moving manchester
 is a research project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. In 2006, we conducted extensive research into the archives of Manchester's independent publishers, local libraries and writing organisations. See our Electronic Catalogue to read synopses of 200 items that were recovered from these archives. In 2007, we recorded interviews with 40 Manchester-based writers and set up a Writers' Gallery to showcase the work of selected writers. In 2008 we were busy working on our publications which have included a special issue of the journal 'Moving Worlds' and the anthology of new writing, 'Migration Stories' (Crocus Press). The project ended in 2009 with a closing conference, Glocal Imaginaries and associated raft of events including the Writing Manchester Exhibition and the Whitworth Exhibition. Although funding for the project officially ended on 31st December the team are still very busy working on their publications which include their academic study, 'Postcolonial Manchester: The Literary Legacy' (to be published with Manchester University Press) and the six 'special issues' of journals coming out of the conference. Further details of all these publications and their authors will be posted on the website once publication dates have been confirmed. In the meantime, we have left details of the conference up on the site since this includes contact details of all participants and abstracts of their papers in the downloadable conference booklet. Please also note that Project 'researcher', Dr Corinne Fowler, has now taken up a permanent post at 'Lecturer in Postcolonial Literature' at the University of Leicester: csf11@leicester.ac.uk.
The above image, The Midland Hotel, was specially created for the project by the artist Michael Gutteridge. Michael's surreal images of Manchester can be found throughout the website. |
Glocal Imaginaries Conference
9-12 September 2009
Lancaster University and the Whitworth Gallery, Manchester UK
 The academic conference takes place at Lancaster from Wednesday 9 September - Friday 11 September.
It will be headlined by fifteen, high profile, internationally acclaimed scholars from across a wide range of Arts and Social Science disciplines.
The conference will include an evening event with both readings and live art in performance.
The deadline for our Call For Papers expired on 12 March 2009. However, a small number of slots are still available on selected streams. Please contact us if you would like to be considered for a late application (indicating the broad area of your topic) and we will advise.
 A Creative Arts day will be held on Saturday 12 September at the Whitworth Gallery, Manchester. This event will  feature readings, talks and performances by well-known writers and artists as well as an  exhibition of the work of artists, photographers, writing groups and community arts organisations involved with issues of migration. These will include the exhibition 'Towards a Sense of Belonging' and Mieke Bal's video installations.
 The finale of the conference will be an event on the evening of Saturday 12 September at a Manchester city centre venue headlined by Jackie Kay.
It will include the premiere of the Moving Manchester conference commission, won by John Siddique. Music will be provided by the Congolese band Les Elus. Both of Saturday's events will be open to the general public.
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Join the Facebook group for the Glocal Imaginaries Conference
£1,000 Creative Writing Commission
 The poet John Siddique is the winner of the Moving Manchester creative writing commission. He has written a poem sequence focusing on Piccadilly, in the heart of Manchester. His work addresses the concept of a multiculturally imagined city through the voices of its citizens. John's Moving Manchester Commission now appears on our website and he will perform his pooems at the Moving Manchester conference in September. See John on our Writers Gallery.
Exhibition at Manchester Central Library
 Manchester Central Library has kindly agreed to host a six-week exhibition on the theme of literature and migration in Manchester to coincide with our conference. This exhibition will centre on the archives of the various writing groups and community publishers located in the city. It will also showcase the work of many of the writers associated with the project.
 'Moving Worlds' Special Issue
Corinne Fowler and Graham Mort from the Moving Manchester team are co-editors of a special issue of the transcultural writing journal 'Moving Worlds'. The theme of the issue is 'Region / Writing / Home: Relocating Black, Migrant and Diasporic Writing in Britain' and the journal features creative writing and academic essays from some of the UK's leading writers and critics.
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Writers Gallery
 Visit the Writers Gallery for contributions from Manchester writers. Twenty-one writers present their work, with fascinating insights into the writers and the writing process. More writers' contributions will appear over the coming weeks.
(Image shows Shamshad Khan, a featured writer.) |
eCatalogue
 Review our eCatalogue of Manchester writing. Novels, short stories, poetry, plays, autobiograpy and anthologies from famous names - and the not-so-famous ...
Synopses of all entries are provided, along with full publication details. |
