Reading Round @ Open Eye Gallery
This autumn there will be a Reading Round group at the gallery. The group will be run by Pauline Rowe who has worked as a writer-associate at Open Eye Gallery since 2016. Reading Round is weekly meetings discovering stories and poems for sheer enjoyment, looking at how writers weave their effects. Reading Round starts Monday 16th September 2024, 11 am – 12.30 pm. Everyone welcome, but numbers are limited. Message pauline.rowe@rlfeducation.org.uk to reserve your free space.
What is ‘Reading Round’? There are currently 16 groups across the UK, and this is the first time a Reading Round has been held in Liverpool. Reading Round groups meet regularly over thirty weeks of the year, and they are open to any member of the public who has a passion and curiosity for reading. Participants are immersed in great writing from all corners of the world and travel deep into a poem or short story to discover how writing works and what makes a text sing. Together with a professional writer, the close-knit group will learn to listen, discuss and share with others.
How is Reading Round different? There’s no homework or any kind of preparation. The RLF Fellow will supply all the texts – you don’t have to buy them. You will read two new texts every week, a poem, short story or other piece of prose.
What skills to I need to attend the group? No skills or qualifications are necessary. All you need is a willingness to listen to others and be receptive to new ideas, to be open minded and to appreciate that different people have different points of view. And you need to be curious to know how great writing works.
What happens in a typical Reading Round session? The text will be read out loud to you by the writer, and then you will discuss how the writing works, what it’s about, and what choices the writer has made when writing it.
How many sessions are there, and do I need to attend them all? There are thirty sessions in a year, each 90 minutes long. You will find that group really bonds over the weeks and that your presence matters, but of course, everyone will understand if you have to miss the odd session.
Who leads the sessions? Sessions are led by a published, experienced professional writer.
What are the benefits of Reading Round? You will gain experience in reading, thinking and talking about all kinds of writing; you will read and discuss a wide variety of texts; you will become more aware of language and how it’s used. And you will become part of a close-knit group intent on exploring great literature together.
Can I join if I am visually impaired, blind, deaf or disabled? All the texts are read aloud, and you will have a copy to read for yourself. The groups are run in venues with good access. Everyone is welcome, and we recommend getting in touch with the RLF Fellow who hosts the group to discuss your requirements ahead of the sessions.
I’m shy and not confident about speaking in a group – can I still join? You can certainly join a group. There’s no pressure to speak, and the writer who leads the group will ensure you are included even if you don’t verbally contribute. However, you may find it hard to resist joining in the discussion at some point!
When and Where? The first Reading Round sessions will take place on Mondays between 11.00 am and 12.30 pm on the following dates: 16 September, 23 September, 30 September, 7 October, 14 October, 21 October, 11 November, 18 November, 25 November, 2 December at Open Eye Gallery.
Reading Round is run by Royal Literary Fund, a national charity that has been supporting writers and promoting literature in the UK since 1790. The group is run by Pauline Rowe who, as well as being a previous RLF Fellow at the University of Chester (2022 – 2024), has worked as a writer-associate at Open Eye Gallery since 2016.
Image: Rob Battersby