Teenage digital writing group record an album of spoken word at the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow
An online writing group set up to help develop skills, build confidence and be part of a community of new talent, have recorded an album of spoken word at Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow.
Article Source: SYPS Digital Writing Group
Last Updated: 18 October 2021 11:19
The album, entitled: The New World was released on all major streaming platforms including Bandcamp sypslam.bandcamp.com/album/the-new-world
on Friday 15th October 2021.
The young participants were recorded at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the album was produced, mixed and mastered by Lauren Gilmour, who heads the writing group, at Novasound. Subjects covered in the young writers’ poems include - what it means to be a girl and have a fear of walking the streets; what the future holds; climate change and loneliness during lockdown.
The young people are part of the Scottish Youth Poetry Slam Digital Writing Group a year-long project which was set up in December 2020 to connect young people from across the country. The group was set up to help the young writers develop their skills, build their confidence and be part of a community of new talent. Poets, speakers and industry professionals including Holly McNish, Hannah Lavery, Nadine Aisha Jassat, Tawona Earnes, amongst others, have been involved in the delivery of the project.
Kathleen Jamie, Scottish Makar, has lent her support to the project and commented: “I began writing poetry in my teens and published a first booklet at the age of 20. Since then, writing has remained the touchstone of my life. It’s where I do my best thinking, and where I rub up against the world. It is wonderful to know that these young people have discovered the transformative power of poetry and spoken word too. Their voices are so important, and I know they have found a friend for life.”
The album documents and celebrates the young people who have been part of the group this year with a collective and community spirit. There are nine participants, all mid-teens, mostly from central belt, with a member dialling in from India. The writing groups are free of charge and held each month.
Some of the young people taking part had this to say:
Shreemayi Kurup, aged 13, from Delhi in India, who wrote ‘These Vicious Streets’, said: “My piece was inspired by the simple feeling of being out in the streets as a girl. It is such a simple thing going out in the open, yet for me, the feeling is not carefree or calm, it's horrifying. I thought if the world knew about it, they'd think of rewiring what is engraved in them.”
Rhys Pearce, aged 17, from Hawick in the Scottish Borders, who wrote ‘Letter to Our Cousins in the New World’, said: “I think the concept for this began when we looked at epistolary poems and discussed the idea of talking to future generations. Since the poem only comes from one perspective, it becomes a one-sided conversation that develops more into a voicing of our present concerns than a real attempt to describe the future. The speaker of the poem doesn’t know what the future will be like, and partially that makes them nervous because there’s no assurance against any of the terrifying things that are happening right now. On the other hand, this means the future becomes a blank slate that the speaker can project their hopes onto and use to imagine a better world. I think I was very keen to present that both of these ideas can exist in unison – yes, the future is scary but it’s also all we have, and we need to not only hope that things will get better but actually do something to make sure that they will because we can’t just assume that progress will happen.”
Frea Tennant, aged 18, from Glasgow, who wrote ‘No More’ said: “The song reflects the carelessness we as a population have shown to the world. The earth is suffering, and we need to adapt our behaviours in order to replenish it.”
Elsie Hannay, aged 14, from East Kilbride, who wrote ‘The Meadow’, said: “My poem is about the fear of loneliness people must of us felt during lockdown.”
Tawona Sithole, a writer, performer, musician and academic, who delivered a session to the group last month, said: “The pandemic has put pressure on our physical and mental health equally. For young people especially, our most active group in society, this has been particularly hard. The online creative space has been a reimagination of our ways of gathering, but more importantly a signal that we're still here, and we are not in isolation.”
Lauren Gilmour, Head of SYPS Digital Writing Group, commented: “Running this project has been a much-needed creative constant in such turbulent times. I’ve been blown away by the commitment, talent, and honesty of our young writers. It’s been a huge privilege to see and hear them develop as writers, performers and as people in the process. This group represents the voices we need to hear more of in our future. On an artistic and a personal level, this project has inspired me to keep sharing stories and listening intently to the stories of others.”
If you would like to take part in the Digital Writing Group, contact: Lauren Gilmour, lauren@confab.org.uk or telephone: 07803 550 430
Sponsored Links
Latest Glasgow News
Calling all runners... grab a FREE post race drink from Flight Club Glasgow
Flight Club is inviting Glasgow AJ Bell Great Scottish Run participants to celebrate their incredible effort with a complimentary drink on Sunday 5th October!
READ MORE
Flight Club is giving out hundreds of prizes on the streets of Glasgow in October
The team behind the home of Social Darts is embarking on a nationwide charity tour in celebration of its 10th birthday and dishing out treats to its fans along the way!
READ MORE
GlasGLOW adds extra week after 35,000 tickets snapped up in days
City's biggest Halloween show extended as nostalgia-fuelled 'Miles Better' theme takes Glasgow by storm, with new dates on sale on Wednesday 17th September at 7.30am!
READ MORE
Wedding venue Crossbasket Castle unveils exquisite new menu curated by Michelin starred chef Michel Roux
Scotland's premier five-star luxury wedding destination, Crossbasket Castle, has unveiled a new decadent wedding menu crafted exclusively by world-renowned Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux.
READ MORE
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland graduate joins full cast of Death on the Nile at the Theatre Royal
The full cast has been announced for Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile which comes to the Theatre Royal Glasgow in February.
