Workshops
I have experience of creating bespoke workshops tailored to specific groups and/or themes either as one-off events or a series of workshops. I enjoy incorporating additional materials as writing prompts or alternative mediums whether that be writing inspired by objects or producing spoken word in response to participant drawings. Whatever your group or theme I am happy to develop an appropriate and engaging workshop.
I am listed on the Scottish Book Trust Live Literature Author Database and would be delighted to work with you to bring Live Literature to your organisation https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/authors/katharine-macfarlane
Current Projects
Inverclyde Culture Collective Writer in Residence
Between November 2021 and September 2022 I will lead a series of digital creative writing workshops blended with in-person poetry walks, community story-garden creation and spoken word scratch afternoons across Inverclyde alongside hosting events to showcase the work of local writers. You can join the next Poetry Walk here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-writers-well-walk-finding-poetry-tickets-211114066857
EVOLVE Seedhill – The People’s Map of Seedhill, August – November 2021
Following a 6 week social media community engagement period which involved a weekly release of video and image based prompts I will design and produce a new ‘map’ of Seedhill featuring stories and images drawn from local reminiscence and hopes for the future. The map will be an interactive community engagement resource for future activities led by EVOLVE Seedhill.
University of Glasgow – Culture Connections: Ceilidh Tales August 2021 – January 2022
Monthly digital storytelling sessions for International Students at the University of Glasgow.
Previous workshops include;
The Nightfishers Project 2018
This year long project was a response to the poetry of W.S.Graham for the centenary celebrations of his birth. Working collaboratively with visual artists Alec Galloway, Martyn Mackenzie and Kate MacAllan and animator Max Scratchman I worked with primary age children to produce a book of their poems inspired by Graham’s work and an animated film poem of his poem Loch Thom Loch Thom W.S. Graham animated film – YouTube. I also worked with a group of adults to generate landscape-based poems drawn from scenes that featured in Graham’s writing. The project culminated in an exhibition at The Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock
Poetry Walks
As a poet who derives inspiration from the natural world and often writes outside I enjoy leading Poetry Walks whether as a showcase of themed poetry by myself or other writers designed to enhance engagement with the environment or as an exercise in creating new material reflecting participant’s experience of the environment.
Previous Poetry Walks include;
Galoshans 2020 Greenock Past and Present Poetry Walk with RIG Arts Greenock
A planned walk through Greenock with pauses at key locations to share my own Greenock inspired poetry and pieces from some of Greenock’s finest writers such as W.S. Graham. Attendees reflected on different sensory elements at each stop and contributed to a community poem, Green Oak.
School events
As Children and Young People’s Librarian for Inverclyde Libraries I gained extensive experience of working in partnership with schools.
For younger children I created and delivered a workshop programme for schools entitled Libraries Inspire! This series of 8 workshops was tailored for each level of Early Years and Primary School andcovered topics such as flash fiction, poetry, biography, journal writing, heritage and book reviews. During 2020/21 these were delivered digitally as short video workshops with supplementary worksheets/ class-based activities.
I also have experience of working with secondary age pupils including hosting Spoken Word showcases and sessions promoting creative writing and reading for positive mental health.
Hosting and Event Organisation
I have experience of organising and hosting events from small creative writing workshops to a 3-day book festival. I have experience of working with children and adults and have a full PVG disclosure.