LAUNCESTON’S 2018 Charles Causley Festival gives the opportunity to participate and learn new skills, which can be further developed for business or pleasure.

There are four distinct workshops — short story writing, printmaking, linocut technique, and poetry — all of which will have a limited number of participants so the tutor can give maximum attention to each student.

Short story writing: Friday, June 1, Jericho’s Kitchen, 4 Northgate St — 12.30pm, 2pm to 5pm then 6.30pm to 8pm.

The Word Factory is the UK’s leading organisation promoting exellence in short fiction and is hosting this day of activities aimed at inspiring new work in the company of some of Cornwall’s most inventive writers, editors and publishers.

The workshop will be in three sections. Word Factory director Cathy Galvin, who founded the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award, will send participants an exclusive new work by one of the South West’s most innovative writers, Jessica Greengrass, for discussion at the morning session. Contact [email protected] to obtain free advance copy.

In the afternoon Adam Marek, award winning short story author will lead the discussion on generating and developing ideas and stimulating the imagination.

The evening ‘salon’ is intended as a laid back session of friendly conversation and discussion focussed on the vitality of the short story form in Cornwall. Tom Vowler will be joined by Adam Marek, Guillemot Press publisher Luke Thompson and Emma Timpany, editor of Cornish Short Stories.

Printmaking workshop: Friday, June 1, Gateway Centre, Madford Lane — 2pm to 4.30pm. Chrissy Wallis and Karen Howes of the locally based Swanskin Printmakers will be running a taster workshop.

Using a range of natural materials, you will learn how to create your own original prints using mono printing techniques and an etching press. This workshop is suitable for all abilities and everyone will be able to make take home their print.

Karen Howes is an experienced tutor with an MA in Fine Art. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Chrissy Wallis is a mixed media artist who enjoys the challenge of using waste material to covey an environmental message. Chrissy taught mono and collograph printing techniques at Cornwall College, Saltash.

Linocut workshop: Saturday, June 2, The Gateway Centre, Madford Lane, 2pm to 5pm.

A three-hour workshop by one of the country’s most exciting talents in the art of linocut printing is presented by Lisa Takahashi.

The process of carving a design into a tile of linoleum, inking the appropriate sections of the tile and producing a reverse printed image of the design has been used for over a century. The bold, graphic, handmade aesthetic continues to have great appeal, as evidenced by the reaction to Lisa’s limited edition work (at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2016), which sold out on the preview day.

Participants will be able to select an image designed by Lisa in response to a Charles Causley poem (or create their own), and transfer the image, carve the tile, ink and print their own work to take away. The tiles can be re-used to make more prints at home.

Poetry workshop: Sunday, June 3, Eagle House Hotel, 2pm to 5pm and 6pm to 7.30pm.

The festival welcomes back Anne-Marie Fyfe to present two different sessions — workshop and salon. The workshop is designed to fuel the imagination, with talks, excercises and sources of inspiration to enable participants to produce drafts and finished poems, which they can share with their energised fellow poets.

The evening salon is free to workshop participants. Anne-Marie presents an evening on ‘writers and the sea’, from great novelists, travel writers and poets of the past plus the workshop poets. Music will be provided by Cahal Dallat, last year’s Causley ‘poet/musician in residence’ at Causley’s home — Cyprus Well.

Tickets for all events can be obtained from www.crbo.co.uk or from Launceston Tourist Information Centre, on www.visitlaunceston.co.uk or by calling 01566 772321.