FESTIVAL 2023

FESTIVAL 2023 - report and pictures

Mayor of Millom Cllr Simone Faulkner - our newest committee member - formally opened the festival at Millom Community Hub

In front of an audience from across Cumbria and as far afield as Manchester, Liverpool and London, the 2023 Festival was formally opened on Saturday July 1st by Cllr Simone Faulkner, Mayor of Millom - and, as she was quick to point out, a Nicholson devotee since schooldays, well before she moved to Cumbria. There had been two preliminary events the previous day - an Open House invitation for anyone to visit Nicholson's lifelong home in St George's Terrace, and a social get-together at the Clock Tower bar - but Saturday morning was when the festival proper began. Simone's opening speech was followed by a fascinating presentation entitled 'Native: Landscape, Literature and Belonging' by our keynote speaker Karen Lloyd, editor of the recent anthology of writing about the North of England 'North Country' and Writer in Residence at Lancaster University.

This took place in the Higgins Room at Millom Community Hub, the new home of Millom Library, and we are grateful to the library staff who stayed later than usual to accommodate us, and to Pastor Fred from Millom Community Church, the usual occupants of the Higgins Room, for his support.

A warm welcome - from Natalie Wilson of the Library staff

Extracting lasting themes from Nicholson's work: Karen Lloyd gives the keynote address

For the afternoon session we made the short trip along Salthouse Road to the Beggar's Theatre and a thoroughly enjoyable event titled 'Short Films, Wide Horizons'. First up was a presentation by Antoinette Fawcett about Poetry Posters, one of which, Nicholson's 'The Shadow of Black Combe', was the inspiration behind Simon Phelps' award-winning short film 'Shadow of the Mountain'. We then watched the film, an absorbing study in exploration and discovery which touched on mental health and mortality before enjoying a discussion involving Antoinette, Simon, and cast members Jakki Moore and Jansen Redhead. Duly informed and enlightened, we watched the film a second time, seeing it, as it were, with new eyes. After a break we watched the second movie, 'The Girl Who Forgets How to Walk', directed by Julia Parks. As with the first film, what made this even more special was having an inside view on the production, this one through the presence of Kate Davis, who, in conversation with Ann Thomson, discussed her own challenges with disability and personal loss and their depiction through both this film and her own poetry. A remarkable session with moments of deep emotion.

Antoinette (second left) leads discussion of 'Shadow of the Mountain' with cast and crew including producer/director Simon Phelps (extreme right)

The Beggar's Theatre - a perfect venue

Kate Davis

'OUR NORTH COUNTRY' was the title of the evening session, again at the Beggar's Theatre. The event, hosted by our committee members Jack Threlfall Hartley and Laura Day, focused on Karen's book 'North Country' with readings from several of the contributors - Geoff Cox, Mark Carson, Jack Threlfall Hartley, Kate Davis, Kerry Darbishire, Caroline Gilfillan and Karen herself. We also heard from the publisher of 'North Country', Saraband's Sara Hunt. Musical entertainment came from Cumbrian folk singer and songwriter Steve Wharton, his final performance in England before moving to live and work in China. The evening also featured an original and highly entertaining group rendition of Nicholson's poem 'To the River Duddon', orchestrated by Antoinette Fawcett.

This book business - Sara Hunt (publisher) and Karen Lloyd (editor) discuss 'North Country'

The Beggar's Theatre

In good voice - Steve Wharton

Sunday was a busy day! Jonathan Powell led a guided walk along the regular town-centre route of Norman's father Joe Nicholson when he took a break from work in his shop. Antoinette Fawcett led two sessions of 'Deep Listening', focusing on the words of a Nicholson poem inside his own house. Youngsters from three different schools came together for a unique art workshop at Haverigg School, led by Maryport artist Alan Roper and using Nicholson's poem 'Weeds' as the starting point. Cumbrian poet Mike Smith, in conversation with Charlie Lambert, recalled the day in the late 1970s when he went to Nicholson's house to record the poet reading his own work and we listened to those same recordings, Nicholson's distinctive voice bringing the poetry to life. Finally, Jack Threlfall Hartley summed up the many facets of the festival and we concluded a wonderful weekend, full of creativity, discussion, and good companionship.

