Photographers and poets are being sought for creative workshop sessions in the historic and beautiful cloisters at the cathedral.
In June, Hereford Cathedral will be opening the historic College Cloisters to help visitors explore their own creativity, with a series of ‘Creative Cloisters’ sessions.
Following completion of its renovation of the Eastern Cloisters, a project supported by the Heritage Fund, the Cathedral is repeating its successful Creative Cloisters events, first launched in 2021. It will be running two Creative Cloisters sessions; Photography on Monday 13 June, from 12 noon until 2.00 pm, and Poetry on Monday 20 June, from 10.00 am until 12.00 noon.
The Cathedral’s team is excited; Owen Towndrow, Visitor Engagement Officer, hopes that many people, whether beginners, amateurs or professional, will take advantage of the unique environment: “On 13 June our doors will be open for photographers to use their artistic eye to capture the wonderful aesthetics and history of the Cloisters. 20 June’s poetry workshop will encourage creative writers in the same way to explore the power of language to convey responses to a tranquil environment”.
Hereford Cathedral’s College Cloisters, located behind the main cathedral building, were built in 1475 and were once home to the Vicars Choral who sang services in the Cathedral. In 2018 the Cathedral’s Eastern Cloisters Project, supported by Heritage Fund UK and other donors, renovated spaces in the buildings to make its history more accessible to the public and allow more events and activities. During the research stage of the project, pieces of artwork and writing were uncovered, demonstrating how the space has been a source of inspiration to writers and artists throughout the centuries; hence the Creative Cloisters workshops.
Attendees at the workshops will be shown works from the past as inspiration for creating their own images and texts, and will be able to explore the Cloisters with as much or as little guidance from the session leader as they would like. The session will start with an opportunity to visit the Old Chapel and view a short video telling the story of the Cloisters, and visitors will be given their own writing materials (unless they prefer to bring their own).
The sessions cost £5 per person, per session, and advance booking on the website is essential:
- Photography, Monday 13 June: https://www.herefordcathedral.org/Event/creative-cloisters-photography
- Poetry, Monday 20 June: https://www.herefordcathedral.org/Event/creative-cloisters-poetry
For more details, please visit the Cathedral website www.herefordcathedral.org/events or call the office on 01432 374200.