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PRODID:-//Essex Book Festival - ECPv4.0.4//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Essex Book Festival
X-ORIGINAL-URL:http://35.176.91.154
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Essex Book Festival
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260601
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260630
DTSTAMP:20260518T164522
CREATED:20260326
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515
UID:11579-1780272000-1782863999@35.176.91.154
SUMMARY:Essex Writers House 2026
DESCRIPTION:\nEssex Writers House 2026\n01 – 30 June 2026\nMetal\, Chalkwell Hall\nChalkwell Park\, Southend-on-Sea\, SS0 8NB\nA collaboration between Essex Book Festival and Metal Southend.\n\nEssex Writers House is a month-long programme hosted by Metal\, based in Southend as part of Essex Book Festival. Chalkwell Hall opens its doors through June as a creative hub\, offering a range of events from talks\, open advice sessions and workshops to collaborative workspaces for writers\, story tellers and book lovers of all levels.\nWriting routes\nThis year’s Essex Writers House celebrates the messy and circuitous paths writers take. It highlights the challenges and surprises they encounter\, from global political contexts and rejection to the friendships and collaborations that shape and champion their work.\n\nFollow guest writers\, poets and creatives as they take you on a journey into the Essex landscape along the estuary mudflats\, coastline\, footpaths and into the wilderness. Keep an eye on the website for a full list of outdoor events taking place across June in South Essex.\n\nFor full Essex Writers House event listings visit: metalculture.com/projects/essex-writers-house-2026-programme/\n\n \n\n\n\nAt Chalkwell Hall\nWriters’ Hot Desks\nTake time and space from everyday life by booking yourself a writer’s hot desk. Tucked away on the top floor of Chalkwell Hall\, each writing desk offers views overlooking the Thames Estuary. A space perfect for sinking into ideas and shaping new projects.\n\n\nWild Writing Desk\nThe Wild Writing Desk is back. Take a seat outside (weather permitting) in the Peacock Garden\, next door to Chalkwell Hall. Based within the park\, find yourself writing to the pace of nature and co-working with the resident robin in the yew tree. An inspirational space to let your writing go wild.\nCo-Working Spaces\nChalkwell Hall will open as a co-working space for writing and a quiet space for reading\, with moments for sharing\, creating and connecting with others from the local writing community. Drop in through June (Monday – Friday 10.00 -16.00).\n\n \nOpen Advice Sessions 3 / 10 / 17 / 24 June\nBook a 1:1 slot with the Metal Team and a special guest panellist to gain valuable feedback\, advice and support. These sessions are free and welcome writers at any stage of their journey\, whether you're starting out or refining a manuscript. This space is dedicated to you\, your writing needs and your development.\nSpecial guest Open Advice panellists include:\n[caption id="attachment_11580" align="alignnone" width="134"] Photo of Dean Atta © Josimar Senior[/caption]\n\nDean Atta is an award-winning Black British writer whose heartfelt storytelling draws on his Greek Cypriot and Jamaican heritage as well as his queer identity. He writes poetry\, fiction\, and nonfiction for all ages. Dean Atta has published award winning novels for young adults and younger readers as well as his memoir Person Unlimited: An Ode to My Black Queer Body.\n\n[caption id="attachment_11581" align="alignnone" width="131"] Photo of Saira Nazi © Saira Nazi[/caption]\n\nSaira Niazi is a writer\, renegade guide and founder of Living London. Creative and Life Writing MA Graduate from Goldsmiths College\, Saira was shortlisted for the Art Foundation Futures Award for Place Writing and published multiple publications including Renegade Guides: the places we go\, the stories we share and On Belonging\, Reflections of a Renegade Guide out now.