skein - a crucible of dreaming
with Tom Hirons and Rozi Hilton
What if storytelling was neither about the experience of the individual listener, nor the importance of the Storyteller? What if the principle aim of storytelling was the weaving together of an assembled community, with de-othering, hearing and speaking, seeing and being seen at the centre of the gathering? What if territories of storytelling were critical in the battle against atomisation and societal withering? If storytelling were the magical space in which the unspeakable might become spoken, and the silent could become vocal?
For this magnificent session of The Convivial, storyteller and writer Tom Hirons and artist Rozi Hilton offer their experiential project, skein. skein is a playful community-coherence tool and experimental art form in which players contribute to a holographic story-matrix.
Through rounds of participatory storytelling, and a fractally-woven field of imagery, a meta-object is built from language, leaving behind a physical map as an artefact of the explored territory.
In practical terms, this means that together we will respond to prompts (perhaps story, perhaps poetry, perhaps dream fragments themselves) with short recollections or images, before yielding in turn to another offering. Through successive rounds of provocation, a field is generated. It is fun, profound, weird and psychedelic.
This event is BYOC - bring your own cushion. There are chairs available if you need to be off the floor to be comfortable.
We'll bring everything else.
Speakers
Tom Hirons is a writer and storyteller based on the south edge of Dartmoor. He is director of Feral Angels Press and lead editor of Clarion, the quarterly poetry magazine. His piece ‘Sometimes a Wild God’ is a subcultural poetry classic. Tom runs frequent poetry workshops as well as mentoring poets and storytellers. His latest collection is MOLOK, which came out in Summer 2025.
Rozi Hilton is a richly-skilled Artist mentor and staunch-believer in the power of Truth. A poet-performer for many years, her practice serves awareness and expression in all forms, and she lives to help others articulate their own experience. Rozi works creating workshops and courses in beautiful places, leading people towards authenticity, acceptance, and awe. “A wise and breathtaking storyteller, an accomplished, knowledgeable teacher; an energetic and passionate facilitator; and a spiritual inspirer.”
What to expect
6pm - arrive
6.30pm - skein begins
8.30pm - dinner (vegan) is served
9-9.30pm - soft close, socialising
This event is BYOB - please bring along a drink to have yourself and/or to share! There is a SPAR shop just a few meters up the road.
There will be a selection of soft drinks available at a low cost.
Tickets
All tickets include a hot vegan meal. Please refer to the following suggestions when booking your tickets:
No spare income - £1
Low spare income - £5
Medium spare income - £10 (actual cost of producing event)
High spare income - £15
Supporter ticket - £20+