University of Leicester uncovering local literary talent
1st February 2011

A new project at the University of Leicester is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England with £10,000 funding to reveal hidden talented writers across Leicestershire. The project 'Grassroutes: Contemporary Leicestershire Writing' is launched this month at the School of English to increase awareness of Leicestershire’s diverse culture and the range of excellent writing the region has produced since the 1980s. The project will address the perception that quality writing is London-centric and improve regional BME writers’ access to wide readerships.

Leading the project, lecturer and author Dr Corinne Fowler explained, “The aim of Grassroutes is to promote public knowledge of Leicestershire’s diverse literary cultures on a local, national and international scale. The project will foster local, national and international, as well as critical recognition for the writing.” Grassroutes will deliver its aims by summer 2012 through five outputs:

• an e-catalogue of transcultural writing by Leicester-based authors from 1980-present
• an online Writers’ Gallery with 50 author pages
• a £1,000 creative writing commission
• an exhibition about writers
• a Grassroutes blog on the Literature Network

Dr Fowler was encouraged by recent studies on Britain’s writing, as well as her own research, which revealed a great imbalance between London and regional writers’ readerships, fuelled by prevailing readers’ perceptions of regional BME writers. “Recent research suggests that our publishing industry distorts our sense of Britain’s literary landscape. Not only this, but that Black, Chinese and Asian writers outside London struggle to achieve literary recognition or gain access to wide readerships,” said Dr Fowler.

Visit the University of Leicester website for further details.