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WRITE ABOUT TREES
A showcase of nature poetry and prose, performed by the writers themselves
Ticket Information
WRITE ABOUT TREES
Date: Sunday 23 May
Time: 16:30 - 18.00
Location: Online Zoom event
Tickets: Free (donations welcomed), booking essential
Hosted by poet & rapper Arji Manuelpillai, the WRITE ABOUT TREES showcase event introduces the shortlisted authors of the Urban Tree Festival writing competition, and includes readings of their poetry and prose. The winners and runners-up in each of the poetry and prose categories will be announced at the event.
Joining information will be sent to you when you book.
Event Information
Hosted by poet & rapper Arji Manuelpillai, the WRITE ABOUT TREES showcase event introduces the shortlisted authors of the Urban Tree Festival writing competition, and includes readings of their poetry and prose.
Run by the Museum of Walking and Sampson Low Publishers the Urban Tree Festival writing competition attracted over 100 entires. The competition required writers to compose poems or prose of 250 words and under, inspired by the theme of “trees close to you”.
The shortlisted pieces are published in Canopy an illustrated chapbook anthology, sale proceeds of which go to support future Urban Tree Festivals. Copies of the book can be purchased here.
The winners and runners-up in each of the poetry and prose categories will be announced at the event - with the accolade of on-line Poet & Prose Writer-in-Residence for the 2022 Urban Tree festival going to the winners in each category. We are grateful to the Mayor of London for providing financial support towards the prizes and the showcase.
Your host
Arji Manuelpillai is a poet, performer and creative facilitator based in London. For over 15 years Arji has worked with community arts projects nationally and internationally. Recently, he was the Jerwood Arvon Mentee mentored by Hannah Lowe. His poetry has been published in magazines including Cannon’s Mouth, Strix, The Rialto and Bath Magg. He has also been shortlisted for the BAME Burning Eye pamphlet prize 2018, The Robert Graves Prize 2018, The Oxford Prize 2019, The Live Canon Prize 2020, The National Poetry Prize 2021 and Winchester Prize 2021. He has also come runner-up in the Robert Graves Prize 2020. Arji is a member of Wayne Holloway-Smith’s poetry group, Malika’s Poetry Kitchen and London Stanza. Arji’s debut pamphlet ‘Mutton Rolls' was published with Out-Spoken Press. www.arji.org
Authors shortlisted in order of appearance at the Showcase:
E.E. Rhodes
E. E. Rhodes is an archaeologist who lives in Worcestershire, with her partner, a lot of books, and a horde of mice in the wainscotting. @electra_rhodes - will read Dod yn ôl at fy nghoed
Sarah Wheeler
Erstwhile lawyer, aspiring writer, frazzled mother. Sometime Londoner, returned to my rural roots. Now often found outside, with a double expresso, talking to hens. Sarah will read My Blackthorn is a tree
Sandra Horn
Sandra Horn is an award-winning children’s author and poet. Her work has been published in anthologies and in literary magazines. Sandra will read Urban Beech Tree II
Gabriel Burrow
Gabriel is a writer and editor based in London. He spends his time thinking about the future, which is exciting and terrifying all at once. @gabrielburrow - will read Bonsai
Robert Seatter
Published five poetry collections, latest coming May 2021: The Museum of Everything (Seren). Works at BBC as Head of BBC History. Robert will read The things I learned from the copper beech
Sarah McPherson
Sarah McPherson is a Sheffield-based writer of short fiction and poetry. Sarah will read Beyond the margins
Alison Clark
Alison Clark is a freelance designer who enjoys writing and loves a map. She infrequently tweets as @allielovestea and posts maps at www.mapsofthemundane.com - her story The Potted tree will be read by Mel Sutton
Chris Cuninghame
Christopher Cuninghame lives in east London and has worked internationally. He plays music sometimes, closing the windows if he remembers. Chris will read On looker
Andrew Simms
Andrew Simms is an author, political economist and campaigner. He is co-director of the New Weather Institute, coordinator of the Rapid Transition Alliance. Andrew will read On the common
Tom Raw
Tom Raw is originally from London. His somewhat patchy CV includes a tiny bit of writing, some trees, and working with wood. Tom will read The Wild Beneath
Georgia Cook
