FWords - Biographies
Click the Author's name below to view their biographies
Authors
Tanya Chan-Sam
Khadijah Ibrahiim
Jack Mapanje
Simon Murray
Seni Seneviratne
Rommi Smith
Visual Artists
Tanya Chan-Sam
Tanya Chan-Sam is a South African writer living in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. She has worked in a brake and clutch factory, studied for an English degree through UNISA, a distance learning university, and worked the night shifts operating radio control for ambulances. She graduated with a teaching diploma from Rand College of Education in 1983 and has taught in primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Sheffield.
Tanya worked as a literacy trainer in education programmes in Soweto, Johannesburg and Cape Town. She taught English on the Access course at Sheffield College and delivered writing workshops to a large range of community groups, including second language students, older writers and children.
She has worked in a variety of jobs including co-ordinating the Gay and Lesbian Forum in Johannesburg for which she travelled extensively in South Africa, promoting the principles of equality for gay men and lesbians. She currently manages the Sheffield Young Carers Project. She obtained a Masters in Education at the University of Sheffield and completed a research project with young readers and writers at Park Hill Primary for her M.Ed dissertation which enabled the school to promote literacy, writing and reading.
Tanya is a member of Inscribe, a Yorkshire Black Writers Development Programme and has participated in workshops, readings and events with renowned writers such as Jacob Ross, Rupert Thompson, Niyi Osundare, Donna Daley-Clarke and Lemn Sissay. Tanya has read and performed her work at various venues across the UK, from the Tell Tales 2 Tour in St Helens and Sheffield, Spit-Lit literature festival in London, and with the Inscribe group at the Off the Shelf Festival literature festival in Sheffield. Collaborations with other artists include mixed media installations, Memoried Mosaics and Astro Art,that have been exhibited at Open Up, an art show in Sheffield. In 2007, she was selected for a mentorship award with Apprenticeships in Fiction for her first novel, A Greatcoat and a Bicycle, the story of a coloured South African who serves in North Africa during the Second World War. She is currently completing a second Masters in Creative Writing at Sheffield Hallam University.
Bibliography
1993: The Invisible Ghetto, 'Tropical Fruit' and 'Coloured School Days', Krouse & Berman (eds), COSAW, SA.
1994: Five Women in Deviant Desire, Gevisser, (ed.), COSAW Publishing, SA.
2003: Anne Schuster website, 'The Appies'
2003: A Woman Sits Down to Write, 'Childhood in Lansdowne', 'Dragon Kites', Women's Writing Workshops, Cape Town, SA
Writing Renewal, Jobsearch, Govt. Of Yorkshire Humberside
2005: The Pebble Path in 180 Degrees: New Fiction by South African Women Writers, Oshun Books, Cape Town, SA.
Women Flashing, 'Ma's Wig', 'The Appies', Women's Writing Workshops, Cape Town, SA.
Tell Tales 3, 'The Bride' Balasubramanyam (ed), Flipped Eye Publishing, London, UK
2006: Sable, 'Voice in the Wind', a travel essay, SAKS Publications Autumn, issue 9, London, UK
2007: Sable, 'Flesh to Flesh', SAKS Publications, Autumn issue 11, London
Hair, 'Ma's Wig' and 'Plaits', (May and Kalu, eds.) Suitcase Press, Manchester, UK
Exhibitions
2004: Memoried Mosaics – mixed media installation, Open Up Art Show, Sheffield & Outwood Grange College, Wakefield.
2005: Astro Art - mixed media installation, Heeley Institute, Sheffield
Khadijah Ibrahiim
Khadijah Ibrahiim is of Jamaican parentage, born in the city of Leeds, England. She is a poet, live artist, literary activist, researcher, educator and director of theatre for development. She is the Artistic Director of Sema Grass Roots Theatre production, where she continues to develop and coordinate educational programmes around social development for young people and community groups in the Yorkshire region and internationally.
She is a graduate of the University of Leeds, with a BA Honours in Arabic and Middle Eastern literature and holds a Masters of Arts in Theatre Studies in which she produced her research in 'Black British Theatre: Writing for Performance' as her page and on stage dissertation. During the course of her studies, and over a five year period, Khadijah travelled throughout the Middle East and Africa, researching social development; theatre in education – theatre for development. She spent one year in the Yemen doing field research studying at the Yemeni Language centre. She also travelled to Egypt and Ethiopia to further her field research into literature as a means of development.
