We have a new lineup for Scottish Black Writers Group, facilitated by writer Dean Atta in association with the National Theatre of Scotland!
Scottish Black Writers Group is a free writers group facilitated by our Co-Director Dean Atta and in association with the National Theatre of Scotland. It is a monthly meetup open to writers across the UK and Ireland who are Black/from the African diaspora, including people of mixed heritage.
Scottish Black Writers Group is a space to meet, chat, network and talk about the writing life – writers both published and unpublished are welcome to join us.
Book now on Eventbrite
You may sign up for one, several or all writers group events.
Scottish Black Writers Group Calendar
Third Thursday of the month, 7-9 pm
Thu 15th July with Adura Onashile
Thu 19th August with May Sumbwanyambe
Thu 16th September with Ben Tagoe
In the past, we have been joined by guest speakers such as Eric Ngalle Charles, Leila Aboulela, Delia Jarrett-Macauley, Alex Wheatle, Nandi Jola, Nick Makoha and Dorothy Koomson.
Please be mindful when booking. The Scottish Black Writers Group is for writers based across the UK and Ireland who are Black/from the African diaspora, including people of mixed heritage.
Scottish Black Writers Group with Adura Onashile
Date: Thu 15th July 2021
Time: 7-9pm
Facilitator: Dean Atta
A peer support and social space facilitated by Glasgow-based author Dean Atta for Scottish Black writers and Black writers based in Scotland to meet and discuss with Black writers from across the UK and Ireland, with a guest speaker each month courtesy of the National Theatre of Scotland.
In July we’ll be joined by Adura Onashile. Adura Onashile is an award-winning Glasgow based artist. She has been a part of the British Council Edinburgh Showcase and has worked with companies such as Untitled Projects, Royal Shakespeare Company, Young Vic, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Chicago Shakespeare Company and St Anne’s Warehouse, New York. She has premiered two productions, HeLa and Expensive S**t at The Edinburgh fringe festival, winning a Fringe First, Edinburgh Guide Best Scottish Contribution to Drama and TOTAL and Amnesty nominations. Her inquiry into the contexts in which she makes and tours work as a Black artist in Scotland, led to a series of discussions titled “Empowering Change: Discussions on Art, Race and Privilege”. Named number 10 in The List magazine 2018 HOT 100, she was described as “creating politically charged and provocative work, Onashile is proving that she simply cannot be ignored”. Her debut as a filmmaker, short film, Expensive S**t, premiered at the London Film Festival 2020. She is developing new work across Theatre, Film and Television and is a recipient of the Channel 4 playwright bursary.
Scottish Black Writers Group with May Sumbwanyambe
Date: Thu 19th Aug 2021
Time: 7-9pm
Facilitator: Dean Atta
A peer support and social space facilitated by Glasgow-based author Dean Atta for Scottish Black writers and Black writers based in Scotland to meet and discuss with Black writers from across the UK and Ireland, with a guest speaker each month courtesy of Scottish PEN.
In August we’ll be joined by May Sumbwanyambe. May Sumbwanyambe is a librettist, radio dramatist, academic and award-winning playwright from Edinburgh.
Previous productions include; After Independence (Arcola Theatre, Papatango Theatre) The Parrot House (The Royal Opera House, Guildhall School of Music and Drama) ‘After Independence’ and ‘The Trial of Joseph Knight (BBC Radio 4).
He is currently writing new stage plays for The National Theatre of Scotland and The Citizens Theatre, and a new TV Series for Two Rivers Media and the BBC. His last play saw him described by The Times as ‘a rare discovery’ and The Telegraph as ‘a writer of terrific potential’.
In 2016 May’s debut play was the winner of the Alfred Fagon Award, he has also won the BBC PAF’s £10k Legacy Award. He was the inaugural Papatango Resident Playwright and winner of the £10k BBC Performing Arts Fellowship. Other award recognition includes being shortlisted for the Channel 4/Oran Mor Comedy Drama Award (2012), the Papatango New Writing Prize (2012), the Alfred Fagon Award (2011, 2012, 2015), the BBC’S Alfred Bradley Award (2011) and OffWestEnd’s Adopt a Playwright Award (2010 and 2009), The Old Vic 12 award (2016) Perfect Pitch £12k musical award (2016), IASH/Traverse Fellowship (2017,2018), Live Theatre/Northumbria University Writer in Residence (2018) and The Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship (2018). He also reached the final round of Soho Theatre’s Verity Bargate Award (2011) and won the BBC’s inaugural Scriptroom competition (2012).
As an academic, May worked for The University of Edinburgh as a teaching fellow in Theatre (2018-2019). He has been an Associate Lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University for 3 years and is also currently a Lecturer in Creative Writing and English at Northumbria University. In 2018 May was a contributing author to two theatre theory books, ‘How to be a Playwright’,(Nick Hearn Books) and ‘Revolution: 50 Years of Making Political Theatre’ (Pluto Books Limited in partnership with Edge Hill University Press). May’s Undergrad degree was in law (LLB). He studied for his masters (MA) at Guildhall School of Musical and Drama in ‘Opera Making’, where he was also a Hedley Trust Scholar. He is currently the recipient of a full studentship from the University of York, where he is writing his PhD ‘Do black lives really matter?’, exploring the relationships between critical race theory, theatre, performance and production in Scotland through plays about black people in history.
Outside of academia, May has worked as a new writing tutor for over 10 years. Companies he has worked with include: The West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Bolton Octagon, Hull Truck Theatre, Traverse Theatre, Tron Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Royal Exchange Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Papatango Theatre Company, Leicester Curve, Smock Alley, Royal Opera House, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Scottish Opera, The National Theatre of Scotland, The Old Vic Theatre and more…
Scottish Black Writers Group with Ben Tagoe
Date: Thu 16th Septemebr 2021
Time: 7-9pm
Facilitator: Dean Atta
A peer support and social space facilitated by Glasgow-based author Dean Atta for Scottish Black writers and Black writers based in Scotland to meet and discuss with Black writers from across the UK and Ireland, with a guest speaker each month courtesy of Scottish PEN.
In September we’ll be joined by Ben Tagoe. In October 2020, Ben completed a 6-month Writers Room for WESTWORLD creator Jonathan Nolan’s Kilter Films. He is currently working on his second episode of the show, which is a Sci-Fi book adaptation for Amazon.
In 2019, Ben wrote an episode of the hit Sky comedy IN THE LONG RUN (Green Door Pictures), which stars Idris Elba and was broadcast as part of the second series on Sky 1(UK) and Starz (USA). His episode of STAN LEE’S LUCKY MAN (Carnival Productions/Sky Television) was broadcast in 2018.
In 2016, Ben joined the team on CBBC’s JAMIE JOHNSON. He wrote four episodes of the show across the second and third seasons. In 2017, his episode END GAME was submitted and subsequently shortlisted for the Children’s BAFTA awards, International Emmys and Royal Television Society awards.
Back in 2011, Ben was one of eight writers selected from over 500 established professional applicants for the BBC Writers Academy. He gained credits on BBC shows DOCTORS, EASTENDERS and CASUALTY as a result. In October 2014, Ben joined the writing team on ITV’s CORONATION STREET and wrote 32 scripts before leaving the show in August 2017.
Ben also has original projects in development with various production companies and broadcasters
Access
- All events are free.
- All events are suitable for people 18+ years.
- Events are hosted online using Zoom (instructions will be sent 2 days before each event or can be accessed via the Eventbrite Online Event page).
- To participate you will need an internet/wi-fi connection and a desktop or mobile device to join by audio and/or video.
- BSL interpretation/captioning/audio description provided on request during registration.
- Events over 2 hours long will have a comfort break in the middle. You may mute your mic/switch off video or take a break at any time.
- Please add any access requirements to the registration form.
- All SBWN events will adhere to our safer spaces policy. You can learn more about our policy here.
