June 21-27

New Writing North presents a festival of work from talented new writers at Newcastle’s Live Theatre and City Library. Find out how to get published and, if you are working on a first novel, choose between packing it off to the novel hospital for treatment from a qualified practitioner or attending a fiction surgery for advice on improving your prospects. Discussions and readings: pound;5pound;3; workshops: pound;10pound;7. Tickets, Tel: 0191 232 1232

Email: tickets@ live.org.uk

Live Theatre, tel: 0191 232 1232; City Library, tel: 0191 277 4100; www.newwritingnorth.com (click on “here and now”).

Step Up on Stage

July 7

“In the Round” drama training course for teachers at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. Programme includes a discussion on the Royal Exchange performance space and its impacts on design, acting and directing.

Participants can attend a matinee performance of The Importance of Being Earnest and join a tour of the building. In the evening, young people from arts colleges and Artsmark schools are staging a platform performance. Fee: pound;35 full day; pound;17.50 seminar only.

Laura H Drane Associates, tel: 0161 833 8815; fax: 0161 833 8811.

Ways with Words

July 9-19

Eats Shoots and Leaves author Lynne Truss, poet Michael Rosen, author and broadcaster Clive James and politicians Shirley Williams, Robin Cook and Tony Benn are among the 200 writers participating in the 13th literature festival at Dartington Hall, Devon.

Tel: 01803 867373; www.wayswithwords.co.uk

Learn Spanish in Spain

Cervantes International, founded in 1986, offers courses at all levels.

The teacher’s one-week course, including tuition, activities, accommodation and insurance costs approximately pound;535 (not including flights).

Students can stay with a family or in a shared apartment, hostel or hotel.

Tel: 0034 95 229 5378 www.cervantes.to

The Times Stephen Spender Prize

British residents aged 30 or under are invited to translate a poem from any language, classical or modern, by July 16. There is a separate category for those aged 18 and under. The best entries will be published in The Times and receive cash prizes.

Send SAE to: Stephen Spender Memorial Trust, 20 Kimbolton Road, Bedford MK40 2NR or visit www.stephen-spender.org