Crichton Writers was formed in 2003 as a follow-on activity to a Creative Writing course led by poet, Tom Pow, at the Crichton Campus (Dumfries) of the University of Glasgow. The course had included work in poetry, prose, writing for film and theatre and playwriting - enough stimulus to have several writers wanting to maintain creative contact with each other. The university offered them meeting space and a small fund to create a first anthology of new writing (with Dumfries Writers). To date they have published five anthologies, given performance readings in south west Scotland, Edinburgh and Cumbria, worked in collaboration with artists and musicians and are currently working on Food & Drink in Dumfries and Galloway project which will have a publication and performances in 2011 - the first of which was a lunchtime cabaret - Fromage, Potage et Pain - at The Swallow Theatre, near Whithorn on 20th August which featured a cheese, soup and bread lunch interspersed with poems about those very ingredients. There was also a performance at the Wigtown Book Festival in late September and another planned for Dumfries a little later.
Latest News
January 2012
We have entered a year's partnership - finance and folding - with Dumfries Writers in producing their origami-style bi-monthly publication Fankle which is full of poems and short prose - it's made from a single cunningly folded double-sided A3 sheet. Go to their website to find out more:
Crichton Writers at 2011 Wigtown Book Festival with their new anthology
and from their cabaret lunchtime at The Swallow Theatre
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Crichton Writers' Anthologies in print
2011 - poetry and prose on food and drink
in Dumfries & Galloway
2010 - a memoir album with photographs
In 2009 the group project was a celebration of sculptor, Elizabeth Waugh, in her 80th year. 'Words & Bronze' a CD of new writing and was produced, along with a reading and exhibition of 3-D poems at The Wigtown Book Festival.
2008 on local archaeology 2007 on gardens and gardening 2006 with artist Sheila Mullen
Each year the group decides on a writing project for publication and/or performance and this will be the focus of many of its meetings. With a high proportion of published writers in its number, stimulus workshops are often led by members though sometimes writers in a specialised genre may be engaged for particular purposes. Participation in such projects is not compulsory - often members drop in at meetings to touch base, to ask for advice or comment - the emphasis is on consensual activity.
2005 with Wigtown 2005 with 2004 with
Scribblers The Galloway Consort Dumfries Writers
Most of these books are still available.
Ask here.