Spreading the word

Chapter One

DAVID Cooper is, in his own words, a one-man task force. As the first Literature Development Officer for City of York Council, his task is do exactly that: develop the opportunities for participating in the joys of the written word, with the aid of funding from the National Lottery's regional arts programme.

"I started on August 5 and I'm hoping to reach as many people as possible, as early as possible, so I'm spending the first two months just meeting people," says David, a Liverpudlian, who has moved to York after serving as arts officer at the Wordsworth Trust at Dove Cottage, Grasmere.

"My aim is to get projects off the ground before Christmas, and the prime intention is to increase awareness of literary activity and to provide an overall strategy for York. There seems to be so many 'little things' going on here but, until now, no-one to bring them together."

David, who is 24, wears glasses and, yes, likes reading, is based at the Central Library on a two-year project promoted by Yorkshire Arts and City of York Council.

"I shall be spending 50 per cent of the time in the York library, putting on events and developing projects, and the rest of my time is my own, to liaise with the literary community in the city and places such as Impressions Gallery and City Screen," he says.

If he sounds like a man on a solo mission, a Uri Gagarin going into uncharted space, then David does have experienced back-up. "Yes, I have a steering group looking after me, led by Annie Mauger, head of library services and heritage in York," he says. "One of the reasons I took the job was that there was a structure in place, with David Porter who oversaw the city council's literature development research project last year, York Theatre Royal artistic director Damian Cruden, Yorkshire Arts literature officer Jane Stubbs, Tony Clarke from City Screen, Elizabeth Sandie from York St John College and Riverlines, and Wesley Zeperin from the council's leisure office all serving on the steering group committee."

David has been given an annual budget of £10,000 to spread the word in York. "There are several projects in the pipeline, such as the publication of a regular newsletter, the setting up of more reading groups at Central Library and the organising of more live literature events across the city, and I'd like to develop a literary development agency," he says.

"First up, I'll be producing a quarterly newsletter for literary activities in York, with profiles, an events diary and poetry competitions."

Working with schools will be another important tranche. "One early focus will be on going into schools, such as taking Theatre Royal actors to schools to do readings," says David. "A lot of people like to read a novel as a private, personal experience - although many also like talking about that experience afterwards - but poetry is meant to be heard. It's great to read but even better to hear it, and you need to hear it being read well, which is why we hope to involve the Theatre Royal."

David also plans to bring together the city's creative writers, in the manner that the Return Of The Artist (ROTA) organisation has provided an umbrella for York's artists. "I'm looking to commission local writers to consider issues relating to 21st century York and their experiences of the city today, to get away from the postcard images of the city," he says.

Other projects? David is in talks with City Screen, York, about a series of events looking at screenplays, and he is investigating the possibility of appointing an artist in residence to work at Central Library.

Part of his £10,000 budget each year will be directed towards marketing. "Literature is particularly bad at marketing itself; visual arts does it really well, so literature has to try to catch up with that," he says.

And David does write - "occasionally", he admits - but reading is his preference. "I would say first and foremost I'm a reader, not a writer," he says. "You don't need to be a good writer to do this job. The important thing is to have an appreciation of good writing."

Such as? "My favourite author is James Joyce, his early works, and my real passion is contemporary poetry: Paul Farley, Robin Robertson, Simon Armitage, Jo Shapcott," he says.

David read English Literature at Liverpool University and had intended to continue his studies, but all thoughts of doing a Ph.D are now on the back burner. "I've been side-tracked a bit! I went to the Wordsworth Trust, where they run an annual arts and book festival, put on conferences and have writers in residence. Originally, I was the press officer but then there was more and more education work as well," he says. "Now I've taken up this new post in York."

He believes he is part of a growing trend. "There's been widespread recognition that literature activity does need support, and literature has always been the poor relation when it comes to funding, but now, posts like this one are being created," he says.

"However, this is not about funding but writer support and the chance to make people excited about literature. I want to get away from that thing of the elitism of literature, especially among teenage boys. If they're reading something like Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch, that should be positive in itself. It's no good saying it isn't classical literature. So what! It's a book, and it's like travel: reading enables you to open your mind."

Those hoping David's appointment will lead to York establishing a literature festival in the manner of Ilkley and Hull must be patient. "If we're to put on a festival, it couldn't be done in the next two years if we want to do it properly," he says. "I could do one next summer but it may not be what people want: first I need to find out over the two years of my post what people do require and then plan for a festival after that, putting that research into it."

Give him time. Move over dusty old books and stern librarians demanding silence, David Cooper has other ideas: "I should really like the Central Library to become an animated place."

The end

To contact David Cooper, ring 01904 552838 or send an e-mail to

david.cooper@york.gov.uk

Updated: 10:42 Thursday, September 26, 2002