

Our group, Open Age Poets, is formed around a Poetry class, run by Open Age, a charity running classes and events, for older people, in Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster and Hammersmith and Fulham. Our Poetry class is funded by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea through Adult Community Learning.  We meet once a week, for two hours at an Open Age centre in Ladbroke Grove. The classes run on a termly basis, with a longish break.

Every term, each member of the group chooses three areas they would like to cover whether it is poetic form and structure, categories of poetry or specific poets and our teacher Tracey works around these, trying to include every interest. We’ve had a look at Petrarchan Sonnets, Redact poetry, Rhyme, Pantoums, Ballads, children’s poetry, poet laureates, performance poetry and lots more. Based on the subject that day, we write our own poetry as homework and share it in the next meeting.

What do you most enjoy about being in a group?

I love taking part in this group every week, from the subjects covered, the questions and variety of opinion to the sheer scope of poetry everyone provides.  I love the discussions around whether a specific text qualifies as a poem. I think we’ve finally agreed if it’s in a poetry class, it probably does. Everybody is prepared to take risks and take part. When the King Lear Prizes competition was announced the whole class:  Carol, Helena, Mark, Mike, Colin, Christine, Maggie, Zoe, Pam and myself all submitted entries.

Recently we have been looking at videos of performance poets, like Kae Tempest, John Cooper Clarke, Bohdan Piasecki, and Allen Ginsburg. We’ve all had a go, shuffling to the end of the class performing poems and rants about aliens, exotic pets, war and home secretaries. Our teacher has a plan to go and hijack an Open Mic or Poetry event.

THE SWARTHMORE SCRIBBLERS (LEEDS)

How was your group formed?

The Swarthmore Scribblers is comprised of current and former students of the creative writing course taught by published author and professional editor, Leonora Rustamova, at the Swarthmore Education Centre for Lifelong Learning in Leeds. With Leonora’s support and encouragement, the students started meeting socially to continue their creative writing activities.

Where do you meet?

Leonora’s creative writing course continues to be taught at the Swarthmore Education Centre in Leeds, and many of the group currently attend that. She also delivers an online course for those in the group that are working on longer projects, such as novels and memoirs. The Scribblers interact on a WhatsApp group and hold quarterly Open Mic reading events in the Fox and Newt pub, just outside Leeds city centre.

What types of activities do you do as a group?

We attend classes to improve our writing. We hold a quarterly Open Mic reading event at the Fox and Newt pub in Leeds. Members of the group, as well as friends and family come along to listen while individual Scribblers read their work to a supportive audience. The group has previously carried out writing projects, such as creating themed short story collections. The group also provides friendship, as well as mutual encouragement and support.

The main interest of the Scribblers is in prose fiction, both short stories and novels, but the group also includes poets, dramatists and memoirists.

What do you enjoy about being part of the group?

The group has always had a friendly, warm, witty and good humoured atmosphere. It has fostered many new friendships and acquaintances. Being in the Scribblers group has not only helped to develop our writing skills, but has given us an arena to share and discuss our love of fiction and other art forms.

And it holds events in a pub; what’s not to like?

Do you have any upcoming events, exhibitions etc. that you are particularly excited about?

The Scribblers always enjoy their own classes and Open Mic events. Several recently attended the book launch for the debut novel by James Lomax, a member of the group. We hope more members will be holding launches of their own in the future.

We have poetry and prose events at Swarthmore including upcoming lectures on poetry and politics by Sir John Battle. Individual Scribblers have a diverse array of cultural interests, not least a passionate support for our football club. Exciting forthcoming events range from a new production of Oliver! at Leeds Playhouse to a gig celebrating Alice Coltrane’s music.

WRITING FROM HOME

How was your group formed?

The group was formed during lockdown by members of our umbrella organisation, Crowborough Arts. We came together, at a distance, to write poems about paintings and to support Crowborough Arts’ efforts to keep functioning during that difficult time.  Hence the name ‘Writing From Home’. Following that we held a Zoom meeting where we decided we’d like to carry on as a poetry writing group and agreed we would choose a theme each month.  We had our first face to face meeting, socially distanced, in Barbara’s garden in September 2020 and the theme was ‘Gardens’.

Where do you meet?

We meet roughly every 4 – 6 weeks in each other’s homes and share the work written to the theme agreed at the previous meeting.  We have tackled many themes already including ‘After’, Batemans’, ‘Cloth’, ‘Curtains, ‘Dance’, ‘Deadline’, ‘Decoration’, ‘Edge’, ‘Elementals’, ‘Escape’, ‘Fear’, ‘Flowers’, ‘Gardens’, ‘Ghosts’, ‘Heat’, ‘Hope’, Keepsake’, ‘Masks’, ‘Pearl/s’, Shadow/s’, ‘Space’, ‘Sussex’, ‘Swimming’ We are currently writing to the theme of ‘Colours’.  Obviously giving each other constructive feedback. is a key part of the process and we now feel comfortable enough with each other socially to do this with honesty!

