In October Light Artist and Poet, Elisa Artesero ran creative writing and light art workshops at Manchester Central Library as part of the build up to the Enlighten Manchester Festival of Light and Sound Art. These workshops explored themes of memory and identity using creative writing and a final session of light and shadow play.

The workshops were split into sections; the first introduced participants to the library resources for interesting reading and inspiration material in order to explore their own memories to tell stories in interesting literary ways. The second used experimental literary techniques to create new writings and further refine work for the final week. In the final session Elisa introduced the group to various light and shadow play techniques and long exposure photography.

Each participant used their own writing to create pictures in the shadow word style Elisa uses in her own practice, echoing Elisa’s Enlighten Manchester installation The Stories Under Our Feet installed on the library benches during the festival.

The inspiration for these workshops came from a previous project Elisa was involved in with the Stroke Association. In the ‘Stroke, Science, Art’ workshops were delivered in creative writing, visual art and photography to help stroke survivors to explore their memories (read more about the project here: Curating Stroke: Stories of the Self Through Art and Science).

With thanks to The Stroke Association for supporting the delivery of these public workshops, and to Arts Council England for funding Elisa’s installation.