About the course
How do you build bridges between languages – and what does it take to burn them?
No one better to answer than exophonic writers, those writing in a language they weren’t born into: Elif Shafak, Kazuo Ishiguro, Vladimir Nabokov, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Khaled Hosseini, to name but a few. Why do writers shed their mother tongues and how do they grow another tongue?
Find out in this hybrid poetry/prose workshop on multilingualism and exophony led by award-winning Swiss writer and scientist Jasmin Allenspach. Over four weeks, we will explore:
- how language is woven into the very fabric of our identity,
- how multilingual writers interweave and translate between their multiple identities,
- and what tools we can borrow from these bridge builders for our own poetry and prose, even if English is our only tongue.
Whether you are multilingual/exophonic or an English-only writer curious about examining your craft from a global perspective, this workshop is for you if you want to discover how your writing is shaped – and can be elevated – by your (m)other tongue.
About the tutor
Jasmin Allenspach is a Swiss writer, educator, and award-winning physicist living in London. Speaking seven languages, she writes in English despite her mother tongue being Swiss German. She is a Young Trustee of the London Library, where she was formerly an Emerging Writer, and a Barbican Young Poet. Most recently, her writing has been nominated for a Forward Prize and recognised by the National Poetry Competition, Magma Poetry Competition, and the Platinum Poetry Prize at the Creative Future Writers’ Award.
Jasmin has performed at major arts venues such as Southbank Centre and Barbican Centre, and on BBC Radio. She runs an international writing talk series and is currently launching the UK’s first collective for exophonic writers and researchers. When not dissecting words or equations, she trains in classical ballet.
Who is it for?
All underrepresented writers—those who face barriers to opportunities due to mental health issues, physical health/disability, sensory impairment, learning disabilities, neurodivergence, substance misuse, survivors, carers, working class backgrounds, and those from the LGBTQIA+ community, Black, Asian, traveller, mixed heritage or other global majority backgrounds.
This course is best suited to intermediate and above writers, but beginners are also welcome.
Dates & Time:
Wednesdays: 23 September – 14 October
6-8 pm
This course takes place online via Zoom. Links will be sent seven days prior to the first session, and again the day of the first session.
Access:
You can see our full access commitments here.
- When you book, you can let us know about any access needs you have and we will do our best to accommodate them.
- Workshops are not usually recorded. A recording can be requested by someone if they have a specific access need. All participants will be told in advance if this is the case.
- Presentations and course handouts will be provided.
- Our full workshop guidelines are here.
Cost:
£50 / £25 concessions
In order to make our resources stretch further, we have to subsidise some workshops with nominal fees well below most online courses. The more who book at full price, the more we’ll be able to offer.
Concessionary places are available for those on benefits, pensioners, unemployed/underemployed or on low wages. We do not ask for proof that you qualify.
If concessionary spaces are unavailable and/or the course is fully booked, we can add you to the waiting list if you e-mail info@creativefuture.org.uk.
Our workshops are very popular and we want to make sure everyone has a chance to take part. We limit registration to one course per person in each round of workshops opening in January, April and September. Thanks for your understanding.
Other workshops
We are offering as many workshops and as many places as our resources allow—they are heavily subsidised by our limited funding.
You might also want to have a look at other workshops on offer elsewhere.
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