The Rest Experience

The Rest Experience is a creative response to an exploitative system that was born at the time of the killing of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter and Covid. It is an activist and artistic resistance, a long term practice to counter a culture where we are never enough, exhausted and robbed of our humanity and connection to ourselves. THE REST EXPERIENCE believes that creating restful encounters internally and externally is a necessary disruption – to re-align with our purpose in imaginative and intentional ways, to remember our wholeness in every aspect of our lives. Creative writing in combination with dreaming, resting, music and reflection is to create a joyful and explorative space for all genres of writers and artists.

About Akila Richards

Akila is an award winning published fiction writer, poet and spoken word artist. Her recent poetry pamphlet ‘Ritual For A Mango’ was launched in February 2024 at Goldsmith University. Performances and readings take place in artistic, cultural and community settings and feature in theatre, film, audio, visual arts and on digital platforms. Her work led to collaborations in Liberia, The Gambia, St Lucia, Berlin and UK. A yearlong residency at Brighton Dome led to the development of The Rest Experience. Akila’s portfolio includes coaching and mentoring as well as facilitating creative projects. She is currently writing a novel. https://akilarichards.wordpress.com/

Low cost places available

We believe the price of our courses should never be a barrier to your learning. If you are unable to pay for a place on this event, you can apply for a bursary place.

Wellbeing Month 2025: Writing in Balance

New Writing South is delighted to bring back Wellbeing for Writers Month in 2025! Writing is often a solitary journey, full of challenges that demand resilience. This summer, we’re creating space for writers to nurture their creativity and well-being.

Whether you need meditation and rest to recharge your creative energy, strategies for tackling difficult themes in your work, or movement to align body and mind, Wellbeing for Writers 2025 has something for you. Join us and create in the sunlight this summer!