InfoIslington - Islington Reference Library

Word Festival 2013

This year’s Word Festival is bigger and more ambitious than ever. The Word Festival is an ambitious initiative of commissioned activities, events and workshops which focuses on and explores the pleasure of reading and writing and freedom of expression. It will start on 1 May 2013 and will be a celebration of the work of the borough’s literature sector, local writers and the local community. Through a unique collaboration between Islington Library and Heritage Services, Islington Arts Service, Free Word and the boroughs arts sector the activities, events and workshops will reach across communities in Islington. Download the full festival brochure here. Throughout May we’ll be celebrating reading, writing and freedom of expression with events including:

• Grandad, Dads and lads poetry event at Arsenal FC
• Creative writing workshops run by Birkbeck for young people
• Teen Book vote with an event at Waterstones, Islington Green
• Bookwraps – trees across the borough will be wrapped in bookjackets
• Week-long mini-festival of events in Archway area
• Personal play readings at a public picnic - written by professionals performed by young people
• Young people produced open-mic night in a local café - scripts, spoken word, rap with guest artists
• A mental health focussed creative writing project leading to a publication and performance
• Storytelling walks in various locations by storyteller Helen East
• Turkish Translator in residence working with comic artist in 3 secondary schools, resulting in sharing event and publications @ Free Word
• An audio magazine to accompany Talking news for Blind and Visually Impaired residents
• Intergenerational workshops in various art forms to be showcased at the Spring ball
• Guerilla knitting and story workshops and sharing event
• A creative night time walking workshop around cultural hotspots led by Innua Ellams resulting in a short film
• Reading Flashmobs and a lot more….

World Cities Culture Report

This report compares twelve major cities across the world and concludes that culture is critical to how a city wants to present itself on the world stage.

In London, culture has a critical role in ensuring its economic prosperity:

• 1,030 museums and galleries contributed to the city's ability to attract 15 million international tourists in 2011.
• The city's 214 theatres and their world-renowned productions result in more than £500m in ticket sales per year, while the 566 screens of London's 108 cinemas generated over £235m in revenue in 2010.
• With 349 live music venues, 10 major concert halls, 337 night clubs and 37,450 restaurants, London provides its residents with a vibrant cultural environment appealing to industries and talents from around the world.
• 99,360 international students came to study in London higher education colleges in 2010 - 57 of which specialise in culture.

Free Word Centre

Islington is home to the Free Word Centre, the UK’s only dedicated literature house with an extensive programme of festivals and events.  Free Word is the base for a range of extraordinary organisations involved in promoting and developing literature, literacy and free expression.

Islington 2012 Events

With the London 2012 Games lighting up the capital this summer, Islington has a celebration of arts, culture and sport to entertain you from Spring to September.

In this special edition events diary you will find festivals, events, dance, music, theatre and art which link up with, or are inspired by the London 2012 Festival.

Cultural Matters: a Cultural Strategy for Islington 2010-2015

Islington Council recognises and supports the intrinsic value of culture, the joy and benefit that culture brings to the lives of people for its own sake. However, the local authority has wider priorities and Islington Council also recognises the instrumental value of culture. Although culture is not a magic wand that can solve deep-seated issues on it’s own it can bond people and things together and help deliver on the Council’s wider agenda, improving the health and wellbeing of its residents, promoting skills and educational attainment, economic prosperity and community cohesion.

See the Strategy here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creative Islington

"Islington is a creative powerhouse; arts and culture are at its heart. We want to harness and promote the energy and ideas of the creative sector, building meaningful networks that enable the borough's organizations and individuals to fulfill their creative potential".

Funded by Islington Council Creative Islington is an independent not for profit company limited by guarantee.