Scottish Children's Literature: Forgotten Histories, New Perspectives & J.M. Barrie

Explore the forgotten history of Scottish children’s literature, from the eighteenth century onwards.

Time

Friday 26th June - Saturday 27th June 2015, Dumfries

Venue

The Minerva Hall at Dumfries Academy, Rutherford-McCowan Building at the University of Glasgow and Dumfries & Moat Brae

This two-day event of discussions and performance will take place in Dumfries, hosted by The Solway Centre for Environment & Culture at the University of Glasgow Crichton Campus; the University of Edinburgh; and the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust.

On the Friday evening at The Minerva Hall in Dumfries Academy, there will be a special evening organised by the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust, currently developing Scotland’s Centre for Children’s Literature and Storytelling, based in the Dumfries house and garden which inspired J.M. Barrie’s iconic ‘Peter Pan’. The Scottish Youth Theatre will give the first reading of Barrie's first play Bandelero the Bandit since he premiered the work whilst a pupil at the school. Prior to this, the registration event at Rutherford McCowan, Crichton Campus, will feature Tom Pow, who has collaborated with illustrator Ian Andrew, to produce a new book for children, Sixteen String Jack & the Garden of Adventure.

On the Saturday from 10 am - 6 pm at the Rutherford-McCowan Building, University of Glasgow & Dumfries & Moat Brae, the symposium will explore topics which include the birth of Scottish children’s literature; ‘Scottishness’ and the idea of the child in children’s literature; didactic and instructional literature including children’s chapbooks; authors’ perspectives on writing children’s literature. Speakers include Maureen Farrell, Fiona MacCulloch, Rhona Brown, Linden Bicket, Elizabeth Elliott, Valentina Bold & Sarah Dunnigan. In the late afternoon we move to Moat Brae, Birthplace of Peter Pan, for a tour around the house and gardens and refreshments. The evening will close with a round table discussion featuring writer Liz Niven.

For further information and details of how to register, please see: