Charlie – Page 7 – Charlie Gracie

Opportunity with Creative Scotland: peer reviewers being sought

Posted on February 16, 2016Leave a comment

Creative Scotland is looking for writers and other artists to become peer reviewers for their funded projects.

It is part of their overall programme of evaluation of the work through their development of an Artistic and Creative Review Framework to create an open dialogue with our Regularly Funded Organisations (RFOs) around the artistic and creative quality of their work.

How does it work?

The Framework is designed to help Creative Scotland, the sector and stakeholders to support a culture of continuous improvement and to better understand how we consider quality and excellence across the wide range of work that we fund. We will do this through a process enabling 3 perspectives on the work of the 118 RFOs:

Self Review (by the RFO)
Creative Scotland Review (by Creative Scotlandâ€™s Lead Officer for the RFO)
Peer Review (by independent, relevant expertise from the sector)

Interested? Go to their website for more information.

Football poems from Scotia Extremis in week 4

Posted on February 15, 2016Leave a comment

Scotia Extremis has another two poems this week,. These are not simply football poems, but evocations of life as we live it together, as a town or a nation, against others only in the sense that we are for ourselves.

This time, the poems are in celebration of two of Scotland’s greatest players: the artist that was Archie Gemmill and and the brilliant battler that was Billy Bremner. From two distinct poetic voices: Harry Smart and Graham Fulton.Â

The poems are intense and hearfelt. More great stuff from Scotia Extremis.

More lovely poems from Scotia Extremis

Posted on February 9, 2016Leave a comment

Another pair of beauties this week in Scotia Extremis.

From two Makars, no less: Christine de Luca is Edinburgh’s and Elizabeth Rimmer, the Federation of Writers in Scotland’s.

Both poems are great, each a reminisce of distant and recent cultural icons: Celtic Connections and The White Heather Club. You’ve got to love the humourous way Christine and Elizabeth take it on: humour and pathos. Ideal.

WP_20150808_012 — Elizabeth, Charlie and Sally at Mugstock. July 2015.

To add to the moment, here is a photo from the inaugural Mugstock Festival last year: Elizabeth Rimmer, Charlie Gracie and Sally Evans after our poetry reading there.

Scotia Extremis: exploring the soul of Scotland

Posted on January 29, 2016Leave a comment

Check out Scotia Extremis, a new project from Andy Jackson and Brian Johnstone. This brings together poetry and poet’s voices from all over Scotland for 2016, with new work each week.

The first poems, from Ryan Van Winkle and Roseanne Watt are on the site now: beautiful words to kick off a great project.

I’m delighted to be playing a small part in, so look out for a poem from me over the next few months.

Here’s what Andy and Brian say on the Scotia Extremis site:

Scotia Extremis: Poems & Poets

This poetry project explores the soul of Scotland through an examination of extremes.Â Each week we will publish a brace of poems on a particular Scottish theme â€“ peopleÂ (past and present), places (real and imagined), culture (high and low) and customsÂ (ancient and modern).

The project will last one year, from Burns Night 2016 to Burns Night 2017. ThoseÂ invited to participate are either poets from Scotland (though not necessarily livingÂ there) or poets resident in Scotland (though not necessarily Scottish).

Writers have been invited to contribute poems inspired by themes drawn up by theÂ editors Andy Jackson (an Englishman based in Scotland for over twenty years) and Brian Johnstone (a nativeÂ Scot, long resident in the country), and while the list of themes reflects the interests and obsessions of the editors, it is hoped that it also picks out some of the most telling strands of the nationâ€™s DNA.

Dartry Mountains and the Scottish Writers’ Centre

Posted on January 3, 2016Leave a comment

I’ve been particularly focussed recently on developing my sequence of Donegal and Leitrim poems (currently known as “Tales from the Dartry Mountains” in my head). They have been bubbling away for years as family stories, myths, beautiful landscape and the politics of an area full of ferment.

For 2016, to help my focus, I am also resolved to go more often to the Scottish Writers’ Centre. First up is Jane Archer on short story writing on Tuesday night, 5th January. Should be a blast, so get yourself along.

Poems published in Poetry Scotland

Posted on December 20, 20151 Comment

Delighted to have poems Stale Croissants, Edinburgh Cafe and The Basket Maker published in the latest twin edition of Poetry Scotland.

poetry scotland.jpeg — Charlie Gracie in Poetry Scotland

Poetry Scotland is a great support to Scottish writing.

It is always a joy to read the variety of work that Sally Evans publishes there from established and new poets.

Scottish Book Trust: Performance and Presentation

Posted on December 17, 2015Leave a comment

What a great day on Saturday there! A challenging Performance and Presentation Workshop run by the Scottish Book Trust. It’s a good thing to be pushed to improve and this was one of those days.

All the better for it, of course… I’d highly recommend the course for anyone. Alex Gillon was the tutor: a highly experienced and able coach.

Among the participants were some of the Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awardees and the excellent Stirling-based poet Elizabeth Rimmer.

Buy ‘Good Morning’ in Galloway

Posted on December 1, 2015Leave a comment

If you are down Galloway way, you can now get your very own copy of Good Morning, by Charlie Gracie at the Bakehouse, Gatehouse of Fleet.

The Bakehouse is an excellent centre, run by then reknowned poet, writer and director Chrys Salt and her husband Richard. They do so much there to support a thriving literary scene.

Bashabi Fraser at the Bakehouse, Gatehouse of Fleet

Posted on November 29, 2015Leave a comment

What a lovely night on Saturday, 28 November at the Bakehouse, run by Chrys Salt and her husband Richard. Bashabi Fraser read from her excellent new book, â€˜Letters to my Mother and other Mothersâ€™ (Luath 2015).

Bashabi Fraser and Chrys Salt by Charlie Gracie

After, members of the audience, including Charlie Gracie, were invited to read poetry and prose, mainly on the broad theme of motherhood. A great night, followed by Bashabi’s focussed and creative workshop the following morning. A treat all round.

Scottish Writers’ Centre Speakeasy

Posted on November 25, 2015Leave a comment

What a great night on 24 November at the Scottish Writers’ Centre for the regular Speakeasy session – a place where every Scottish poet and writer can be heard. Charlie Gracie finished the evening off with a selection new and old poems.

There was a wonderful range of writers, some of whom were new to the Scottish Writers’ Centre. Among the new faces, watch out for Rebecca Gault in future: a fantastic Scottish poet who wraps her work in great rhythms. Edward Brosckett’s untitled piece was delivered wonderfully and really enjoyable.

Frances Corr, too (not a new writer, of course), was amazing and her poetry, so strongly delivered, had us laughing one minute and stunned the next. Ruby McCann described Frances as the Glaswegian Bukowski.

Great organisation of the night from Maxine, Scott and Ruby, so thanks you all.