Jonathan Powell led a guided walk. photo: DOROTHY LAMBERT

14 St George's Terrace

Happy faces at Alan Roper's art workshop - complete with Weeds!

Thank you to everyone who played a part in making the 2023 Festival such a success! Speakers, presenters, performers, workshop and walk leaders, the venues and their staff, our funders Millom Town Council, Dobies Charitable Trust, and Millom CGP Trust, our hard-working committee, and most of all everyone who came to the events.
photos: CHARLIE LAMBERT

posted 6/7/23

The build-up.....

The Festival will be headlined by the award-winning author and Writer in Residence at Lancaster University KAREN LLOYD, and also includes the director and cast of the Nicholson-inspired short film SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN, Cumbria’s outstanding folk singer and composer STEVE WHARTON, the poets KATE DAVIS and MIKE SMITH, and artist and designer ALAN ROPER.

There’ll also be the chance to visit Norman Nicholson’s lifelong home and take part in a study session in the very house where he wrote many of his poems, plus a guided walk to Nicholson locations.

LATE NEWS:
Millom CGP Trust has announced £500 in funding towards our 2023 Festival. This is a wonderful gesture by the Trust. Their support, along with that of our other funders Millom Town Council and Dobies Charitable Trust, vindicates our decision to run all bar one of this year's events free of charge, to ensure they are as accessible as possible. The only event for which there's an admission fee of £5 is 'Our North Country', a celebration in words and music of our own special part of the world. That's at 7.30pm on Saturday at the Beggar's Theatre, Millom, with award-winning Northern writer Karen Lloyd, some of Cumbria's top poets, and the unique singer/songwriter Steve Wharton who'll be making his farewell appearance before moving to China.

All events are free except for the Saturday evening event at the Beggar’s Theatre.
This is the full schedule:

Friday June 30th
2pm – 4pm   Open house at Nicholson’s lifelong home, 14 St George’s Terrace, Millom LA18 4DB. Drop in, look around, and you might even hear the poet’s own voice (please note, only the ground floor will be open).
7pm – 10pm   Social get-together at the Clock Tower, 1st floor bar, Market Square, Millom LA18 4HZ. For members of the Society, partners, friends and supporters.

Saturday July 1st
11am – 12.30pm   Formal opening of the Festival and talk by KAREN LLOYD: Native; Landscape, Literature and Belonging.
Venue: The Higgins Room, Millom Community Hub, Salthouse Road. LA18 5AB. Doors open 10.30am. Admission free.
Karen is the editor of North Country, the new anthology of writing about the north of England published by Saraband. She has published two award-winning books with Saraband, The Gathering Tide: A Journey Around the Edgelands of Morecambe Bay (2015) and The Blackbird Diaries (2017). Her most recent book, Abundance: Nature in Recovery (Bloomsbury, 2021) was longlisted for the James Cropper Wainwright Prize for Writing on Conservation in 2022. She has been commissioned by the BBC and her poetry has been published by Wayleave Press and Corbel Stone Press. Her essays and poetry are published on Lit Hub and Ink Sweat and Tears among others.

2pm – 5pm   ‘Short Films, Wide Horizons’. Screening of two short films which examine the inter-action of the Cumbrian landscape with human emotions, health, and psychology. The afternoon is divided into two sessions; you may attend either or both.
Venue: The Beggar’s Theatre, Market Square, Millom LA18 4HZ. Doors open 1.30pm. Admission free.

Session 1, 2pm -3.15pm. Shadow of the Mountain
Winner of the Osprey Short Film Award at Keswick Film Festival. We will be joined by the director SIMON PHELPS and members of the cast to discuss the film with ANTOINETTE FAWCETT, who will explain how the production was inspired by a Nicholson poem.
Session 2, 4pm – 5pm. The Girl Who Forgets How to Walk.
The film (produced by Julia Parks) reinterprets a series of poems by KATE DAVIS telling a very
personal story of illness, disability, challenge, and triumph. Screening to be followed by Kate in
conversation with ANN THOMSON, whose MA from the University of Cumbria included a dissertation
on how life-changing illness and disability contributed to the poetry of both Kate and Norman
Nicholson.

