DOOM RESISTANCE (wednesday class) with kate ireland

2 Hour sessions for 8 weeks on Wednesday evenings 7-9pm (UK time)

Doom scroll, doom circus, doom news. Doom doom doom. As we leave the summer months and the winter months seep into our bones I’m interested in resisting the doom! Yes, we live in an unequivocally dark era, but our day-to-day lives need not be bogged down by despiriting dread that leaves us disconnected and disempowered. 

Over these 8 weeks we will explore writing as a tool of resistance, light seeking, vitality sourcing, awe renewal, and silly funny stupid play! We will look at other people’s writing, songs, music, literature that looks for alternative modes of living and documenting- searching for a reframing that offers new perspectives, builds resilience, and magnifies this strange world’s deeply inherent existing beauty and the love we carry <3 This is a writing course that will use play, inspiration and whimsy as a form of resistance. We are not naively ignoring reality, we are writing and creating new ways to exist within it and push against it.

We will look at poetry, music, essays, theory, films and the rhythms of our daily worlds to create creative material that is lyrical, tells stories and brings people in. Here we will find ways to honour the dark and look for the light. To find connection in the community of writers we cultivate. To engage our senses and write stories, poems, odes, manifestos that are charged with a gleaming, hopeful, stupidly silly truth that mines our human condition and leaves us willing to face a new day head on!
This is also a place where you will write in a safe and care-forward online community of like-minded souls looking to do something together. No experience necessary, just a willingness to play and be creative with your words.

Kate Ireland is a poet, performer, and facilitator whose work explores connection, behavioural patterns and neurodivergence (amongst other things!). Drawing on years of experience in spoken word, theatre, and community arts, she creates welcoming, dynamic workshops that help writers of all levels develop confidence in their voice and craft. Her workshops combine creative play, practical writing techniques, and thoughtful discussion, offering participants space to experiment, reflect, and generate new work. Whether working with emerging writers, community groups, or experienced artists, Kate's approach is rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and the belief that everyone has a story worth telling.

Based in Manchester and originally from Glasgow, Kate performs and teaches across the UK. Her poetry has been featured at festivals, theatres, and arts venues nationwide. Her one woman show Golden Time (and other behavioural management strategies) debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe 2025 and has since toured the UK. Her debut poetry collection Adaptive Strategies for a Sensitive System came out with Burning Eye Books this year, and she has released various music projects in collaboration with DJS and producers.

FAQs

I've not got much experience can I still join the course?
Absolutely. The prompts are designed for all levels, so you can begin from wherever you are. The course does encourage you to challenge yourself and to develop your creative voice through generating new material. A willingness to experiment -and to embrace trial, error, and discovery-is important.

I can’t make certain sessions. Is that okay?
Yes. While attending as many sessions as possible is helpful for building a supportive group dynamic, recordings will be provided to anyone who misses a class. However, the course isn’t designed for passive participation, so engaging with the work between sessions is encouraged.

Is the course mainly poetry?
I consider myself primarily a storyteller and have worked across theatre, film, performance art, and poetry. That said, the course does lean toward poetic writing for inspiration, structure, and voice. Many people join to develop their writing across all forms- essays, memoir, narrative, lyrics -but the focus is often on looking inward and cultivating self-reflection rather than writing a fictional novel.

Will I be required to share my work?
No. Sharing is encouraged but never mandatory. Many participants who are hesitant at first often choose to share later on, as previous groups have been consistently kind, supportive, and generous, helping create a safe and brave space.

Is the course structured like lectures on writing craft?
Not quite. Rather than technical lectures, the course offers relaxed, playful prompts that help open your imagination and subconscious. You’ll receive guidance, examples, and useful editing tips, but the emphasis is on facilitating your own writing process rather than teaching formal principles of English literature or poetic technique.

Feedback from previous course participants:

‘A perfect place to write with others and connect, through listening, writing and sharing as much as you want to. There was never any pressure to share and everyone who did was supported and encouraged all the way by Kate and the group.’

‘The prompts were perfectly curated and Kate guided us through ways to find new ways of looking at ourselves and the everyday. I came away from the workshop with multiple ideas and techniques I want to return to and expand and I am convinced any writer would find their notebooks bulging with ideas from the course. Finally, the final feedback session was so inspiring, hearing others work and how everyone listened and responded to each other was a magic end to the course’

‘Kate's manner and warmth in the sessions made everyone feel comfortable. There was a real mix of experiences within the world of writing, but everyone was able to learn from each other, as well as from Kate's own experience. A brilliant course, would definitely recommend.’

‘This course was the highlight to my week. Kate structured the course so beautifully allowing us to build up our experiences in trying out different ways of writing. There was never any pressure to share, but sharing and hearing other's work was incredibly enriching. Kate established such a safe atmosphere and her feedback was always really useful. Before this course, I'd hardly ever shared any of my writing and now I feel much more confident and intend to start going to open mic nights to perform’