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The Write Queer London competition is now in its third year. Explore LGBT London past or present in fact, fiction and poetry to win one of our prizes. We are offering a series of free talks and workshops in London museums throughout the winter.  For more information on how to enter see Write Queer London: How to enter.

Curators and writers come together in a creative seance to summon up the gay past - from Babylonian Ishtar, to Oscar and Orton - and to help you to find your own literary voice. Everyone welcome.

FREE WORKSHOPS AT LONDON  MUSEUMS

 Joe Orton Workshop, Thurs 2nd Dec 6.30 - 8pm
Islington Museum

Curator Cheryl Smith shows some of the original book covers famously defaced by Joe Orton and Kenneth Halliwell. Followed by an Orton-inspired writing workshop with Phil Setren. (FREE - but please book at untold.london@gmail.com)

Out of the Archives workshop, Sat 4th Dec, 2.30 - 4pm
London Metropolitan Archives

Novelist and poet Maureen Duffy leads a creative writing class, drawing from her own works and gay London life.  Come for the workshop (FREE - but please book at untold.london@gmail.com) or stay for the whole day and attend the Young Hearts, Run Free LGBT archive conference.

LGBT history blogging, Sat 8th Jan, 1.30 - 3.30pm
Museum of London

Find out where gay histories are hidden in plain sight at the Museum of London, share tips with London's history bloggers, and try your hand at some off the cuff history reportage. (FREE - but please book at untold.london@gmail.com)

'A Great Unrecorded History' - LGBT objects, Thurs 20th Jan, 1.15 - 3.15pm
British Museum

Curator Richard Parkinson gives an illustrated talk about dozens of LGBT-themed objects in the British Museum - from Ancient Egypt and Babylon to 19th century Native American society.

Just come for the talk, or stay for a workshop with Cheryl Smith and turn what you see into verse.

No need to book for the talk, but please let us know at untold.london@gmail.com if you are staying for the poetry workshop.  25 places maximum for workshop.

The Yokel's Preceptor, Mon 24th Jan, 6.15 - 7.45pm
British Library

19th century pornographer, publisher and jailbird William Dugdale wrote the Yokel's Preceptor as a guide to gay cruising spots of Victorian London - very thinly disguised as a terrible warning to countryfolk. Librarian Bart Smith shows us one of the two surviving copies of the book; author and Chroma Journal founding editor Shaun Levin leads a workshop in retro titillation.

Advance booking essential at untold.london@gmail.com

Competition details

Entry: £5

Deadline: 5th February 2011

Poems: up to 30 lines

Stories and non-fiction: up to 2,500 words

Prizes: £200 for the overall winner and publication in Chroma Journal - £100 for winning entries in each category.

FREE PARTY

Everyone is welcome to the Valentine's Night prizegiving party at the Museum of London.  DJ Paul Burston, Stella Duffy, Kristian Johns, Sophia Blackwell, Joe Storey-Scott.

Judges

Stella Duffy, Sara Wajid, Shaun Levin

Entries to: untold.london@gmail.com

We will have paypal up shortly to receive your entry fees - please bear with us.  Payments help towards running next year's competition and are not for profit.

email us at Untold London