7.30pm – 10pm ‘Our North Country’
Venue: The Beggar’s Theatre, Market Square, Millom LA18 4HZ. Doors open 7pm. Admission £5 CASH
ONLY on the door. Under-18s free.
Words and music to celebrate our part of the world, featuring KAREN LLOYD and writers whose work
is included in her new book North Country, and the ground-breaking Cumbrian singer and composer
STEVE WHARTON. An uplifting experience to celebrate the roots and culture that we share with each
other – and with Norman Nicholson.

Sunday July 2nd

11am – 12.30pm Joe Nicholson’s Walk
A guided walk led by JONATHAN POWELL following the regular route of Norman’s father Joe
Nicholson when he took a break from work in the shop. The walk will take approximately one hour
on good surfaces, pausing at a dozen locations around the town. No need to book, just turn
up. Meet outside 14 St George’s Terrace.

11am – 1pm Hearing the Words. Two sessions, limited to six participants per session.
Venue: 14 St George’s Terrace, Millom LA18 4DB.
Join ANTOINETTE FAWCETT for a meditative deep listening session in Norman's own home, where we will use one of his poems as the main source for the exercise. Put aside all your preconceptions and listen to the words. Bring yourselves and a notebook and writing implement for some reflections on what you sense, feel, think and experience.
Antoinette Fawcett is a literary translator. She edits Comet, the magazine of the Norman Nicholson
Society. Please note, the sessions will take place on the ground floor and not the attic bedroom as previously published.
Session 1: 11am – 11.45am. Session 2: 1200 – 12.45pm. Places are limited to six participants for
each session. Please book in advance by emailing normannicholsonsociety@gmail.com by 5pm on Friday June 30th (note, this deadline has been extended from the original of June 26th). First come first served.

1100 – 12.30pm   and 1pm – 2.30pm   Art Workshops for children with ALAN ROPER
Venue: Haverigg Primary School, Atkinson Street, Haverigg LA18 4HA
A chance to learn from the expert. This is a workshop for children aged 7 to 11, accompanied by an adult. Led by artist ALAN ROPER whose work ranges from graphic design for the Norman Nicholson Society to murals in his home town of Maryport. Alan’s work has also been featured on the BBC TV programme Countryfile. We will use Nicholson’s poem ‘Weeds’ as our inspiration for this workshop. Have a go at art or develop the skills you already possess. There’s no charge and all materials will be provided. Numbers are limited to 10 children per workshop and you must book in advance by emailing normannicholsonsociety@gmail.com, stating how many people (children and adults) will attend, and which of the two workshops you want, by 5pm on Friday June 30th (note, this deadline has been extended from the original of June 26th). First come first served.

2pm - 3pm ‘I would make a poem…’ Nicholson’s poetry, Nicholson’s voice.
Venue: Haverigg Primary School, Atkinson Street, Haverigg LA18 4HA
The poet MIKE SMITH talks about the day, forty years ago, when he recorded Nicholson reading his own work in Norman’s home. A chance to hear first-hand from someone who knew Nicholson and also to listen to those recordings. In conversation with CHARLIE LAMBERT. No need to book.

3pm – 3.30pm Conclusion
Venue: Haverigg Primary School, Atkinson Street, Haverigg LA18 4HA
Reflections and more. LAURA DAY, our committee member and PhD student researching the poetry and prose of Norman Nicholson, looks back over the festival, picks up loose ends, and ties threads together.

ALL EVENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE EXCEPT FOR THE SATURDAY EVENING ‘OUR NORTH COUNTRY’ EVENT AT THE BEGGAR’S THEATRE WHICH IS £5 CASH ON THE DOOR (UNDER 18s FREE). PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST RESERVE YOUR PLACES IN ADVANCE FOR ‘HEARING THE WORDS’ AND ALAN ROPER’S ART WORKSHOPS BY EMAIL TO normannicholsonsociety@gmail.com BY 1200 ON MONDAY JUNE 26th.

All enquiries to normannicholsonsociety@gmail.com