The richness and progression of her work has enabled her to collaborate and develop writing workshops with schools, colleges, universities and statutory organisations where she has worked along side writers such as Jean Binta Breeze, Dorothea Smartt, and Rommi Smith. She has studied with renowned fiction tutors Jacob Ross, Jamaica writer Opal Palmer, esteemed poet Kwame Dores and poet and playwright Professor Niyi Osundare.
Hailed as one of Yorkshire 'most prolific' poets by BBC Radio, she continues to make various stage appearances across the USA, the Caribbean and the UK. She has appeared along side the likes of Linton Kwesi Johnson, Lemn Sissay, and Benjamin Zephaniah. In 2005, she was an Art Council of England delegate at the Calabash LitFest in Jamaica where she participated in the open mic. Performances and appearances have included the re-opening of the Royal and Derngate Theatre, Northampton, Off the Shelf: Festival of Writing in Sheffield and the Spit Lit festival of Women's Words in London.
Khadijah's recent work as an educator is most clearly highlighted through her founding work with Leeds Young Authors: a writing & media arts collective established in 2003. She is the founder and executive director of 'Voices of a New Generation', a Youth Poetry Slam and National Literature Festival for youth and adults ( est.2004). These projects have enabled her to establish highly respected programmes of work that celebrate creative writing as well as the personal development of young people in and outside of the education system. They have also established the city of Leeds as a centre of excellence in youth literature both nationally and internationally.
Since 2004, she has also mentored the Leeds Young Authors 'LYA - UK's Youth Poetry Slam' team for the International 'Brave New Voices Poetry Slam Festival', USA. LYA were the first non-American youth team to participate.
She is currently working on her chapbook, to be published by Peepal Tree Press in 2007.
Khadijah can be contacted on : Khadijah Ibrahiim
Bibliography
2003: A Journey Through Our History, The Jamaican Society, Leeds, UK
2003: Voices of Women, Yorkshire Arts, UK,
2003/2004: Students English Anthology, Oak Park & River Forest High School, Chicago, US
2005: Hair Poems, Suitcase Press, Manchester, UK
2005: Toaster for Smokey Laughter, Inscribe / Peepal Tree Press, Leeds, UK
Forthcoming Publications
2007: Black Families in Britain as the Site of Struggle, Manchester University Press, Manchester, UK
2007: 'Roots Runnin' a short collection of poems, Inscribe Imprint, Peepal Tree Press, Leeds, UK
Theatre Production and Appearances
2001: Director: Shushuma – Divine Life, Leeds University Workshop Theatre, UK
2001: Co-director: A Village Dream, Leeds University Workshop Theatre; The Wardrobe, Leeds, (to mark the visit of Dr. Nelson Mandela to the city of Leeds).
2002: Director: Nigerian Friendship Society, Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, UK
2003: Stage manager: International Puppet Theatre and Festival, Korea
2005: Actor: A Waiting Room for Journeying Souls, Peepal Centre Theatre, Leicester, UK
2005: Actor and poet: Patriot Acts, The Velocity Theatre, Minnesota, USA
2006: Producer, Principal writer and performer: Hair Stories – Rootz Runnin, Leeds Metropolitan University Studio Theatre, Leeds, UK
Multi–Media and Visual Art installation
2003: Writers Multimedia Arts: Celebrates 34 years of Leeds West Indian Carnival
2003/2004: Director of short film, Cruel Runnings, Leeds Film Festival, UK
2003: Cruel Runnings: New York Reel Sister of the Diaspora Film Festival
2004: Hair Stories Collaborative writer and visual artist, installation, The Black Writers Conference and Arts Exhibition, Zion Arts Centre, Manchester, UK
2005: Hair Stories Collaborative writer and visual artist, installation, Leeds Central Library, Leeds, UK
2004/2005: Moving Minds, visual arts exhibition: Libraries and Museums, North England tour
Readings - Radio - TV appearances
2004, 2005, 2006: BBC Radio Leeds
2006: BBC Radio's New Black
2004: BBC Radio 7 Stand Up poetry series (re-runs in 2005/2006).
