Overhear have relished working in partnership with the recent Birmingham Literature Festival.  Newly commissioned poems and prose were written about a dozen well-loved, independent city venues.  The resulting writing was recorded and virtually ‘pinned’ to these sites for customers to discover, download and collect in their Overhear library.

Twelve local writers were matched with twelve exciting locations in this project centred around creativity, community and the celebration of city life.  Writers include Romalyn Ante whose debut poetry collection is published next year, Garrie Fletcher, a writer of poems, short stories and novels, and Susan Stokes-Chapman, a writer of historical fiction.  The inspiring venues include established city institutions like the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Ikon Gallery through to valued independent pubs like The Wellington and newer ventures such as Tiger Bites Pig and Kuula Poke.

The first of these fresh commissions was released on September 26th with new work unlocked over successive days throughout the Literature Festival.  All pieces are now ‘live’. By downloading the Overhear app and visiting the locations you’ll gain access to this wealth of writing, including those that were commissioned during February’s Verve Poetry Festival, so the collecting mission really is on.

Overhear also delivered a series of walking tours, three superbly guided, writer-led tours of the city. A walking-writing-workshop explored hidden histories and unfinished futures in the Jewellery Quarter with poet Shaun Hill, a Four Towers site inspired writing walk was delivered by Garrie Fletcher and the latest followed the green veins of the city seeking nature with poet Nellie Cole.

This project partnership was made possible through an Arts Council England grant. It unites writing and technology through an app-based literature map, linking to festivals to support unique talent and independent venues.  Overhear founder Tom Peels says:

“Overhear is about location and creative content.  It uses mobile technology to link the two, and we hope that it has potential to generate great value for independent venues and artists in the city.”

For more information about the poets, places and walking tours please visit www.overhearpoetry.com or follow on twitter @OverhearPoetry