On this page you will find brief details of events where I will be performing, compering or facilitating. Please check the listings below for details or links to organisers, locations, bookings etc.

upcoming Events and projects

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• Children’s stories originally written by Seamus  for the HAF sessions are being further developed with new characters and a thread to link all of the stories. These stories will be used to create. a series of picture books….

2024 Events

• Summer HAF sessions – Seamus developed a creative workshop for children with an Olympic theme at the request of Your Trust. The stories used were written specially for the session and involved an animal version of the Olympic Games and they were a hit with the children wo loved joining in with animal noises and cheering etc.
• Cartwheel Arts commissioned Seamus to deliver a poetry writing workshop as part of FestiDale which used a theme of “I come from….”. The session was very well received and some very good work was produced by the participants
• FestiDale – Rochdale – August. FestiDale was a festival, in Rochdale, created by Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre and Seamus was commissioned to write a film poem for the event. The poem formed part of the opening evening’s celebrations and the film was shown in The Den (a temporary theatre set up in the venue). The film poem is now available on the Royal Exchange Theatre’s website and YouTube
• February saw the launch of “Poetry by the Canal” with special guest, the canal laureate, Roy McFarlane FRSL, and readings from the book by some of the poets

2023 Events

• In September 2023; Seamus led a  6 week poetry project with Liz White, based in Littleborough with a focus on the Rochdale Canal. There was plenty of, inspiration, writing workshops, a canal visit and more. Some of the work created during the project has been collected and published as “Poetry by the Canal” with the book launched at a special event in February 2024
• Seamus  co-leda new creative writing project with Eileen Earnshaw with Falinge Park Writing Group. The project focused on food and there were  lots of workshops, writing and activities
• In August Seamus delivered a series of 10, wolf-themed, creative writing workshops for children aged 5 to 11 as part of Rochdale’s HAF programme
• With Eileen Earnshaw, Seamus hosted a for the Falinge Park writing group at the Cooperative museum in Rochdale. The event included poetry performances, music, singing and clog dancing
• Seamus organised and compèred an open mic session at The Red Lion as part of the Littleborough Arts Festival
• As part of the Littleborough Arts Festival a selection of Seamus’ Linocut prints were displayed in the window of Kelsalls Book Shop with prints and cards also for sale in the shop
• In the Easter holidays Seamus delivered several workshops as part of the YourTrust Rochdale HAF (health act invite and food) programme for young people aged 5 to 11
• Following the completion of the Poetry in the Park project in Littleborough a special poetry day was held in Hare Hill House. Morning writing workshops, by Eileen Earnshaw, Gaia Holmes and Seamus, were followed by poetry performance and a talk by the excellent, Yorkshire poet, James Nash.
• Seamus continues to facilitate sessions for the Writers on Tap group (formerly TCWG) in Rochdale with a new workshop for each session
• Seamus continues to work as part of the core team at Vibe, working with young people from age 11 to 25, using creativity to boost resilience, health and well-being 

2022 Events

• On Mondays and Thursdays Seamus is one of the core team at Vibe in Rochdale, facilitations creative work for young people. Specialist areas include creative writing, video and sound recording and editing, prop making and a range of artwork.
• January to March – Seamus continues to lead the Climate Worx project, based in Falinge Park and inspired by the Gaia exhibition last year in Rochdale. The final output will include a pamphlet produced and edited by Seamus from the work written by participants.
• A new range of artwork has been launched in my Folksy shop including hand-pulled linocut prints, Giclée prints, greeting cards and postcards. These items are features and available for sale in the gallery shop at Touchstones, Rochdale.
• Easter and Summer – creative writing sessions for YourTrust Rochdale as part of the HAF provision for young people in receipt of free school meals. Workshops will be specially created for this programme and delivered in various locations.
• The Climate Worx project completes with the production of the book, One Planet One Chance, with design and editing by Seamus. Following a launch event digital versions, including a dyslexia-friendly copy we’re made freely available online
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2021 Events

• Seamus is one of the core team facilitating the Vibe creative sessions (previously SWCT) supporting young people who have suffered trauma.
• Seamus is leading a project to enable young people to create online broadcasts (Vibecast) including providing training and support in presentation, video and sound recording and digital editing.
• Summer School creative writing sessions for YourTrust Rochdale as part of the National HAF2021 provision for young people in receipt of free school meals – three workshops specially created for this programme and delivered in 15 sessions (see blog for more details).
• 2nd September – Creative writing workshop for Touchstones Creative Writing group – inspired by Grayson Perry’s Vanity of Small Differences exhibition (see blog for more details).
• A new poem “Pigments” created during lockdown published in The Bolton Review.
• November sees a new writing group starting out at Vintage Worx in Falinge Park, Rochdale. The group will meet weekly and will launch with my “Climate Worx” project which will run until the new year.

2020 Events

• Every Monday – Seamus is a facilitator at Stories We Can Tell/Vibe helping young people who have suffered trauma through creativity including writing, art, photography and music.
• During this unusual year of lockdown Seamus hosted weekly session on Zoom continuing to provide support whilst we were not able to meet.