2004/5: BBC 5 Live
2004/5: BBC 1xtra
2004/5: all 2gether now community project, (Presenter), BBC Radio Leeds, UK
2005: Urban Griots community radio, Minnesota, USA
2005/6: BBC TV Politic Show
Awards & Commendations
2003: Ilkley Literature Festival, 'Poetry Slam Commendation'
2004: Mary Seacole Black Achievers, 'Walking in Excellence'
2004: 'all 2gether now' community project BBC Radio Yorkshire, Community Radio Presenter
Jack Mapanje
Jack Mapanje taught in Malawi Secondary Schools before he joined the Department of English at Chancellor College, University of Malawi, in 1975, first as a lecturer, then as Head of the Department of English. He has a BA and Diploma in Education from the University of Malawi, an M.Phil. in English and Education from The Institute of Education London, and a Ph.D. in linguistics from University College London in 1983. His first collection of poems, Of Chameleons and Gods, was published in the UK in 1981 and withdrawn from bookshops, libraries and all institutions of learning in Malawi in June 1985. He was imprisoned without trial or charge by the Malawian government in 1987, and although many writers, linguists and human rights activists, including Harold Pinter and Wole Soyinka, Susan Sontag, Noam Chomsky and others campaigned for his release, he was not freed until 1991. The poems in The Chattering Wagtails of Mikuyu Prison (1993) were composed while he was imprisoned, as well as most of his third collection of poetry, Skipping without Ropes (1998). He has edited with introduction Gathering Seaweed: African Prison Writing (2002), based on a degree course he taught at the Unviresity of Leeds, 1993-96, and has also selected and edited with introduction the poetry of David Rabadiri, An African Thunderstorm & Other Poems (2004).
Jack Mapanje lives in York, and is currently teaching Creative Writing and Literatures of Incarceration in the School of English, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. His book, The Last of the Sweet Bananas: New & Selected Poems was published in 2004, and his latest poetry collection is Beasts of Nalunga (2007).
Jack can be contacted on: Jack Mapanje
Bibliography
Poetry
1981: Of Chameleons and Gods, (African Writers Series) Heinemann Educational, Oxford, UK
1993: The Chattering Wagtails of Mikuyu Prison (African Writers Series), Heinemann Educational, Oxford, UK
1998: Skipping Without Ropes, Bloodaxe, Newcastle, UK
2004: The Last of the Sweet Bananas: New & Selected Poems, Bloodaxe, Newcastle, UK
2007: Beasts of Nalunga, Bloodaxe, Newcastle, UK
Books Edited
1983: Oral Poetry from Africa, Mapanje and White (eds.) Longman,UK
1983: Summer Fires: New Poetry of Africa, Calder, Mapanje and Pieterse, (eds.) African Writers Series, Heinemann Educational, Oxford, UK
1999: The African Writers' Handbook, Gibbs and Mapanje (eds.) African Books Collective, Oxford, UK
2002: Gathering Seaweed: African Prison Writing, Mapanje (ed. and introduction)(African Writers Series), Heinemann Educational, Oxford, UK
2004: David Rubadiri:An African Thunderstorm & Other Poems, Mapanje (ed. and introduction), East African Publishing House, Nairobi, Kenya
Prizes and Awards and Fellowships
1991-1992: Visiting Scholar University of York
1992: St. Anthony's College, Oxford University
1993-1996: Visiting Professorial Fellow, School of English, University of Leeds, (teaching African & Caribbean Oral Literature, Creative Writing, Literature of Incarceration).
Writing residencies at:
1992 - 1993: Durham, Wakefield, Franklin, Garth Prisons, UK
1994: The University of Leiden, The Netherlands
1997: The Open University
1998: University of Warwick
1988: The Rotterdam Poetry International Award
1999: University College, Cork, Republic of Ireland
1999 - 2002: Royal Literary Fund Fellow
2002: African Literature Association, Fonlon-Nichols Award (USA)
2002 - 2004: Dove Cottage, The Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere, Cumbria, UK
2007: Forward Poetry Prize (Best Poetry Collection of the Year - shortlist) for Beasts of Nalunga
Honorary Doctorate, University of Stirling, Scotland
Member of the Poetry Society, UK.
Simon Murray
Simon Murray (symurai) is a Pomfretian of Bajan heritage. He is a published writer and poet, an artist, and regular performer of spoken word. He also runs his own graphic design company, Liquorice Fish, working with a select number of innovative, creative and progressive clients.
Simon has appeared alongside such diverse artists as Dorothea Smartt, Jack Mapanje and El-Crisis at numerous venues including: Brixton Jamm, The Guardian Newsroom, Peckham Unity Centre, Stratford Circus (London); The Arnolfini (Bristol); Centre of West African Studies (Birmingham University); The Showroom (Sheffield); The Adelphi Theatre (Bradford); The Fair Trade Comedy Café, Host Media Centre, Common Place Social Centre, The Carriageworks (Leeds) and in July 2007 he performed at the Sable Litfest Festival in The Gambia.
