Literary Collaboration – a symposium hosted by the Edge Hill University Poetry and Poetics Research Group (English and History Department)

23^rd April 2013 1pm-9pm E1 (afternoon) & Hub 2 (evening)

To accompany the exhibition of image and text MANIFEST by Pete Clarke and Robert Sheppard in the Edge Hill Arts Centre, Ormskirk, between April 8^th – 26^th 2013 (Private View April 16^th 5.30 – 7.30).

We are living through an intense period of collaboration between writers and practitioners in other media – as well as between writers, either on the page, live, on the wall, or in new media. This symposium hopes to bring together practitioners and theorists to collaborate in a discussion of the issues raised by these often one-off encounters between artists.

Topics may include but need not be limited to:

• Literary collaboration – poets, novelists and others
• The theory of collaboration in the arts
• The practice of collaboration
• Multiple collaborations
• Collaborations between humans and intelligent machines
• Procedural and conceptual writing and collaboration
• New methods of collaboration

We are looking for formal papers, demonstrations (but not ‘straight’ readings) that will last for 20 minutes (or less time if you desire).

Confirmed speakers so far:

• Joanne Ashcroft (Edge Hill) on collaborating with Mina Loy
• Pete Clarke (UCLAN) on artistic collaboration
• Patricia Farrell (Edge Hill) will speak on the collaborations of Clarke and Sheppard
• SJ Fowler
• Rodge Glass (Edge Hill) on writing a graphic novel
• Tom Jenks (Edge Hill) will speak on the human-machine interface
• Nathan Jones (Mercy)
• Andrew McMillan (JMU) on collaborations with photographers: a ‘third’ voice emerges.
• Des McCannon (MMU) and Eleanor Rees (Exeter)

We are now looking for other speakers and presences.

Please send abstracts and proposals to shepparr@edgehill.ac.uk by March 18^th, clearly marking the email ‘Literary Collaboration Proposal’.

If you wish to attend send you name to shepparr@edgehill.ac.uk . Attendees and delegates will be limited to 50 places.

There will be two sessions, the afternoon (1.30-5.30) and the evening (6.30-9.00). They can be booked together or separately. Please state whether : Afternoon: Evening or All day is desired.  Clearly entitle the email ‘Literary Collaboration Places’.

This event is free but limited to 50 speakers and delegates. Campus facilities will be open for refreshments and dining. This is a zero budget symposium.

Committee

Robert Sheppard

Joanne Ashcroft

Tom Jenks