I applied for the Artist in Residence role at the National Civil War Centre (NCWC) in Newark because I love history. And the NCWC has such a rich collection of stories held within its walls!
As well as galleries filled to the brim with seventeenth-century Civil War artefacts, the museum also has an extensive collection of exhibits focused on local and social history from pre-history, right up to the modern day. Everything from a Roman skeleton and pre-historic fossils, right up to WW2 artefacts and 1980s Boomboxes! 
And all these objects are weighty with creative and imaginative possibility!
That’s why I’m really excited about running some FREE writing workshops for adults in the museum over the summer. Hidden Histories is a series of four writing workshops where we’ll use the museum’s objects, buildings and stories as a jumping off point to write new poems.
Each workshop runs from 1:30pm-3:30pm on Wednesday afternoons in August, and is a fun and friendly way to kick-start your creativity.
The best part is that everyone who attends a workshop will be invited to perform their writing at a special open mic on Wednesday 14th October. It’s a great opportunity for folks to explore the museum for free, do some writing, and share your words!
These writing workshops are suitable for adults (18+) of all ages and abilities. You don’t need to attend every session. Join as many or as few as you like. Each workshop will be on a different topic and include brief tours of selected museum galleries. Although all sessions are free, booking is necessary to ensure you get a seat!
Upcoming Dates:
Weds 5th August – 1:30pm – 3:30pm – book now
Weds 12th August – 1:30pm – 3:30pm – book now
Weds 19th August – 1:30pm – 3:30pm – book now
Weds 26th August – 1:30pm – 3:30pm – book now
And here’s an example of some of the writing you might do as part of the workshops. I wrote this poem inspired by the witch’s bottle – a seventeenth-century ritual artefact used for protecting families from the influence of witchcraft:
Witch Bottle
Seeking an end to my bewitchment
I took a cheap plastic pop bottle,
scratched its surface with sigils,
filled it with piss and vinegar.
I’d heard tales of antique flasks
pulled from old hearths, corks crumbling
as ammonia rotted the iron pins within.
Protection a heady mix of potion and prayer.
So, I bit my fingernails to the quick
and spat them into the mixture;
pulled a molar from my jaw,
its stump bloodied;
submerged cut tuffs of hair
from my nape. They floated
the way witches never do.
Then, I stoppered the bottle with
black candlewax, made a wish,
swirled the concoction
like a bartender mixing drinks;
muttered the names of my enemies aloud,
waited to hear from their widows.
Leanne Moden
Leanne Moden is a poet, theatremaker and educator, based in Nottingham. She’s performed across the UK and Europe, including gigs at WOMAD Festival, Sofar Sounds, and the BBC Edinburgh Fringe Slam. She’s performed one-woman shows at the Edinburgh Free Fringe, and is currently Artist in Residence at the National Civil War Centre. Leanne has published three pamphlets of poetry, and her latest collection, Ophelia of the Bathtub, is out now.