Archive of the Now

The Archive seeks to appoint a Poet in Residence.  This residency will be virtual, within the Archive, rather than based at the University.  Its value is £3,600 for a twelve-month period starting on 1 May 2013.

This residency has the following four aims:

• To explore the creative and critical implications of performance, recording and digital dissemination of poetry.
• To investigate the characteristics of performance and the transition between page and voice which emerge in the Archive’s collection of recordings.
• To produce materials which allow users to engage with the Archive in new ways.
• To develop students’ understanding of the relations between text, performance, and digital publication.

The Poet in Residence will be asked to produce a monthly response to the Archive (twelve responses in total).  These responses, which may include (but are not limited to) new work (written, audio or video), a short commentary on one of the recordings, a set of questions or reflections on digital writing, an essay or podcast, etc., will be published on the Archive website.

In addition, the Poet in Residence will be asked to lead three workshops over the course of the residency for students in secondary schools and sixth-form colleges.  The design and planning of these workshops will be the responsibility of the Poet, but the workshops should involve students thinking about the relation between poetry and performance by creating a new text and conducting performance experiments.  Finished student contributions will be hosted on the Archive in a special ‘emerging writers’ portal.  Enrolment in the workshops will be facilitated by the Education Liaison and Widening Participation Office at QMUL, and attendance will be capped at 30 each.  The workshops will be held at QMUL.  A per diem to cover expenses, travel within the UK and accommodation in Londonwill be provided to the Poet in Residence.

The Residence will be managed by the Director of the Archive, Dr Andrea Brady.  She will liaise with the poet, monitor his or her contributions to the website, and set up the school workshops at times which are mutually convenient to the poet and the schools.

The Poet will be chosen by a panel including the Director of the Archive and its Advisory Board.

To apply for this Residency, please submit your CV including the names of two referees plus a short description (1500 words) of the proposed activities during the residency.