What's on
Past Events
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Past Event: The Unsaid: Diplomatic Incidents
Free Word at Brighton Festival
Sun 13 May 2012
4:00pmBrighton Dome (Pavilion Theatre)
Our choice of words (terrorist versus freedom fighter), metaphors (war on poverty), images and stories concerning religion, history and myth all have the power to frame the way in which we see the world, and to determine the way we act upon it. Dr Biljana Scott, a linguist with a special interest in diplomatic language based at Oxford University, will…
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Past Event: As Everyday as Breathing? Translating Across Cultures
Free Word at World Stages London
Sat 12 May 2012
10:00amSomerset House, Strand, London
Why can it be so difficult for people from different parts of the world and cultures to work together? The reason most often given is language - yet for many the notion of translation is beyond language. In this World Stages London discussion at Somerset House, in association with Free Word and the British Centre for Literary Translation, artists involved…
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Past Event: Islington Word 2012 Festival
Celebrating reading, writing and freedom of expression
Fri 11 May - Thu 31 May 2012
Various sites across islington
Word2012 is a three-week celebration of reading, writing and freedom of expression with activities and events going on across the borough packed with works created specifically for the Festival. You can enjoy a range of events, exhibitions and performances involving some of the most impressive and exciting artists, writers and organisations in Islington. Free Word, our partners and associates are…
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Past Event: Impact on Internet (Chaired by Timothy Garton Ash)
Thu 3 May 2012
6:00pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
A stimulating debate on the challenges and implications presented by the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement will be hosted by ARTICLE 19 and the Free Speech Debate on May 3. Chaired by Timothy Garton Ash, professor of European Studies at Oxford University and director of Free Speech Debate, (ACTA) Impact on Internet: Freedom of Expression and Privacy also coincides with World Press Freedom…
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Past Event: Politics and Olympics: Ideals and Realities
An exhibition of stories, images and ideas exploring the political and commercial history of the modern Olympics.
Weekdays from 9am to 8pm from Tue 1 May - Fri 7 Sep.
Free Word Hall
When the modern Olympics were conceived in the 1890s by Pierre de Coubertin, his dream was of “peaceful, courteous contests” that would “constitute the best form of internationalism”. Throughout its history the Olympic movement has associated itself with a shifting series of ideals, not least a desire to rise above politics. Yet since their inception in 1896,…
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Past Event: Why we love to hate villains
Sun 29 Apr 2012
5:00pmNancy W. Knowles Lecture Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe
Presented at Shakespeares Globe- a Free Word Translators in Residence event, part of the Globe's Shakespeare Found in Translation series. Frances Wood, curator of the Chinese collections at the British Library, hosts a talk exploring two internationally renowned 'villains' - the First Quin Emperor of China, and Richard III. In the context of William Shakespeare's Richard III's…
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Past Event: Book launch: Tony White’s Dicky Star and the Garden Rule
Thu 26 Apr 2012
6:30pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
Forma invite you to a launch event to celebrate the publication of a specially commissioned work of fiction by Tony White, author of the critically acclaimed novel Foxy-T (Faber and Faber). Dicky Star and the garden rule follows young couple Laura Morris and her boyfriend Jeremy through the turbulent days at the end of April 1986 when the world’s…
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Past Event: Crossing Borders: Translating Wales and the Balkans
Thu 19 Apr 2012
6:30pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
Literature Across Frontiers and Istros Books present an evening of discussion with three novelists: Montenegrin writer, polemicist and winner of last year’s European Prize for Literature Andrej Nikolaidis, bestselling Croatian writer Robert Perišić and Welsh novelist and photographer Owen Martell, whose recent book has just been published in translation in Serbia. The writers will join the…
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Past Event: Andrei Codrescu
The Romanian poet reads and discusses his work
Mon 16 Apr 2012
7:00pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
'One of our most prodigiously talented and magical writers.; Bruce Shlain, New York Times Celebrated Romanian poet Andrei Codrescu will read from his upcoming book So Recently Rent a World: Selected Poems, 1968-2012 and will talk about his work-in-progress 'The Archived Future (with life in footnotes)': an essay about the digital future and how to live with it. …
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Past Event: Brave New Words
Wed 4 Apr 2012
6:30pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
English PEN, Brighter Futures and NewVIc Activ8 are delighted to invite you to the launch of Brave New Words, a collection of poems, stories and reflections written by young people across London with refugee, asylum seeking and migrant backgrounds. A special event as part of Young People Seeking Safety Awareness Week, this evening will involve readings from the book, a…
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Past Event: China Inside Out
Thu 29 Mar 2012
9:30amFree Word Lecture Theatre
9.30am - 5.30pm What is the true story of contemporary Chinese literature? What stories do Chinese writers tell about their country - and what stories remain untold? What role do poets and novelists play in representing their country to fellow citizens, and to the outside world? And how accurate are the stories that we tell about China in the West? …
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Past Event: First Lines
An evening of readings by new translators
Mon 26 Mar 2012
7:00pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
The British Centre for Literary Translation, The Translators Association and English PEN invite you to the launch of First Lines: New Translations by New Translators, an anthology which celebrates the successful completion of our first mentoring programme for emerging talent in literary translation. You will be entertained to readings translated from a dozen different languages ranging from Chinese to Catalan,…
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Past Event: Conversations with a Twist: Dickens, Oliver and Social Justice
Launch of a new exhibition at the Free Word Centre
Mon 19 Mar 2012
6:00pmFree Word Hall
Join us for an informal launch of Free Word’s new exhibition in collaboration with the Charles Dickens Museum. Conversations with a Twist will explore the relationship of Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist on wider social issues, including poverty, child labour, class and education. Much of Oliver Twist takes place in Clerkenwell, a stone's throw from the…
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Past Event: Culture Under Fire: Creative Resistance in Syria
Fri 16 Mar 2012
5:00pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
Reel Festivals returns for its fifth year with Reel Syria 2012, in association with Mosaic Initiative for Syria, supporting Syrian artists and showcasing Syrian culture to a UK audience. At a time when Syria is engulfed in violent conflict, the festival will present a nuanced portrait of the country and its people. On the anniversary of the uprising, Mosaic Initiative for…
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Past Event: This is Jerusalem
A Performance of Poetry and Music by Najwan Darwish and Basel Zayed
Wed 14 Mar 2012
8:00pmFree Word Lecture Theatre
The Palestine Festival of Literature (PalFest) invites you to see the celebrated poet Najwan Darwish performing alongside acclaimed oud musician Basel Zayed. This is a fundraising event for the fifth Palestine Festival of Literature, which will take place in Gaza in May 2012. All money raised from ticket sales will go directly to supporting cultural and education activities in Palestine. Previously,…
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Past Event: Debating Matters
London & South Regional Final
Fri 9 Mar 2012
9:30amFree Word Lecture Theatre
This event is not open to the public. The Institute of Ideas presents the London & South Regional Final of Debating Matters. Sixth form students from six schools will debate issues from organ donation to the Olympics. Judges include Jonathan Heawood, Lindsay Johns and Elisabeth Tribe. Read the full programme here. …