First Flight at Fighting Words

I was lucky enough to be in Fighting Words this week as they welcomed their first school group. The building is absolutely stunning – bright and airy with flexible space and bookshelves that act as doors.

For primary school groups they get the chance to work with  a host and an illustrator to create their own book and each leave their personal copy, complete with space for each of them to add their own unique ending.  The session worked really well and the kids  I chatted to adored the whole process. Sarah was their faithful scribe.

Its a very powerful symbol to have an organisation dedicated to creating and enjoying stories. Wouldn’t it be magic if every town in Ireland had a dedicated story space?

Fighting Words are always on the look out for volunteers- its’s great fun, give it a go. You can read more about other international versions over on 826valencia.org

Arts Council Funding Decisions

News of the funding decisions (and revised decisions) are trickling out slowly.

The Irish Times carries a piece today about the range of cuts facing most organisations – Alas is seems that all funding to the Irish Writers Centre has been cut. A total cut like this is obviously devastating. I hope Cathal, Ian and the team can cope.

For us in CBI things look a bit better. Our funding has been maintained at 2008 levels which is a massive relief.

Not such a happy Christmas for the arts community it seems-  though some good news comes with the announcement of Celine Kiernan’s new book deal – see David or Irish Times

Fighting words website is now live

Fighting Words will be operational in January 2009 and the website is now up and running with some more details about class visits and volunteering.

Coincidentally over on TED.com they have added a summary of the Dave Eggers presentation that explains the genesis of 826 Valencia which in turn is the genesis of Fighting Words.

There is a longer version of the Dave Eggers presentation below – well worth the 24 mins.

Fighting words in Dublin

Just stumbled across this news on the guardian blog

Roddy Doyle and Sean Love are involved in establishing new centre for writing for children and interested adults.

We have found premises, in the courtyard of an apartment/retail development, construction of which is nearly completed. The courtyard will be called Brendan Behan Square. We’re currently working with an architect, designers, the builder – getting ready to move in during the summer, and opening for writing business in January 09. We want the Fighting Words centre to be a local landmark, or ‘event’; we want the local community to feel that it is theirs.

It sounds like a brilliant idea- you can find out more here and see some more of the Projects that inspired it. In fact it seems like that staggering genius Dave Eggers got this movement started in the US.

Edited to add -

Eggers has a brilliant presentation about the projects over on TED.com. highly entertaining and inspiring. Watch out for the out-of-order slushy machine in the Time Travel store. Now there’s a sentence that I never thought I would write!