Newsletter: Some new approaches, Alisoun returns,

Dear friends,

I hope you are keeping well, staying safe and sane wherever you are at the moment. These have been demanding times for all, with much readjustment socially and professionally. Beyond the horrors of the spreading illness, the socio-political unfolding has also been in many cases so devastating.

In the midst of all that has been going on, I have been thinking about my own practice and how I can utilise what I’ve achieved this summer to teach a new set of practices to others. So with that in mind, please take a look at some new chapters from me:

Workshops:

I have developed some new approaches to writing practices and from this have designed a series of new online thematic creative writing workshops which explore focus areas of writing. Full info here, where you’ll also see my website has had a bit of an update! I’m very excited to announce these new courses, and I hope you can discover some new ways of approaching your own works.

These online workshops are limited to 15 places and will foster a safe, welcoming and creative environment in which to explore your own practice. I am unveiling my new approach to workshops, ‘slow talk’, a completely new way of working that I hope you’ll enjoy, and there will be time to chat to your peers.

Info on each writing-intensive and tickets for the first workshops can be bought by clicking on the images below. They’re new, they’re different, and I hope to see you there. Please feel free to share with someone you feel might be interested.

Workshop: Creative use of Research with Caroline Bergvall

Workshop: Multilingual Resistance with Caroline Bergvall

I’m tapping into long-standing teaching and practice experience in these group workshops but using new approaches, they will be something I hope you find stimulating and they might also provide some preparatory tools against the systemic isolation and divisiveness that is threatening in a (post) Covid-19 world. English is the vehicular language but bilingual writers and speakers, as well as text-based artists are more than welcome. For any queries, don’t hesitate to ask!

Discover some of my unique approaches and how I altered my practice towards working online, with my artwork, Night & Refuge.

“Amazing how intimate it felt, and it was wonderful to connect with like-minded poets and thinkers from across the globe.”

– audience feedback, Night & Refuge

If you haven’t yet seen Night & Refuge, please take a look.

Alisoun Sings: A Review

“Love binds, love connects. And through Bergvall’s ongoing commitments, those bindings and connections are explored thoroughly and beautifully.”

– Greg Bem review of Alisoun Sings, Rain Taxi

Pilgrimming:

Battling has a rage that grows in the collective heart,

passions rekindle what were left unkind yesteryar.

Walking with limbes and mindes, from cities to sites,

occupyeth all what can be, tent up squares, burn to

build bridges, re-own the city, wear armour if moost be,

make them well-worne. Let’s celebrate congregate all

the passionate dedicated thoughtfull urgent demands of our

crowded multifarious lives as we take on the gr8 rethink

– Alisoun Sings by Caroline Bergvall, buy here.

GIF of Caroline Bergvall showing Alisoun Sings. Links to a reading on Poet's House from May 2020.

Click above to hear me reading from Alisoun Sings earlier this year from my 2-part residency with Poets House, May 2020.

There are also more reviews to come, which I’ll share on my social media pages – find me on Facebook here and Twitter here.

Mentoring:

I have started offering online, hour-long individual mentoring or coaching sessions to interested writers and artists of all levels.

Whether you are new to writing or more experienced, these sessions will be a space to support and encourage your processes, your thoughts, your risk-taking, your dilemmas and grow your sense of confidence. More information here.

I hope to see some of you on the workshops or potentially even have one to one sessions with you.

Keep safe,

Caroline x