City Voices Returns To Coventry This Autumn

A project to help the people of Coventry tell their own stories is returning this autumn and has just a handful of spaces left.

City Voices is a collaborative project between Coventry City of Culture Trust and Theatre Absolute, which began in April, and has attracted dozens of individuals to writing workshops right across the city.

The project was designed to give people the tools and support to tell their own stories through a series of writing exercises designed to draw out their experiences. Such has been the success of City Voices that one group of writers have formed their own group on the back of the project.

Theatre Absolute has been recruiting for the next phase of workshops which begin on Saturday, October 26, at the Shop Front Theatre in the City Arcade between 11am and 1pm and just a few places are left.

The sessions are led by Coventry-based writer Vanessa Oakes.

Theatre Absolute's Artistic Director, Chris O'Connell, said: "It's been such a rewarding experience working right across Coventry holding these City Voices writing sessions over the spring and summer.

"The work generated from all of the groups has been inspiring and we're also very proud to say that writers from our previous writing sessions have now created their own regular weekly group, which we're able to support thanks to the City of Culture Trust.

"The role of City Voices has been to support people as they being to write about the experiences and issues that are most important to them in the communities that they live in. We're delighted to now offer another new set of City Voices workshops for the autumn."

Chenine Bhathena, Creative Director at Coventry City of Culture Trust, said the stories generated from City Voices would inform the programme for 2021.

She said: "We have said from day one that our year as UK City of Culture in 2021 will be authentic and will have the people of Coventry at its roots.

"City Voices is a great example of that and has given people an opportunity to tell stories that, otherwise, have gone unheard.

"We want to use this work to inform what happens in 2021 and to bring together our people and our communities with artists to create world class cultural experiences that have the city and its people at their heart."

Workshops are free to attend, for ages 18 and upwards.

For further information or to book a place on a City Voices workshop email info@theatreabsolute.co.uk or call 07799 292 957.