2019 Events

• 7th November 2019 – 2.00pm – Facilitating for Touchstones Creative Writing Group
• 4th July 2019 – 2.00pm – Facilitating for Touchstones Creative Writing Group – an event likely to be themed around independence
• 11th-26th May 2019 – Altrincham Word Fest – I will be performing and hosting the open-mic session – details of time, date and venue will be posted here when finalised
• 7th March 2019 – 2.00pm – Facilitating for Touchstones Creative Writing Group
• 2nd February 2019 – 11.00am – National Storytelling Week Poetry Work Shop – Inspired by Dave Ball – Oldham Gallery CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
• Every Monday – Seamus is a facilitator at Stories We Can Tell/Vibe helping young people, who have suffered trauma, through creativity including writing, art, photography and music

2018 Events

• 8th September 2018 – Wigan Diggers’ Festival
• 13 May 2018 – 1.30pm – Altrincham Word Fest – SWCT Young people’s workshop at Open Studios
• 24 May 2018 7.00pm – Altrincham Word Fest – Open mic poetry and performance and Coco’s Italian
• 26 May 2018 – 2.00pm – Altrincham Word Fest – “The Power of Poetry” workshop at Coco’s Italian
• Throughout 2018 – Monday evenings – Poet in residence for the Stories We Could Tell project with young people including asylum seekers, young people in care and young people with mental health issues

2017 Events

• Autumn/Winter 2017 – Poet in residence for project with young people including asylum seekers, young people in care and young people with mental health issues
• 29 October 2017 – 1.00pm – Performing commissioned poem at Rochdale Artists’ 30th Anniversary celebration event
• 22 October 2017 – 11.00am – Rochdale Festival Fringe Event – Vibe, Drake St. Rochdale. Event runs from 11.00am to 3.00pm with a mix of poetry, music and chat
• 11 October 2017 – Open mic session at The Red Lion, Littleborough as part of the Littleborough Arts Festival and supporting Springhill Hospice, promoted by Robin Parker
• 3 October 2017 – Guest on first edition of Eileen Earnshaw’s “Weaving Words Poetry Radio Show” on Defiant Radio
• 28 September 2017 – Workshop for Pleckgate School, Blackburn – Private Event
• 23 September 2017 – Workshop for Langley Writers, Demesne Community Centre, Langley, Middleton
• 20 September 2017 – Hidden Altrincham Arts Festival Slam, Altrincham
• 7 September 2017 – 2.00pm – Workshop for TCWG, Touchstones, Rochdale
• 11 August 2017 – Summer School, Pyramid Poetry for Link4Life with young people with physical and learning disabilities
• 17 June 2017 – Eroica Britannia – Performing at vintage cycling festival in The Peak District for the 3rd successive year
• 23 May 2017 – Reading at the launch of The Bolton Review, University of Bolton
• 16 May 2017 – Guest at Pencilvania, Hebden Bridge
• 6 April 2017 – 2.00pm – Workshop for TCWG, Touchstones, Rochdale
• 28 February 2017 – Writing project at Falinge Park School, Rochdale

2016 Events

• 15 November 2016 – Guest at Write Out Loud – Sale, Waterside Arts Centre
• 14 November 2016 – Poetry writing workshops for Rishworth Primary School
• 6/7 Novemeber 2016 – Scribble Festival – Chapter One Books, Manchester
• 23 October 2016 – Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival Fringe Event, Bar Vibe, Drake Street, Rochdale. Event runs from 11am to 3.00pm with a mix of music, poetry and chat. My 20 minute is at 1.10pm. All welcome – Free event (click here for my review)
• 20 October 2016 – 2.00pm – Workshop session for Langley Writers
• 19 October 2016 – Open mic session at The Red Lion, Littleborough as part of the Littleborough Arts Festival, promoted by Robin Parker
• 6 October – 6.30pm – 8.30pm – Reading and Workshop at Oldham Library for National Poetry Day – Public Event, Free admission.
• 6 October – Workshop for Pleckgate School, Blackburn – Private Event (click here for report on the school website)
• 3rd Sept 2016 – Guest on Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM radio (click here for more on my blog) – the show is now available to listen online.
• 22nd August 2016 – Performance and Workshop for Weaving Words writing group at Heywood Library – Public event, Free Admission (click here for more on my blog)
• 4th August 2016 – Workshop for Touchstones Creative Writing Group – Public event, £3 admission (click here for more on my blog)
• 18 June 2017 – Eroica Britannia – Performing at vintage cycling festival in The Peak District
• Spring/Summer 2016 – The Storied We Could Tell – Poet in residence for project with young people including asylum seekers, young people in care and young people with mental health issues
• 16 April 2016 – Guest on Roche Valley Radio’s Community Corner with Nicky Smith-Butler talking about the amazing Stories We Could Tell project, talking about poetry, influences, music and becoming a professional poet (click here to listen to the show).