FANCY becoming a famous writer or animator?

Business Bolton, the council’s business support team, has teamed up with Creative Industries Trafford (CIT) to deliver a number of top workshops.

The classes will feature some of the country’s leading names in their field who will be able to offer first-hand experience and practical tips on how to develop a career.

One of the highlights is a masterclass entitled Meet the Puppet Masters – a course featuring figures from the world of animation, puppetry and character design. Participants will benefit from the knowledge of Merlin Crossingham, creative director for Wallace and Gromit at Aardman Animation; Brian Cosgrove, creator of Danger Mouse and Count Duckula, and co-founder of Cosgrove Hall Films; animation expert Barry Purves; and Shaune Harrison, prosthetics expert, make-up effects artist and creature designer.

The puppets masterclass will take place at Waterside Arts Centre, Trafford on Saturday, November 5 from 11.30am to 4.30pm. Usual price is £15, but Bolton residents can take advantage of a special offer price of £10.

The short story course is open to all writers, whether they are new to creative writing or have some experience already. Participants will receive feedback on their work by course tutor, author David Gaffney.

David has written numerous short stories, and his story The Staring Man featured in the 2016 collection Best British Short Stories. His new novel All The Places I’ve Ever Lived is out in February 2017.

The four-class course starts on Tuesday, October 11, from 6.30pm to 9pm, at St George’s Gallery, St George’s House, Bolton, and includes sessions on October 25, November 8 and November 22 for the ticket price of £30. This course is run in partnership with CIT and Live From Worktown Festival.

The curator development talk is aimed at those who specialise in the visual arts and will take the form of a panel discussion, looking at the role of the curator and their work with artists and galleries.

Giving advice on how curators can develop their careers will be Kwong Lee, the director of Castlefield Gallery, and Thomas Dukes, curator at the Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool.

Tickets for this talk are priced £5 and the event takes place at St George’s Gallery, Bolton, on Thursday, November 24, from 6.30pm until 8.30pm.

Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Resources, Cllr Ebrahim Adia, said: “We have a thriving creative sector in Bolton and it’s important to foster such talent. These workshops are just one of the ways Business Bolton is able to offer support to creative residents who are either just starting out in their chosen field or looking for their next challenge.”

“The calibre of guest speakers is fantastic and we are delighted to work in partnership with Creative Industries Trafford and the Live From Worktown Festival to offer this opportunity to hear and learn from the best.”

To book, contact 0161 912 5616 or visit http://creativeindustriestrafford.org/events/. For more information on support for Bolton’s creatives please visit http://www.businessbolton.org/business-sectors#creative