CLCL Events

Past events

Buried Treasures: The Power of Political Fairy Tales (16 May 2023)

Jack Zipes, leading fairy-tale scholar, joined Goldsmiths, University of London to share research and launch his new book, Buried Treasures: The Power of Political Fairy Tales, in conversation with Michael Rosen. This event offered a wonderful opportunity to listen to world-renowned experts in the study, writing and translation of fairy tales, folk tales, and children’s literature.

Children’s Literature in Action Book Launch (30 September 2022)  

The book launch of a publication that brings together innovative research studies from the MA Children's Literature module 'Children's Literature in Action' carried out by MA students from 2014 - 2021. This book is beautifully illustrated by our MA Children's Literature Book illustrators (in collaboration with a creative writer). The 3 lead editors are Richard Charlesworth, Deborah Friedland and Helen Jones. There are 19 MA alumni contributing their outstanding research studies to the book with an introduction by Julia Hope and Michael Rosen and a conclusion by Vicky Macleroy. 

Our Planet Digital Storytelling Festival (10 June 2022) 

The ‘Our Planet Digital Storytelling Festival’ brings together films from around the world. The Critical Connections project is celebrating its 10th year and we are very pleased that some lead teachers and schools have been with us from the start and others have joined along the way. The young filmmakers have explored the theme of ‘Our Planet’ in imaginative, critical, and radical ways engaging with research, stories, poetry, and artwork to create their multilingual films. 

The digital storytelling festival connects these young people with their environment, cultural heritage, and languages. The festival shares the stories these young filmmakers have told about their local and global communities and their futures. There are 27 languages included in the digital stories and lead educators have worked with young participants (6 – 18 years old) across 25 educational institutions (primary, secondary, community-based complementary) and 9 countries (England, Croatia, Cyprus, Australia, Cyprus, England, Germany, India, Italy, Malaysia, Taiwan and Turkey). There are short, pre-recorded introductions or slides before each film. 

Sita Brahmachari in conversation with Michael Rosen (17 November 2021)

This is an exciting opportunity to listen to the acclaimed and much-loved children’s authors, Sita Brahmachari and Michael Rosen in conversation about children’s literature.

Sita Brahmachari, a multi-award-winning writer, will be talking about her novels for children and young adults and why diversity matters in her stories. Artichoke Hearts (2011) won the Waterstones Children's Book Award and was voted in the Guardian's top 50 books celebrating diversity since the 1950s. Tender Earth (2017) was honoured by the International Board of Books for Young People.

A ten-year anniversary copy of Artichoke Hearts was published on World Humanitarian Day (19 August 2021). We are thrilled to be celebrating the launch of Sita Brahmachari’s powerful YA novel, When Shadows Fall (11.11. 21) described as a gripping, tender, terrifying work. We look forward to hearing about Sita Brahmachari’s life, work and books.

We are also delighted to be celebrating the launch of Michael Rosen's new picturebook about perseverance, hope and overcoming fear, Sticky McStickstick (04.11.21), illustrated by Tony Ross.

In Conversation with Michael Rosen (27 September 2021)

Michael Rosen has been writing poetry and stories for all ages since his early twenties. In this time, he's been a performer, radio broadcaster and a university teacher here at Goldsmiths where he is our Professor of Children's Literature. This event will be a unique chance to hear him being quizzed about what he's been doing for the last 50 years, how it all started and what he values.

Michael Rosen (Professor of Children’s Literature) in conversation with Vicky Macleroy (MA Children’s Literature & Creative Writing Pathway Coordinator) and Julia Hope (MA Children’s Literature Issues and Debates Pathway Coordinator).

Our Planet Digital Storytelling Festival (11 June 2021)

Our Planet Digital Storytelling Festival brings together films from around the world. In these uncertain times, the theme of ‘Our Planet’ is a crucial topic for young people to engage with, research, and think about out how to change their environments.

The digital storytelling festival connects young people with their environment, cultural heritage, and languages. The festival celebrates the multilingual lives of young people through the bi- and multi-lingual digital stories they have created during the pandemic.

There are 20 languages included in the digital stories and Lead Educators have worked with young participants (6 – 17 years old) across 16 educational institutions (primary, secondary, community-based complementary, pupil referral unit, NGO) and 7 countries (England, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Germany, Taiwan, Turkey). There will be short, pre-recorded introductions or slides before each film.

You can also read the Centre blog about this event.

Philip Pullman in conversation with Michael Rosen (21 May 2021)

This is a rare opportunity to listen to the acclaimed and inspiring children’s authors, Philip Pullman and Michael Rosen in conversation about children’s literature. Philip Pullman will be talking about his writing and some of the stories and ideas behind his influential and much-loved books.

