Dr Poonam Madar organises ACE-funded monthlong literary festival in Ealing to support the creative health of the community.
By Eve Lacroix (Senior Communications Officer), Published (Updated )
“Everyone harbours creative potential,” says Dr Poonam Madar, Honorary Research Fellow at City, University of London.
As sociologist and a writer, she had noticed time and time again her peers and students wanting to spend more time being creative but stopping short.
“Past experiences, such as those related to school, have eroded their confidence rather than their desire to engage,” she adds.
In response, she set up THE WRITE TRAIL, an ambitious month-long community writing festival held in May at venues across the London Borough of Ealing.
Funded by Arts Council England, the festival is made up of a series of events aimed at helping people reconnect with their creativity. The schedule includes creative writing workshops, a spoken word open-mic evening, an introduction to screenwriting and a word-themed scavenger hunt.
The festival was opened by the Mayor of Ealing, Councillor Hitesh Tailor at Walpole Park by the Joan Soane Bridge.
Discussing putting together the event, she says:
An attendee who took part in a poetry workshop said:
Another attendee, who took part in a reflective workshop, said:
Dr Madar first piloted The Ealing Writing Trail in 2022, which received funding through a Spacehive crowdfunding campaign. Building on the successes of the event, she scaled the event across all seven towns in the Ealing Borough to create THE WRITE TRAIL.
She is particularly interested in the concept of Creative Health, which recognises the link between creativity and wellbeing, and is gaining greater traction. The concept has been recognised and advocated for in speeches by Justine Simons OBE (Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries) and Professor Kevin Fenton (Regional Public Health Director, NHS London).
In 2023, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing published the report Creative Health Review – How Policy Can Embrace Creative Health, which made a call for more support for creativity.
“There is so much joy that comes from facilitating creative writing experiences for others and witnessing the joy that they, in turn experience,” she says. “I am grateful to Arts Council England for making this important and worthwhile initiative possible.”
Dr Madar's research interests and expertise include the use of visual methods to explore themes of identity, culture, difference, and belonging.
Find out more about THE WRITE TRAIL and further events happening throughout the month.
Related schools, departments and centres
Other stories you might like
-
Academic explores the portrayal of Black male identities in the context of music
Dr Poonam Madar writes chapter for a new book exploring the genres of 21st century Black music.
-
Celebrating Black Futures Month at City, University of London
City, University of London celebrates Black joy and excellence through events, talks, and culture during Black Futures Month in October.
-
Bonnier Books UK CEO Perminder Mann appointed Honorary Visiting Professor for Publishing Studies at City, University of London
Bonnier Books UK and City, University of London, today announce the appointment of Perminder Mann to the role of Honorary Visiting Professor for Publishing Studies.
