Writers' Platform Untitled Announces New Artist Initiative

New writers' platform Untitled are pleased to announce the second date of their Writers' Salon series following the success of their opening event in April. Due to take place on Thursday, 18 July 2019 at The Curtain in London, Untitled will be welcoming another ten underrepresented writers to share their work in front of a live audience.

Co-founder, Ollie Charles recently said: "We hope to create a positive and safe space for writers who aren't represented in the mainstream regularly - writers who are BAME, LGBTQ+, working class, physically disabled, have mental health issues and anyone else who isn't afforded opportunities because of who they are or their situation."

The Mechanics' Institute Review said of the first Untitled Writers' Salon that it was "designed to feel relaxed and welcoming, the event feels like a safe space."

Founders, Charles and Nicola Lampard are now on the look out for the next set of writers to come and share their work on 18 July (and into the future, with a third Writers' Salon set for October 2019).

Alongside this date announcement, Untitled are pleased to unveil their second initiative - to work with underrepresented visual artists who would like to take over the front cover of the programmes for each of their events - simply responding to the word 'untitled'. This can be form from photography, drawing, painting, graphic design or anything else. The first artist to provide work was Oliver Stephenson (Insta: @artist_oliver) who provided a piece that he'd drawn during London Pride 2018.

"We are so excited to be able to extend our scope," comments Lampard, "The response to Untitled has been fantastic from writers, readers, family, friends and the industry and we are excited to be able to bring that enthusiasm to visual artists as well, hopefully giving them space to create something new that people will pay attention to."

Recently BookTrust revealed research that less than 2% of authors and illustrators being published in the UK are British people of colour.

In addition, the number of books published by creators of colour declined between 2015 and 2017, after previously showing an increase between 2007 and 2015.*

"It's clear more work needs to be done across the publishing industry to ensure that opportunities for underrepresented communities are afforded to them," echo the Untitled co-founders, "and we can't wait to see where this work takes us having already encountered some of the most animated and fantastic writing."

The second Untitled Writers' Salon will take place on Thursday, 18 July at The Curtain, where ten writers will be sharing their work in front of a live audience.

Free tickets will be available from 6th June. Visit the website (https://www.untitledwriting.co.uk/) to find out more.

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