Do you have questions about Philip Pullman’s hugely popular and famous work, the fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials? Are you interested in finding out more about Philip Pullman’s more recent trilogy The Book of Dust and how it links with his earlier writing? Philip Pullman has claimed the new series is neither a sequel, nor a prequel, but an ‘equal’.  The first book of the new series is La Belle Sauvage (2017); the second book The Secret Commonwealth (2019); and the third is eagerly awaited.  We look forward to hearing about his life, work, inspiration and future directions.

You can also read the Centre blog about this event.

Watch the recording.

‘We get to read our favourite stories in new ways’ 

Collaboration – Creativity – Curriculum:  using a collaborative approach between a University and a Primary School to design a Primary Languages Curriculum (28 April 2021)

We will present how the teaching of languages in Primary Schools can be transformed across the whole-school primary curriculum when teachers and researchers collaborate to make space for creativity and stories. In many primary school contexts, the teaching of languages is repetitive and highly formulaic and the researchers wanted to find novel ways to motivate teachers and children to learn languages.

Susi Sahmland, Senior Lecturer in Educational Studies, Goldsmiths, University of London

Claire Hackney, Lead Language Teacher, Haberdashers’ Aske Hatcham Temple Grove Free School, London

You can also read the Centre blog about this research.

Watch the recording.

Deptford Storytelling Project 2021 (27 March 2021)

A multilingual community film-making project celebrating Deptford’s rich history and diverse community. This project has brought together people of different ages, languages and backgrounds to make films about people’s lives in Deptford. Different languages, voices, poetry, dance and ceremonies are used by the filmmakers to tell their stories about families, friendships and communities.

This event is a celebration of the project’s 1 year anniversary and accompanies a screening of the films on the Deptford Cinema online platform

Deptford Storytelling Project is funded by Language Acts and World-Making. It is run in partnership with Deptford Cinema and Goldsmiths, University of London.

Project Directors Jim Anderson Vicky Macleroy Lucy Roger

You can also read the Centre blog about this event.

Watch the recording.

Goldsmiths Connect Presents … Representation Matters in Children’s Literature (21 March 2021)

What does it mean to see yourself represented in a story?

Goldsmiths’ Development and Alumni Office host a panel discussion with alumni Soheir Abaza, Dean Atta and Nadine Kaadan, facilitated by lecturer Dr Vicky Macleroy, on representation in children’s literature.

Goldsmiths has been home to some of the most exciting and radical voices of children’s literature. From founding initiatives to promote creative learning in Arabic, to writing stories about black gay teens reclaiming their identities through drag, Goldsmiths alumni are leading the way in challenging societal structures by creating diverse stories for children and young adults.

Our panellists share their experiences as writers advocating for change in children’s literature, where they think the field of children’s and Young Adult writing is going, and the transformative potential of diverse children’s stories for social change.

You can also read the Centre blog about this event.

Watch the recording.

Bridging the Awareness Gap in Arabic Children’s Literature: the Story of the Hadi Badi Initiative (13 January 2021)

The seminar presents Hadi Badi's founders and their work. It also provides an overview about Arabic children and young adult literature and how the initiative is trying to bridge the awareness gap when it comes to the use of Arabic language, learning, and culture for young people.

Hadi Badi is an initiative that aims to promote children’s and young adult literature and creative learning in Arabic worldwide. Launched in January 2019, Hadi Badi evolved organically from the interest and engagement of its founders in Arabic children’s literature. Four Egyptian women passionate about Arabic language, literature, and creative learning are behind Hadi Badi:

• Hend Badawy, Play Therapist and Place2Be School Project Manager, London, UK
• Miranda Beshara, Writer, Editor, and Translator, Paris, France
• Raneem Hassan, Child Psychiatrist, Cairo, Egypt
• Soheir Abaza, Writer & Teacher, MA in Creative Writing and Teaching, Goldsmiths, University of London

Watch the recording. 

Decolonising Creative Writing Conference (11 December 2020)

The traditional ways of thinking about subjects are being questioned in ways that they never have before. The ‘Black Lives Matter' movement has led to significant social and intellectual change across the globe with statues being removed, laws being changed and racist views being challenged in ways they haven’t been before.

But what of creative writing? Despite the fact that there are many new and diverse voices coming to the fore, has the question been asked: can we decolonise creative writing? For centuries, creative writers have both promoted and challenged colonialism, but has any serious thought been given to decolonising the subject? While other disciplines are being examined in these terms, creative writing for a variety of reasons has been ignored as a focus for decolonisation.

Part 1 - Decolonising Creative Writing, the key issues outlined by Dr Francis Gilbert and creative educators.

Watch the recording.