What types of activities do you do as a group?

This summer we visited Bateman’s, the National Trust property in this area and used it as a stimulus for poetry.  The property management was kind enough to make a display of our seven pieces of work in the Scullery Bookshop there.  Another thing we have done in the past is to take part in two evenings of Poetry and Music put on locally  by Crowborough Arts.  These have been well supported.  Music is usually provided by a duo and has tended to fit well with the poetry themes. On both occasions it was folk music.

What do you enjoy about being part of the group?

“The support and encouragement that we all give each other. And the camaraderie of the group which creates a positive and trusting environment.”

“A good opportunity to get together both to write and get gentle but astute feedback on our contribution.”

“It is always a pleasure to share poetry in the group, not just to have fun but to receive valuable feedback and learn in a positive and supportive environment.”

“There is such pleasure to be gained from seeing the ways in which members of the group tackle the same theme.” 

Do you have any upcoming events, exhibitions etc. that you are particularly excited about?

Obviously, we aim to carry on enjoying our love of writing poetry and will surely be inspired by our winning the King Lear Prize for poetry groups.  Recently three of our members attended a workshop at the Charleston Festival  run by Yomi Sode and titled ‘Inspired by Art’ and we are looking forward to them feeding back about their experience.

We also aim to hold another of our Poetry and Music evenings in February 2024.

DROMBOUGHIL ARTISTS

How was your group formed?

Our Art Group was set up by Dromboughil Community Association, a rural cross-community group set up by Valerie Buchanan in 1999. Since then, Valerie and our much beloved first tutor Cecil Ross have died. Now our art teacher is Sheila Byrne, a wonderful tutor and artist, despite the fact that she, unlike some of the students, is well under sixty.

Where do you meet?

We meet at Dromboughil Community Centre, outside Dungiven in Co Londonderry, where we have a weekly two hour class including a tea break and chat, (not confined to the break.)  It is a great place, with enough space for us all to keep our distance, as we have done since Covid reared its ugly head, but still hear each other talk. We have formed a lovely friendship and are always ready to welcome newcomers, from complete beginners to highly experienced.

What types of activities do you do as a group?

We all paint whatever most appeals to us, - several local beauty spots, animals, pets, birds, landscapes. We produced a calendar which proved popular and we are currently having Christmas cards printed.

What do you most enjoy about being part of the group?

Being able to bring our visions to life, with Sheila's help. The company of like-minded people. The opportunity to see what other people produce and the feeling we are all making progress with our skills, however slowly.

Do you have any upcoming events, exhibitions etc. that you are particularly excited about?

We are planning an exhibition for Easter 2024, but the details remain to be finalised.

DROITWICH ARTS NETWORK

How was your group formed?

Droitwich Arts Network was formed over 15 years ago to advocate and champion all forms of art in the Droitwich area, including visual arts, performing arts, photography, media, the written word, music and crafts. The network provides opportunities for the public to participate in various workshops and events. We also identify opportunities for members to be involved in local events, festivals, projects and activities. Members display their work at a number of venues in Droitwich. We hold meetings once a month, interspersed with regular informal meetings and social events. Website addy below!

 Where do you meet?

We meet at what was an empty retail unit in the shopping centre. The landlord wanted to create a community hub and invited Droitwich Arts Network to collaborate in creating, and operating, the Hub. 

What types of things do you do as a group?

We aim to encompass all forms of art. The majority of members create a wide range of visual art, but we include musicians, poets, authors, photographers, craft worker, jewellery, ceramics, etc. Our meetings include demonstrations, painting "en plein air", still life drawing and painting, and informal "drink and doodle" evenings. Once or twice a year we hold "Dabble Days" where members of the general public can try a variety of forms of art.

What do you most enjoy about being part of the group?

Members enjoy exchanging ideas particularly across different forms of art. Engaging with the general public via our "Dabble Days" or smaller drop in workshops, are always enjoyable activities. The network is very inclusive, welcoming members with disabilities. We are building a relationship with a local care home, with the aim of involving some of their residents in sessions to be held in their building.

Do you have any upcoming events, exhibitions etc. that you are particularly excited about?

Currently we exhibit about 60 pictures as well as ceramics, jewellery and felts. During 2024 we plan to invite other local clubs to exhibit their work in the Hub. We will hold at least one Dabble Day during next year, possibly in a venue away from the town centre in order to engage people who may not have the opportunity to experience and try art. We are in the early stages of a collaboration with our local volunteer led theatre group.