Don’t Build Fires on the Backs of Big Fish.  We all know the story, right? Sailor meets island. Island turns out to be a big fish. Fish drowns sailor. It’s a tale as old as time, recurring throughout the ages in different cultures and countries across the world, including ‘The Whale’ of the Exeter Book….

Join us for a session with Tolu Agbelusi, the Writer-In- Residence for Quay Words/ Libraries Unlimited who will be exploring stories of present and past Exeter women. In this session, using poetry, references from the Unfinished Business exhibition and stories from the archives, Tolu will facilitate an exploration of the many ways women can write…

Join us for the launch of our exciting international project, a partnership between Quay Words, Exeter and Poetry Africa, Durban, funded by a British Council’s “Working Internationally” grant. Two UNESCO Cities of Literature present five development days for women writers. Day one features readings by Efemia Chela, Quay Words International digital writer-in-residence for February and…

To celebrate International Women’s Day and the beginning of Quay Words and Poetry Africa’s programme we are offering this free networking event. This is a chance for women writers from the UK and South Africa to meet, discuss their work and issues that matter to them. The event will be facilitated by Quay Words Writer-in-Residence…

Following on from World Book Day we’ll be welcoming Tom Mclaughlin to the Custom House to celebrate with an event that’s suitable for the whole family.In his event Tom will be talking about his journey as a dyslexic kid, to best-selling author, reading from his books, as well as demonstrating live illustration and giving drawing…

This is your chance to meet Quay Words and Libraries Unlimited Writer-in-Residence Tolu Agbelusi in a one-to-one 20 minute Zoom slot. During her residency Tolu is exploring the stories of Exeter’s women. You can either come with a story of Exeter’s remarkable women to share with Tolu for her ongoing research or come with questions…

This is your chance to meet Quay Words and Libraries Unlimited Writer-in-Residence Tolu Agbelusi in a one-to-one 20 minute Zoom slot. During her residency Tolu is exploring the stories of Exeter’s women. You can either come with a story of Exeter’s remarkable women to share with Tolu for her ongoing research or come with questions…

Join us for an evening with our Quay Words/ Libraries Unlimited Writer-In- Residence Tolu Agbelusi as she shares from her new poetry collection Locating Strongwoman, followed by an in conversation with the host organisations during which Tolu will discuss her work and reflect on what she hopes to achieve during her residency. There will also be an…

Calling all brave heroes. Are you up for an adventure? Quay Words and international writer-in-residence, Efemia Chela, present a choose your own adventure creative writing experience. It’s October 1806 and Akuba is an enslaved woman, a cook in Lord Hawkins’ household, down the road from the Exeter Custom House. On one fateful day, running errands…

Across four free online sessions, we’ll explore the poetry of the elements: Earth, Water, Fire and Air. You’ll hear classic elemental poems: the ‘foam and glitter’ of Heaney’s coastline and Robert Frost’s snowy woods. We’ll also hear contemporary poems which are solid, flowing, passionate and gutsy in their gustiness! We encourage you to bring along…