Capturing Class

How do we capture working class lives in art?  
 
In his debut Only Here, Only Now, Tom Newlands explores what it means to come of age in a forgotten corner of Scotland and dream of a life that feels out of reach. It is a story about poverty, identity and family that shines with hope and resilience. 
 
In her film Tish, Jen Corcoran documents the life of North East photographer Tish Murtha, who used her camera to expose inequality and document the impact of de-industrialisation on working class communities in North East England. Despite early acclaim for her work, she was unable to make a living from photography and died in poverty. 
 
Tom Newlands is a past recipient of New Writing North’s A Writing Chance programme for working class writers. Jen Corcoran is a writer and documentary producer based in north-east England. Her recent credits include Tish, and the BIFA-nominated Nascondino (Hide and Seek). 
Chaired by Claire Malcolm, New Writing North.