New
Description
Are you a poet with a developing national and/or international profile for whom a poetry fellowship would make a significant artistic and professional difference? As a Caster Cultural Fellow situated in the School of English and Poetry@Leeds, you will be funded full-time for a 24-month period.
The University of Leeds has a strong tradition of encouraging new poetry and of exploring the poetry of the past. Poetry@Leeds (previously the University of Leeds Poetry Centre) fosters a supportive environment for research, teaching and public engagement, celebrating and facilitating excellence in poetry, within and beyond the University. Our work demonstrates the powerful insights, across disciplines, time periods, languages and cultures, to be gained from researching and writing poetry. As a Caster Cultural Fellow situated in the School of English and Poetry@Leeds, you will be funded full-time for a 24-month period in which to develop your creative practice in a University context. You will also have opportunities to interact with the academic community across the University's research disciplines and engage with students and external partner organisations. You will be supported in shaping the fellowship according to your own interests and professional goals, which may include gaining experience teaching in higher education and/or developing innovative, public-facing collaborations or projects that draw upon the University's research strengths and external partnerships. Made possible by the generosity of the Caster family, Caster Cultural Fellowships are designed to nurture creativity at a crucial stage in a poet's development. Previous Caster Cultural Fellows in Poetry include Helen Mort, Malika Booker, Anthony Vahni Capildeo, Zaffar Kunial and Matt Howard. The work of these Fellows continues to shape the contemporary poetry landscape in the UK and internationally, earning recognition in the form of prizes and awards including the Forward Prize, the Cholmondeley Award, the Windham Campbell Prize, the Scotland National Poetry Prize, the Ledbury Second Collection Prize, and the ASLE-UKI Book Prize Award.
You will have: A national or international track record as a literary artist in the field of poetry; Potential to develop outstanding new work in poetry; Proven ability to develop constructive working relationships with people at all levels within an organisation, and across a diverse range of disciplines and interests; Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; Excellent presentation skills and a readiness to discuss your work with diverse audiences; The ability to work well as part of a team; The ability to act as a role model to build trust through openness, honesty and integrity; Good time management skills and the ability to prioritise tasks.
As a Caster Cultural Fellow in Poetry your main duties will include: Developing your creative practice; Disseminating your work through publications and/or events; Shaping the fellowship to support your interests and professional goals, which may include gaining experience teaching in higher education and/or developing innovative, public-facing collaborations or projects that draw upon the University's research strengths and external partnerships; Helping to raise the University's profile and reputation as a centre of excellence in poetry; Acting as an ambassador for the University and Poetry@Leeds. These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.