Saturday 23 July – Sunday 4 September 2016
What better way to spend the summer than at The National Centre for Children’s Books? There’s so much going on this summer, you can spend quality time with friends and family getting your hands on your favourite children’s book characters.
Kick starting the summer season is the ninth Children’s Laureate Chris ‘The Doodler’ Riddell, who will be setting up in the Studio over the weekend of the 23-25 July in an exclusive three-day artist residency. Visitors can doodle along with Chris, have a Q&A with the Children’s Laureate, enjoy an Ink and a Drink and navigate fantasy and maps in an exclusive workshop.
Younger visitors can enjoy Little Gallery Explorers (daily at 1.30pm from Monday 25th July – Sunday 4th September) and Sensory Stories (every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday at 10.30am from Mon 25th July until Sunday 4th September). These sessions are ideal for the under 4’s and are allocated on a first come first served basis.
On 2 July 2016, Seven Stories launched their brand new exhibition Michael Morpurgo, A Lifetime in Stories which will run until June 2017. To celebrate the launch of the exhibition a brand new performance ‘The Daydreamer’ has been developed taking visitors on a journey through adventure and imagination. In a world of possibilities, you are invited to become part of the story too. Where will you go? What will you do? Performances daily at 2pm.
Be inspired to create your own summer story and pick up a scrapbook on arrival for a £1 additional charge. Explore Seven Stories and unlock your imagination to sketch, doodle and write your own story, then head down to the Studio to put the final touches to your scrapbook.
Join Blue Peter Book Award winner, author Andy Seed on Thursday 28th July for Seriously Silly Stuff. With sensational stories, funny facts, wacky jokes and entertaining challenges in an event suitable for ages 7+.
Team Creative: Writers of the Next Generation is an exclusive Creative Writing Course for young people aged 8-12 years taking place from Monday 25th – Friday 29th July. Explore different styles of writing from poetry to adaptation, prose to screen writing and get ideas on how to nurture your own distinctive style.
Budding animators can take part in an Animation Workshop with Paul Miller Wednesday 3rd and 10th August, 10.30am-1.30pm. Suitable for ages 8+. Paul is an experienced animator and visual artist and will encourage visitors to produce their own stop motion animation using clay and flip-books and get to grips with the techniques used by professionals.
On the first Saturday of the month from 6th August Seven Stories will be opening its doors early for visitors with an Autistic Spectrum Condition, 9am-10am. Followed by a relaxed story time Adventures with the Tiger at 10am. Experimenting with a variety of tactile props and sounds, these sessions offer accessible ways to spark imagination and allow families to share stories together.
From Monday 15th - Friday 19th August enjoy Mornings with Mog: Happy Birthday Seven Stories! Meet Mog and curl up (but no cat-napping) ready for a delightful event to celebrate the nation’s most-loved cat. Bring along your soft toy kitties to share the story too.
Interested adults can Meet the Curator of Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories exhibition on Sunday 4th September. Meet the expert team who brought Michael’s original manuscripts, notebooks and drafts to life and curated our Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories exhibition. This is a rare opportunity to take part in a unique ‘white glove’ experience and ask the Senior Curator Gillian Rennie and KTP Research Associate Dr Jessica Medhurst about how the exhibition evolved.
Seven Stories has three exhibitions on display including Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories, on display from Saturday 2nd July – June 2017. Rhyme Around the World – A Nursery Rhyme Exhibition, on display until February 2017 and Edward Ardizzone: 80 Years of Little Tim, on display until Sunday 18th September.
For admission prices, event tickets and visit information see www.sevenstories.org.uk for full details. Follow Seven Stories on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @7Stories for all the latest news and information. Seven Stories is open seven days a week Monday – Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday’s and bank Holiday’s 10am – 4pm.
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Media Contact: Kathryn Row, Marketing and Programming Manager
E: Kathryn.row@sevenstories.org.uk T: 0845 271 0777 ext 209.