\n\n[caption id="attachment_11582" align="alignnone" width="135"] Photo of Lora Aziz © Marley Karazimba[/caption]\n\nLora Aziz is an interdisciplinary artist\, storyteller\, land-based cultural producer\, and creative strategist. Her work weaves together ecology\, memory\, and storytelling through workshops\, residencies\, foraging walks\, and community rituals. Some of Lora’s most recent work has been published in Thirst: In search of Fresh Water\, which accompanied her collaborative community-based projects in the Wellcome Collection exhibition Thirst from 2025-2026.\n\n\n\nCamilla Balshaw is an award-winning author. She has been published in numerous journals\, and her essays have featured in the Guardian\, Therapy Today and the Observer. Camilla’s debut memoir\, Named: A Story Of Names And Reclaiming Who We Are (2025) won the best Memoir & Biography category in the East Anglian Book Awards.\n\n \n\n[caption id="attachment_11701" align="alignnone" width="200"] Photo credit: Mark Massey[/caption]\nMeet our Writers-in-Residence\nWe will be joined by Writers-in-Residence from near and far\, including partnerships with the British Council\, The Caine Prize for African Writing and English PEN. Keep an eye on the website for announcements.\n\n \nFor full Essex Writers House event listings visit\nmetalculture.com/projects/essex-writers-house-2026-programme/\n\n \n\n\n\n\nTicketed Events\n \nSouthend Wandering with Saira Niazi\nEssex Writers House\nSaturday 13 June 2026\, 11.00am - 1.30pm\nMeeting point: Southend Forum\, Elmer Ave\, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1NS\n[caption id="attachment_11581" align="alignnone" width="148"] Photo of Saira Nazi © Saira Nazi[/caption]\n\nExplore Southend’s hidden gems and stories on this social neighbourhood wandering. Starting from Southend Forum we’ll walk towards Southchurch Park\, stopping off at various spaces along the way\, from secret gardens to beaches. Document your journey through words and pictures as you go.\n\nSaira Niazi is a writer\, author and renegade guide\, passionate about discovering new places\, collecting stories and connecting communities. Saira has collaborated with grassroots groups across the UK on various oral history\, art\, film\, food\, environment and heritage projects.\n\nTickets: Free\, places limited\, booking essential\nBook tickets: eventbrite.co.uk/metal\n\n\nIntertidal Walking and Writing Workshop with JR Carpenter and Sylak Ravenspine\nEssex Writers House\nSunday 14 June\, time TBC\nMeeting point: TBC\n[caption id="attachment_11663" align="alignnone" width="228"] Broomway walk © Amber Merry 2025[/caption]\n\nJoin artist\, writer\, fossil hunter\, and Port of London Authority (PLA) licensed mudlark J. R. Carpenter with local Essex based artist Sylak Ravenspine for an intertidal walking and writing workshop in the Thames Estuary. As we move between high and low tide\, mud flats and marshland\, fresh and salt water\, we will navigate the creative space between noticing and noting\, where writing happens.\n\nTickets: £25 includes packed lunch and transport\nBook tickets: eventbrite booking link coming soon - keep an eye out on Metal website\, socials and newsletter for updates.\n\n \n\n[caption id="attachment_11664" align="alignnone" width="225"] Benfleet mud flats © Philippa Stewart[/caption]\n\n\nWalk and Explore Prittlewell Greenway with Lora Aziz\nEssex Writers House\nSaturday 20 June 2026\, time TBC\nMeeting point: TBC\n[caption id="attachment_11582" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo of Lora Aziz © Marley Karazimba[/caption]\n\nJoin artist Lora Aziz exploring the Prittlewell Greenway through landscape\, observation and language. How can we pull inspiration from the backstreet places and welcome in wonders we might pass every day?\n\nWalk a familiar pathway and discover new perspective through storytelling\, local histories\, layers of intuitive plant knowledge\, and creative encounters with place.\n\nTickets: Free\, includes packed lunch and transport. Places limited\, booking essential\nBook tickets: eventbrite booking link coming soon - keep an eye out on Metal website\, socials and newsletter for updates.