Pen to Print Online: Decolonising Through Creative Writing – Session 3 of 4

NB: To make the most of Decolonising Through Creative Writing sessions, please ensure that you book your place for all four sessions on Thursday 30 July & 6, 13 and 20 August.

Session Three: Heirlooms, Museums & Reparations

In this session, much has been discussed about stolen heirlooms, museum objects and reparations, leading to a discussion on what is realistic, right or wrong. We will explore museum objects and write a short children’s story featuring one, then look at extracts from children’s literature set during colonial and independence times.

Finally, you will reflect on a personal object, imagine its loss, and create a piece of writing based on its possible journey, linking it to how objects in museums may have been lost or taken.

Workshop series overview:

Grief and anger can often be passed down when justice has not been properly served. This series of four creative writing workshops explores whether writing can help process those emotions. Led by Preetha Leela Chockalingam, the sessions focus on decolonising thinking, letting go of inherited beliefs linked to colonialism, while using South Asian history as a starting point. Participants will be encouraged to turn their thoughts and feelings into writing such as poetry, short stories, scripts or the beginnings of a novel.

Each session will include discussion alongside short guided writing exercises designed to help ideas flow freely. Participants can share their work if they wish. While South Asian themes will be offered as inspiration, people are free to write about anything. The main aim is to help participants start creative pieces that they can continue developing on their own.

Click here to discover more about Preetha and her books!

If you are no longer able to attend a Pen to Print online event or have found yourself booking more than once for the same event – please use the ‘cancel my ticket’ option instead of ‘request a refund’ before the event is due. By doing so, an automatic refund will apply.

If you have any accessibility requirements, please directly get in touch with us at pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk

The session will take place via Microsoft Teams Meeting and will not be recorded to create a safe space for people to share and learn

Booking is essential. Pen to Print and our partners reserve the right to remove participants who are found not to have booked a place for a session

We encourage all participants to keep their cameras on during the session

Pen to Print and our partners reserve the right to remove participants who are disruptive to a session

Pen to Print reserves the right to cancel, delay or postpone the event for any reason, including an emergency situation or unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances out of its reasonable control. In such cases, the event organiser will endeavour to inform participants as quickly as is possible

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