Georgia Cook is an illustrator and fantasy writer from London. She can be found on twitter at @georgiacooked and at https://www.georgiacookwriter.com/ - shortlisted for story: The trees near me
Sarah Wheeler
Erstwhile lawyer, aspiring writer, frazzled mother. Sometime Londoner, returned to my rural roots. Now often found outside, with a double expresso, talking to hens. Sarah will read Lincoln’s Inn Fields
Rachel Sloan
Rachel Sloan is an art historian, curator and writer. Her writing has appeared in Stonecrop Review, STORGY, and was Highly Commended in the 2020 Bridport Prize. Rachel will read Daphne
Peter Isaacson
Peter Isaacson is a fencing contractor and estate worker who lives in the Inner Hebrides. Peter will read Hebridean Christmas Tree
E. E. Rhodes
E. E. Rhodes is an archaeologist who lives in Worcestershire, with her partner, a lot of books, and a horde of mice in the wainscotting. E. E. Rhodes will read Counting Cherry Stones
Charis Fox
Charis Fox lives in Leicestershire and loves exploring the British countryside with a flask of coffee - will read Giving thanks
The writers will be joined by the competition judges
For poetry:
Ghazal Mosadeq is an Iranian-Canadian writer, poet and translator based in London. She is the founder of Pamenar Press, an independent cross-cultural, multi-lingual publisher based in UK, Canada and Iran. Mosadeq's work has been performed internationally at festivals such as the Inishbofin Festival, Surrey Poetry Festival, Po-Ex Symposium Chile, among others. Her writings have been published by Words Without Borders, Poetry Wales, Boiler House Press, The Stand Magazine, Hesterglock Press, Vanguard Press, Tentacular and Oversound. She has published three poetry collections, Dar Jame Ma (2010), Biographies (2015), and Supernatural Remedies for Fatal Seasickness (2018). She lives in a home jungle of apartment plants.
Dr Samantha Walton is a poet and non-fiction writer, whose books include Self Heal (2018), a collection of poems about nature and the self, and The Living World (2020), the first literary study of the Scottish nature writer Nan Shepherd. She’s soon to publish a book about the deep history of the 'nature cure' Everybody Needs Beauty (Bloomsbury, July 2021) exploring the science and stories behind this relationship, and considering how the climate crisis will affect our mental health. Samantha is unable to attend the showcase event.
For prose:
NG Bristow is a screen writer, director and visual artist. He is rooted at Goldsmiths University of London, where he runs the MA in Directing Fiction. An award-winning filmmaker and installation artist whose practice encompasses classical narrative, expanded cinema, and para-cinema. Past work in these categories includes: CONTROL , winner of the Louis Mitchell award for best feature / short at Action on Film festival 2016. UNSOUND, showcase premiere at SXSW. Using the prototype Sensum Emotional Response Cinema technology, the film recomposes its narrative in real time based on bio-feedback from the audience. He has been commissioned by: FilmFour, C4, BBC, UKFC, BFI, NIFC, NI Screen and the Arts Council.
Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone is a prize-winning writer, editor, reviewer and creative writing teacher. Her novel, Home, about a corrupt care home, is published by Red Button Publishing and Glitches, her short story chapbook, is published by Acorn Books. A creative writing lecturer in several settings for over ten years, devising and delivering workshops for City, University of London (MA and Short Courses), Bishopsgate Institute, Emmanuel & Pembroke Colleges Cambridge, the Guardian and the Graham Greene Festival. She currently teaches on City’s Novel Studio and runs City Writes, a showcase event for students and alumni of Creative Writing Short Courses at City, University of London. Rebecca is also the anthology editor.
The anthologies are beautifully illustrated by Alban Low and published by his family’s 300 year old publishing company Sampson Low Publishers.
Read more about WRITE ABOUT TREES and the competitions in the blog.
Buy the Canopy 2021 chapbook anthology of poetry and prose - in support of future festivals - just £4.50 +p&p
Supported by the Woodland Trust.
Please Donate
Most tickets for the Urban Tree Festival are free, but we ask attendees to please donate if they can.
We suggest a donation of £5 per event and you can easily donate when booking your ticket. Larger donations are always welcomed.
Donations are essential to the running of the Urban Tree Festival and you can find out why here.