\n\n\nThe Essex Ways: Film screening at Chalkwell Hall\nSaturday 20 June 2026\, 7.00pm\nChalkwell Hall\, Chalkwell Park\, Southend-on-Sea\, SS0 8NB\n[caption id="attachment_10506" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo of James Lawrence © James Lawrence[/caption]\n\nDiscover the many ways of Essex with a screening of ‘The Essex Ways’\, a feature length documentary by filmmaker Thomas Winward.\n\nThe film follows Essex-born storyteller James Lawrence on an epic 400km walking journey around the county to discover its places\, people and stories. Over 21 days\, James adventures through rural Essex from Epping to Harwich\, and then down the coast to Tilbury Docks. Along the way\, he explores the many beautiful natural landscapes of Essex\, while delving into the history\, folklore and stereotypes that make Essex the fascinating county it is today. Expect thrills\, chills\, myths\, modern retellings of 2000 years of history\, and a lot of love for trees and mud.\n\nAfter the film\, there will be an open Q&A with James Lawrence\, who will answer questions about the walk and project.\n\nTickets: £10\nBook tickets: dandelion.events/e/r31nb\n\n\nWalk and talk around Canvey Wick with Man About Country\nSunday 21 June 2026\, time TBC\nMeeting point: TBC\nJoin James Lawrence\, AKA Man About Country\, for a special guided walk around Canvey Wick\, one of Essex’s (and England’s) most fascinating nature reserves. In this brownfield rainforest you'll discover wildlife\, hear stories from over 2\,000 years of Canvey Island history\, and explore how these incredible places can supercharge your creative practice in unexpected ways.\n\nTickets: £10 includes packed lunch\nBook tickets: eventbrite booking link coming soon - keep an eye out on Metal website\, socials and newsletter for updates.\n\n\nWriting and the Power of Language: In conversation with Camilla Balshaw\, Emily Addeni-Holman and Boakye D. Alpha\nWednesday 24 June 2026\, 7.00pm - 8.30pm\nChalkwell Hall\, Southend-on-Sea\, SS0 8NB\n[caption id="attachment_11693" align="alignnone" width="300"] National Centre for Writing photo © Amber Merry[/caption]\n\nIn partnership with National Centre for Writing\n\nJoin us for an evening with the National Centre for Writing’s Escalator Writers Emily Abdeni-Holman and Boakye D. Alpha\, in conversation with award-winning author Camilla Balshaw about writing and the power of language\, with discussion rooted in cultural histories\, oppression and identity.\n\nTickets: Free\, places limited\, booking essential\nBook tickets: eventbrite booking link coming soon - keep an eye out on Metal website\, socials and newsletter for updates.\n\n\nA Poet in Every Port with the mobile National Poetry Library\nSaturday 27 - Sunday 28 June 2026\nChalkwell Hall\, Southend-on-Sea\, SS0 8NB\n\n\nIn partnership with Southbank Centre\n\nWe are working in partnership with Southbank Centre to welcome the mobile National Poetry Library to Chalkwell Hall as part of Essex Writers House 2026. Be prepared for a mini programme of weekend activity for all ages to enjoy\, with the opportunity to contribute prose\, poetry and words to the Mobile Poetry Library. Local artist and poet Maddi Crease will be helping us to celebrate Essex’s unique coastal stories.\n\nTickets: Free\n\n\nHosted At events\nThroughout June\, we will be hosting a series of events including talks\, screenings\, socials and workshop activity connecting to writing and reading led by local creatives and special guests. Look out for the release of our Hosted At programme at Essex Writers House via our website soon.\nFor full Essex Writers House event listings visit\nmetalculture.com/projects/essex-writers-house-2026-programme/\n\n\n\n[caption id="attachment_11702" align="aligncenter" width="398"] Photo credit: Mark Massey[/caption]\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n 
URL:http://35.176.91.154/event/essex-writers-house-2026/
LOCATION:Chalkwell Avenue\, Southend-on-Sea\, SS0 8NB
CATEGORIES:Essex Writers House,For Writers
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