The Crab Museum Creative Writing Workshop took place upon the 11th of December 2024 at the Crab Museum in Margate. A location-specific workshop, combining elements of the museum, such as its super-microscope and whimsical displays, with a blend of creative writing and drawing activities.
What was really special about this workshop is that all the participants at the workshop had never been to the crab museum before! And, as the lead, insects, crustation and all things sea-themed are some of my intense fascinations! So, it was an absolute joy to be able to hold the workshop. Everyone was keep to have a look and read the ‘crab-cophony’ of multi-legged displays, so, the first activity was a look and discover exorcise; participants went around the museum writing down details or antidotes they found interesting. They were asked to pay special attention to where fact and fiction ‘interlocked’ in the very fantastical museum. They were also encouraged to use the museum microscope, which had bits of natural sea debris that could be placed beneath it and seen in intense detail.
Afterwards they all gathered around a cental table, shared their favourite sea-animal (and why), before telling something about their museum experience. Everyone was having so much fun talking…. that I had to interject or we would never have done the writing! The first activity asked participants to use elements that they had discovered around the museum to inspire writing, either as a descriptive piece or a story…
It was lovely to hear how each participant had combined facts and images with their own creativity.
For the second activity I shared an extract from the book ‘Enchanted Creatures’, monsters and their making, which had a section on Leviathans (sea monsters!). It explained how, originally monsters were often bits of different ‘unknown’ animals that had been put together/converged with other animals. – And how, the ancient greeks, believed that if you captured and killed monsters, you could gain their strength or power. …. with that in mind, I asked each participant to draw a monster that had been inspired by the crustations at the crab museum. The task ongoing from that was to put that ‘monster’ in a story, or write about it in its environment…. again, the range of imagination was captivating – we had friendly mer-creatures, mushroom crabs, and scorpion crabs that roamed labyrinths sideways…
I think both myself and the participants greatly enjoyed this workshop, and it was a lovely ‘last’ funded workshop with Art’s Council England. All participants stayed for a chat afterwards and discussed how they’d particularly enjoyed exploring a new place not only creatively, but also elaborately.