READ MORE
Spooky season returns to town with the announcement of Paisley Halloween Festival 2025
Paisley Halloween Festival will return to town next month to celebrate the spooky season with a packed programme of frightful fun for all the family!
READ MORE
Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition
Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition on the big screen in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling and Inverness from 1st to 19th October 2025.
READ MORE
Matilda the Musical comes to Glasgow for the first time
The Royal Shakespeare Company's smash hit production of Matilda The Musical, based on Roald Dahl's beloved book, will come to Glasgow for the very first time in 2026!
READ MORE
Cineworld 4DX Rewind returns for 2025
Cineworld is excited to announce the return of 4DX Rewind this September across Cineworld 4DX cinemas nationwide!
READ MORE
A jewellery store in Glasgow Fort is doubling in size following investment
Family-owned national diamond, jewellery and watch retailer, Beaverbrooks, is doubling the size of its Glasgow Fort store with a £1.3m investment.
READ MORE
Forget a boring beige Christmas in Glasgow...
This festive season at SWG3, Bongo's Bingo is transporting everyone back to the time where coloured tree lights and flammable tinsel ruled supreme!
READ MORE
Final countdown to the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run 2025 is on
Scotland's greatest running event, the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run, will return to Glasgow next month, and there’s still time to secure your place.
READ MORE
Popular Sunday BBQ returns to Glasgow favourite Sebbs
One of Glasgow's favourites is flipping the idea of a traditional roast on its head with the return of its Sunday BBQ later this month.
READ MORE
Marstons and Tom Shepherd join forces once more to serve up the best ever pub pie
Marston's and Michelin-starred chef Tom Shepherd have teamed up once more to serve up The Best Ever Pub Pie to locals across the country.
READ MORE
Edinburgh Fringe smash hit Oran embarks on first UK tour
Òran, the award-winning sell-out hit of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe embarks on its first ever UK tour this autumn as company Wonder Fools take their work to a host of venues across Scotland.
READ MORE
SOAPYFEST raises thousands for Beatson Cancer Charity and Marie Curie
The Barrowland Ballroom was filled with love, laughter, and music as friends, family and supporters came together for SOAPYFEST, raising over £18K in support of Beatson Cancer Charity and Marie Curie
READ MORE
M&Ds teams up with Zombie Infection for a heart pounding, live action horror attraction
M&D's is set to transform into Scotland's Scream Park with the launch of Zombie Checkpoint, a live action immersive horror experience creating a heart racing adventure not for the faint hearted.
READ MORE
Topgolf Glasgow launches new field goal challenge game this autumn
Topgolf Glasgow is bringing a taste of the gridiron to Scotland this autumn with the launch of its brand-new Field Goal Challenge game.
READ MORE
GlasGLOW sells over 20,000 tickets in first hour as fans rush to relive 80s magic
GlasGLOW fever has gripped Glasgow once again, with more than 20,000 tickets for this year's GlasGLOW's Miles Better show snapped up within just 60 minutes of being released.
READ MORE
Iconic films to take centre stage at Vue venues in Scotland
Iconic movies celebrating key milestones this year are returning to Vue for a limited run - including Steven Spielberg classic Jaws.
READ MORE
20 expert sessions at The Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show
The Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show will be packed with expert speakers when it returns to the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston on 4th – 5th October 2025.
READ MORE
A Taste of Loch Lomond Book launches with live cooking demo at the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival
Love Loch Lomond will officially launch its new publication, A Taste of Loch Lomond – Stories and Flavours from the Bonnie Banks, at the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival on Sunday 7th September.
READ MORE
Even more acts added to Tenement Trail 2025, set to take over the East End on Saturday 11th October
Multi-venue music festival taking over Glasgow's East End this October confirms Dead Pony and 14 new acts!
READ MORE
2025 Aye Write programme announced as tickets go on sale for annual book festival
Tickets will go on sale for Aye Write, Glasgow's long-established and much-loved book festival, at 11am today.
READ MORE
Seriously fun ideas for your work Christmas Party
It might only be September, but the C-word is not too far away, so it's time to start thinking about planning the annual office Christmas shindig before everything gets booked up!
READ MORE
Birds Fried Chicken launches collaboration series with Corner Shop
Birds Fried Chicken is taking its signature Southern-style fried chicken out of its natural Shawlands habitat and into new, unexpected settings with the launch of Rare Birds!
READ MORE
Buchanan Galleries champions Zero Waste Week with retailer initiatives for conscious consumers
Buchanan Galleries is marking Zero Waste Week (1 – 5 September 2025) by showcasing the centre's wide range of sustainable retail initiatives!
READ MORE
Business Gateway launches its first ever Scottish Start Up Month
Business Gateway, Scotland's national business support service, has launched Scottish Start-Up Month, a nationwide campaign to celebrate Scotland's entrepreneurial spirit.
READ MORE
Pop up play town brings big imaginations to little ones
A new role-play experience is popping up in community venues across Greater Glasgow this month bringing pint-sized professions and plenty of pretend fun to preschoolers and their families.
READ MORE
Local musicians to perform at outdoor charity concert at Nostrana restaurant
Summer may be over, but music festival season is still here, with an exciting outdoor concert in aid of Mary's Meals taking place in Glasgow's West End on Sunday 7th September.
READ MORESponsored Links
Sponsored Links