Events

The Writers’ Gathering

The Writers’ Gathering is an open discussion group for people who use writing as a tool for experiment in their practice, but whose work doesn’t necessarily fit into easily defined categories. Meeting in London, or online, the group welcomes those who might hold writing in a critical relationship with performance, see writing as a space for or refuge from performance, or transform writing through dialogue with performance. If you’re interested to join us, please send expressions of interest to departmentfc[at]gmail[dot]com.

Reading the Internet & Something Other Live  

Reading the Internet began as an exorcism and a celebration of all the writing that’s published online: in blogs, on social media, in comment boxes and more. It takes the public forum of the internet into the public space of cafes, theatres and pizza parlours, and transforms the written word into live art.

At Reading the Internet, a Facebook feed might be played as music or a political essay distilled into poetry; Youtube comments become the source for stand-up comedy and reviews are broken into shards. Some people read online content verbatim, others create something new, be it text, film or performance. No two nights are the same – except in inviting the audience to think about, and sometimes laugh at, the way we live together online.

In 2017 we changed the name of our event series to ‘Something Other Live’, to reflect the fact that it has become inextricably linked to the publication of our themed chapters. Each SOL event happens before the chapter is published – the text precedes the live precedes the text. Please see our chapters for more information.

In 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic forced another change: our Ninth Chapter, On Circularity, was preceded by a listening event, held online in association with the Live Art Development Agency. Our events continued in this format, including a partnership with Ignota Books, for the Tenth, & Eleventh Chapters.

In 2023 we collaborated with Feminist Duration Reading Group to launch our Twelfth Chapter at the CCA, Goldsmiths University, London.

To launch our Thirteenth Chapter we will return to the Live Art Development Agency in London, on 9th July 2025.