Literary Societies in Action: Creativity, Engagement and Learning

Speakers:

Linda Curry, Alliance of Literary Societies

Judith Palmer, Poetry Society

Charles Mundye, President of the Robert Graves Society; and Sheffield Hallam University

Roxana Preda, President of the Ezra Pound Society; and University of Edinburgh

The panel will discuss the various creative educational engagements of a range of different literary societies, and the individuals and organisations which support them within the English subject community. In particular we are interested in the roles that societies play in literary activism, creativity, public engagement, learning, and academic research. Most literary societies are not-for-profit organisations, some with charitable status, which operate to promote the public and scholarly engagement with literature in a variety of ways: through publication on social media and digital and print platforms, through competitions, prizes, reading circles, recitals, lectures, meetings, conferences and other social activities. They work with schools, colleges, universities, galleries, museums and other organisations to help ensure the shared future of English in the broadest possible terms. A wide range of societies are represented on the panel are as follows: The Alliance of Literary Societies, The Ezra Pound Society, The Poetry Society, and The Robert Graves Society.

Wednesday 5th July, 3.30