A series of creative writing workshops at Gatis Community Space featured hugely in this year`s LoveTheReans Festival.
Participants from the Man About Mondays workshops took part in the Music and Poetry Jam at the Newhampton Arts Centre and also headlined the closing day of celebrations at Gatis Community Space.
Gatis Community Space provides a safe and inclusive environment which puts community at the heart of a variety of diverse projects in the heart of Whitmore Reans in Wolverhampton.
The 15 week workshops are led by poet Ian Henery who also coached participants from the workshops into how to use a microphone and performance skills, all of which came in useful for when attendees of his workshops took to the stage at the Newhampton Arts Centre.
The workshops have grown to see a collaboration with the Good Shepherd in Wolverhampton and SUIT - Service User Involvement Team for September`s recovery Month with art and spoken word at the Newhampton Arts Centre.
Attendees described the festival as “supportive, well-organised” and “inspiring for families,” reflecting the festival's warm and inclusive atmosphere.
Reflecting on the festival, Trevelyan Wright, CEO of Newhampton Arts Centre, remarked, “We've had three days of events showing that Whitmore Reans is not just a place bursting with skilled and talented people, it's also a supportive and generous place when it comes to turning out and celebrating all of this local brilliance. A special thanks to Curiosity Productions, another local business, for pulling all this together so well.”
This event was made possible by funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority's and HM Government's Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund. The LoveTheReans Festival successfully demonstrated the creativity, talent, and unity of the Whitmore Reans community, leaving many eager for its return next year.
