The first time (and other stories)

What was your first experience of sexual health? Smear test, condom, crabs? Did you ever talk about it, write about it, laugh or cry about it? Would you like to? If so, come and join us for two storytelling/creative writing workshops where we will explore sexual health through a range of writing and talking exercises designed to help us to tell these stories in our own unique voices.

The workshops are part of a programme of activities artist Thaïs Verhasselt has designed during her residency at Aspex Portsmouth, which will culminate with an event this December, open to all participants with the opportunity to share their stories in an informal setting with friends, family and community.

Dates & how to book:

The workshops will take place on the following dates: Saturday 18 November and Sunday 3 December 1pm-3pm. 

Tickets are donations based and there are limited spaces. Book on Eventbrite here

Meet the facilitators:

Anna Barzotti has a BA in creative arts, an MA in creative writing and studied screenplay writing in New York. Anna has written numerous spoken word pieces, short stories, and screenplays and been employed in a range of settings as a theatre performer, arts and health coordinator, workshop facilitator, researcher and writer. Anna is also a visual artist who creates strange drawings, video art and very short films.

Thaïs Verhasselt is a practice-based visual artist who has a background in photography. She holds both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master of Arts in Photography, which she qualified with honours at the University of Portsmouth. Her artistic practice focuses on visualising experiences through the use of participatory photographic installations and visual metaphors. The use of optical illusionary tricks seeks to explore a philosophy of seeing the world. Her projects explore themes such as illnesses, identities’ construct, visual perception and memory.