A captivating and creative Blackout Poetry Workshop inviting you to write in new ways.

With permanent markers in hand, you’ll be delving into Barrow's past turning old newspapers, magazines, and other print materials into artful short form poetry.

Discover amazing old stories from our town and create your own to leave behind. This workshop will be in a fun, supported and relaxed environment.

Blackout poetry uses a technique of crossing out, circling, and drawing on pieces of text creating short tales with the words left behind. Blending visual art, graphics and poetry. Bestselling Author, Austin Kleon, describes blackout poetry as 'sort of like if the CIA did haiku'.

Blending visual art, graphics and poetry.

About the artist:

Caleb Staps is a Barrovian writer, performance poet, and workshop facilitator. Self-proclaimed Bard of Barrow

His work explores themes of youth, modern life, and growing up in a small town where not much seems to happen. From Manchester to Leeds to my hometown of Barrow, I've performed at poetry nights, featured in various zines, and been heard across the North West on BBC Radio Cumbria & BBC Upload.

At our War Poetry Workshop we welcome you to explore the subject of war through poetic verse.

Whether you're delving into history or commenting on contemporary issues, local poet Caleb Staps will enable you to discuss and create poetry based on the somewhat difficult subject.

As part of Our Freedom Then & New we welcome you to interpret the subject of war however you may like to whether you'd like to write poetry in memoriam, social commentary on current issues, or reinterpret the phrase war in new and interesting ways.

About the artist:

Caleb Staps is a Barrovian writer, performance poet, and workshop facilitator. Self-proclaimed Bard of Barrow

His work explores themes of youth, modern life, and growing up in a small town where not much seems to happen. From Manchester to Leeds to my hometown of Barrow, I've performed at poetry nights, featured in various zines, and been heard across the North West on BBC Radio Cumbria & BBC Upload.

Join Barrovian writer and performance poet Caleb Staps in this series of three poetry workshops exploring modern day contemporary Barrow, developments in the town, and hopes for the future.

With ongoing developments in the town, local poet Caleb Staps invites you to join him for a poetry workshop focusing on Barrow's present and future. Caleb believes that the present is an interesting time for Barrow with large scale developments in the distance - but how does Barrow look for you right now? Caleb invites you to bring your own thoughts and experiences to write poetry exploring Barrow's present state and how you hope it will look in 10, 20, 50 or even 100 years.

About the artist:

Caleb Staps is a Barrovian writer, performance poet, and workshop facilitator.

Self-proclaimed Bard of Barrow

His work explores themes of youth, modern life, and growing up in a small town where not much seems to happen. From Manchester to Leeds to my hometown of Barrow, I've performed at poetry nights, featured in various zines, and been heard across the North West on BBC Radio Cumbria & BBC Upload.