A flash of inspiration in the winter dark… the 5th Solstice Shorts Festival, Noon, took place at noon, on 21st December 2018 in 5 towns across England Wales and Scotland. Cherry Potts (and briefly, Jane Aldous) talk about the idea, the organisation and the stories poems and songs that sparked up the day.
And throughout August, to celebrate our Eighth anniversary, if you add the code ARACHNEVERSARY at the checkout you’ll get a discount – or you can bulk buy the series with a bigger saving – check the special offers tag.
Being busy people we can’t always arrange our own events as regularly as we might like, so we are very happy when we get asked to take part in other people’s.
On Saturday 30th September we are at Free Verse Poetry Book Fair at Conway Hall where we will have a stall all day, and are reading in the Red Lion Square garden cafe at 4.30, with Jeremy Dixon, Lisa Kelly and Sarah James.Experience a flush of openness in San Francisco, a long day on a till, an even longer night in a hotel, and time shifting about the three occupants of a house.
Followed on the Saturday Morning at 11am with a Children’s event in the Library, (Free) with The Old Woman From Friuli by Ghillian Potts being read by Tash Fairbanks, and a kind of demonstration of woodcut printing from Cherry Potts, because we couldn’t get hold of Ed Boxall, the illustrator of the book, to join us. No sharp objects will be let near children!
More video from the 5th Anniversary party, Ian Kennedy & Sarah Lloyd singing folk songs about outwitting the devil – originally planned to go alongside Liam Hogan‘s Bad Day, but there were changes to the programme and they fit surprisingly well against Ghillian Potts‘ Old Woman From Friuli, outwitting the Duke.
With the 5th Anniversary celebrations heading into view I was thinking about the thank you speech, and like the Oscars it is in danger of going on, and on. And on. So I thought I’d blog it instead, a section at a time.
What does a publisher need with musicians? Well, our regular events Solstice Shorts Festival (always), and The Story Sessions (usually), some of our launches and some of our writing workshops have included music – always acoustic, often folk, sometimes original, mostly but not exclusively songs, because we love the narrative power of a song.
Our most frequent collaborators are Ian Kennedy and Sarah Lloyd who have performed in just about every capacity we offer them.
Next most regular must be Annalie Wilson, who also reads for us and was our artist in residence for the last four Story Sessions..
Annalie Wilson
After that it’s our choir friends, in various guises, (there’s a lot of cross-over in choirs!) most frequently as Summer All Year Long, but also Vocal Chords and Raise the Roof
And finally… Lester Simpson, who runs singing workshops for us once or twice a year and teaches us amazing songs that find their way into our events, and the repetoire of choirs all over London; and has become a friend along the way.
Will there be music at the Anniversary celebrations on the 8th September? Of course there will! Book your free ticket now!
This is the hashtag we are using for the 5th birthday celebrations so if you post to Instagram or Tweet anything about our 5th, say #arachne5 as well! Ta.
(Hello all those people saying WHAT? I know, I feel the same, but we have to try to move with the times)
This is where we are having the party. Manor House Library. IN LEE SE13 5SY, not the North London Manor House!
6.30-9.30 8th September, which is the 5th anniversary of the publication of our first book, London Lies
We’ve decided to be INSIDE. No matter how lovely the day, it will be cold and dark by the time we finish!
And finally… 
