Catriona Stares – Chair

Film appreciation and film making are developing fast but a key aim will be to facilitate a community of filmmakers to generate momentum and sustainability, while instigating community focused film events.

Poetry is well established on the island but we strive to initiate projects that will embrace the wider community and promote a greater profile for poetry island-wide, as well as giving local poets a platform for expression.

Prose, often the reserve of the individual writer or the book group, would benefit from a wider exposure and innovative opportunities for our writers, such as the Radio Drama Competition.

The sub-committe is the driving force behind the first Guernsey Literary Festival which takes place between 12th and 15th May 2011. The festival will feature a host of guest speakers and events including Annie Barrows, author of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, author and editor Tim Binding and president of the Oxford Poetry Society, Caroline Bird. You can find more information and buy tickets on the Guernsey Literary Festival website.

Projects that the sub-committee has been involved in include the ongoing and constantly evolving Poems On The Buses project; an initial Poems in the Hospital scheme; the Radio Drama Workshop and competition of which the winning 4 scripts will shortly be aired on BBC Guernsey and Jersey; the National Schools Film Week targeted at school children aged between 7 and 18yrs; the innovative live Satellite programme from the National Theatre and the Royal Opera House in conjunction with the College of FE at the Princess Royal Centre for the Performing Arts; the Super 8 filmmaking workshop; the building up and facilitating of a community of film makers; building links with Arts in Jersey and Biberach and with the Branchage Film Festival, Jersey.

For the latest news see our news / blog detailing projects and initiatives.

Members:

Catriona Stares (Chair)

See Commissioners and Trustees

Lester Queripel

My name is Lester Queripel. For the past 30 years I have had the privilege of being a writer and performer on the Guernsey poetry scene. Currently I have the honour of being Co-ordinator of the extremely popular monthly Open Mic Poetry nights held at Les Douvres hotel. With the generous sponsorship provided by Tony and Irene Veron of Office Projects, I have my own poetry book entitled 50 of the Best on sale in local shops. Last year I wrote a 3 page Thesis focusing on the crucial part the ‘arts’ plays within any community and sent it to many prominent members of Guernsey society.

Joan Ozanne

Born in Guernsey and educated at the Ladies College, In 1940 I evacuated to the UK, returning to Guernsey in 1945.  My interest in the arts began at school. Later I became very involved in furthering the Arts in the island through a number of events and organisations, and as a member of the States Arts Committee. For many years I searched, unsuccessful, for a building that would accommodate both the Visual and Performing Arts. The Centre for the Performing Arts is the realisation of part of that dream. I am delighted to be a Trustee of the Guernsey Arts Commission and anxious to play my part as a member of the Film, Poetry & Prose Sub-Committee.

Amanda Bennett

Born in Dorset, but from a Guernsey family and brought up at Rocquaine, her involvement with the West Coast continues as a long- time committee member of the Rocquaine Regatta Association.  An English graduate of Warwick University, with a Masters in Information Studies, she became a Chartered Librarian in 1995 and has worked with the Schools’ Library Service and the Guille-Allès Library before becoming Chief Librarian at the Priaulx Library in 2005.  An experienced musician, she has been a viola player with orchestras in Guernsey and the UK and is on the Management Team for the Guernsey Symphony Orchestra.  She joined the Film, Writers and Poets Sub-Committee in 2010 to help with organising the Guernsey Literary Festival.

Janet Rolfe

Janet Rolfe was born in Alderney during the Occupation. Her family moved to East Anglia and she was educated at Ely and the Convent of St. Louis, Newmarket.

Janet studied Dance at The Laban Studio and received degrees from Nottingham and Loughborough universities. She taught in Junior and Secondary schools, specialising in English and Dance-Drama.

Janet joined Guernsey Writers in 1996. Since then she has won several awards in the Eisteddfod’s literary classes and the Channel Island Writers’ Competition. Her short stories have been broadcast on BBC Guernsey. Janet is currently writing a fantasy novel and a memoir of Alderney.

Paul Arnett

As well as running the media department at Guernsey College of FE, Paul is continually involved in film & Video production. Paul is co- owner of a small Guernsey digital media company producing various projects for local and national clients.

Paul began his media career in the early 1990,s first of all making short home movies, before going onto Bournemouth Film School. After graduation Paul went onto make award winning documentaries working for both Channel 4 and ITV.

Paul went onto complete a Masters Degree in film Theory in 2000, and has since combined teaching with film-making.

Rachel Cleal

Ed Jewell

Rebecca Booth

Rebecca has, over seven years, experience of creating film and cross-over arts events in the island and has chaired local film society CinéGuernsey in that time. With her enthusiasm, creative thinking and organisational skills she is a valuable member of the sub-committee, driven to produce exciting events for Guernsey’s community.