If the objects around us could talk they would tell fascinating stories about our lives, and this week at the Roxy Theatre writer in residence Bronwyn Parry will help unlock some of the stories of the objects housed within the Greek Café Museum.
This writer’s residency placement forms part of a project called ‘Stuff of Tales’ which was developed through a partnership between Arts North West, Museums Australia North West Chapter, New England Writers’ Centre and Bauer Media to promote engagement with six Country Art Escapes museums in the New England North West.
Stuff of Tales is a two year project which commenced this year, with six writers in residence working across the New England North West region to deliver three-day professional development workshops in venues across the region. Each museum or venue will identify one significant object from its collection that will be the focus for this project. The writers will work with museum staff to create a story inspired by that object, targeted to engage young people.
The workshops are titled: Using story-telling techniques to write engaging didactic labels, BYO stuff of legend: Creative Writing for Youth and Developing an Audio Script. The Roxy Theatre and Greek Café Museum has been fortunate to be a part of this project and is looking forward to Bronwyn’s visit at the end of the week.
Bronwyn has an Honours degree in social history and English and grew up surrounded by books. She is a member of the Romance Writers of Australia and the Romance Writers of America, and in July 2007 was honoured to win the prestigious Golden Heart Award for the romantic suspense manuscript which became As Darkness Falls, her first novel published in 2008. Her second novel Dark Country, and third Dead Heat, both won an Australian Romance Readers’ award for best Australian romantic suspense novel.
Secondary students from Bingara Central School will be participating in the workshops at the Roxy Theatre and Greek Café Museum throughout Bronwyn’s visit. It is hoped that through these workshops the students will gain connection and a deeper understanding of the importance of the objects housed within the Roxy’s museum, and the role history plays in shaping the future.
Workshop – September 1.
Bingara Central School students are not the only locals to benefit from these workshops; members of the general public are invited to attend a free Q & A session with the writer in residence Bronwyn Parry on Friday 1st September.
This session will be an informal Q & A session to discuss creative writing and story ideas as well as an opportunity to learn about creative label writing using story writing techniques and writing engaging didactic labels. The workshop will appeal to museum volunteers, creative writing enthusiasts and history buffs.
The Stuff of Tales project will culminate with the development and creation of an online storybook, a collection of youth generated digital stories and an extensive marketing campaign by Bauer Media with the museums involved profiled through Bauer Media’s significant media coverage in the cultural tourism market.
If you are interested in participating in the workshop on Friday 1st September please contact Nicci Parry- Jones at Arts North West on 0427 746 982 or email office@artnw.com.au
Alternatively contact Georgia Standerwick at Gwydir Shire Council on 0409 901 540.