Simon began his writing career as a freelance copywriter with advertising agencies in Manchester, Leeds and London. After becoming somewhat disillusioned with the advertising world (read: developing a conscience) he moved back to Yorkshire and in 2002-2003 he took up the post of Head of Creative Development at the independent film company Lippy Films. Following a period of scriptwriting, script development, storylining short films and writing web animation Simon left Lippy Films to concentrate on prose and poetry writing.
Since 2003 Simon has been involved with many writers' groups and his present writing mentor is the novelist and political comedian Robert Newman. Most recently, Simon has attended: monthly workshops with the renowned fiction facilitator Jacob Ross; the Sable/Arvon creative writing residentials (featuring award-winning international writing tutors Lemn Sissay, Jack Mapanje, Jackee Holder, Rajeev Balasubramanyam, Courttia Newland); and the 2007 Inscribe poetry workshops (featuring Opal Palmer Odisa and Niyi Osundare). Simon is currently a member of the Inscribe writers' group through which he has been instrumental in creating and maintaining an online resource for members to share news, views and ideas about writing. Simon also runs creative writing workshops and has organised literary events for regional writers to share their work with the public.
Simon's spoken word, poetry and prose has appeared in the anthologies: Going Down Swinging (GDS#25, July 2007); This Poem is Sponsored by… (Corporate Watch, 2007); Hair (Suitcase Press, 2006); Dance The Guns to Silence: 100 poems for Ken Saro-Wiwa (Flipped Eye, 2005); YAC YAC (Yorkshire Art Circus 2005); Toaster for Smoky Laughter (Inscribe, 2006); and his blog 'The Protestor's Dilemma' featured on the Guardian Unlimited website in 2005.
Simon is working to complete his first book, Kill Yourself Now: True confessions of an Advertising Man (a novel as memoir detailing his time in the ad industry), together with a collection and CD compilation of his poetry.
Simon Murray can be contacted on: Simon Murray
Bibliography
2005: Dance The Guns to Silence: 100 poems for Ken Saro-Wiwa 'My Son Is A Terrorist', (poem) Flipped Eye Publishing, London, UK
2005: YAC YAC issue 1, 'Porn, Playstation and Kung Fu' (poem)
Yorkshire Art Circus, Yorkshire
2005: Guardian Unlimited News blog 'The Protestor's Dilemma', UK
2006: Toaster for Smoky Laughter 'Trench Foot' and 'My One and Only Goal' Inscribe/Peepal Tree Press, UK
2006: Hair, 'Mi natty dred don Gimme Art'ritis', Suitcase Press, Manchester
2007: This Poem is Sponsored by… , 'Admarks Anonymous – a Pledge' (prose) Corporate Watch, London
2007: FWords: Creative Freedom, 'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHH!', Inscribe/Peepal Tree Press, Leeds, UK
Discography
2007: Going Down Swinging Magazine, Issue #25, 'Reparations Song'
Broadcast
2007: BCB Radio, Verb Yorkshire Showcase
Selected Performances:
2005: Alphabet Soup - Stratford Circus, London
2005: Remember Saro-Wiwa 10 year commemoration event, Brixton Jamm, London, UK
Dance the Guns to Silence (Remember Saro-Wiwa), Centre of, West African Studies, Birmingham University, UK
2005: Just Fair Laughs - Fair Trade Comedy Café, Leeds, UK
2005: Wicked Words - Old Police Station, Leeds, UK
2006: The Commonplace Masked Ball - The Common Place Social Centre, Leeds, UK
2006: A Journey of Stories - Off The Shelf Festival, The Showroom, Sheffield, UK
2006: Remember Saro-Wiwa - The Guardian Newsroom, London, UK
2006: Remember Saro-Wiwa: - The Arnolfini, Bristol, UK
2006: MC: Empire Strikes Back - The Common Place Social Centre, Leeds, UK
2006: Refuge - The Common Place Social Centre, Leeds, UK
2007: Vigil of Remembrance, Resistance & Repairs – Peckham Unity Centre, London
2007: SABLE 2nd International Litfest - Sunbeach Hotel, The Gambia
2007: Judging panel: Leeds 4th Annual Youth 'Team' Poetry Slam and Litfest - Civic Hall, Leeds, UK
2007: Verb Yorkshire Showcase - The Adelphi Theatre, Bradford, UK
2007: Leeds Young Authors 4th Annual Poetry Slam - Host Media Centre, Leeds, UK
Workshops Taught
2006: Inscribe Writers Workshop – Read, Write York, York, UK
2007: Upfront and Personal - Life Writing – Passion and Pride Cultural Day, Leeds, UK
2007: Black History Month Creative Writing - Huddersfield Community Arts Festival, Huddersfield, UK
Selected Design Publications
2007: Re-imagining Abolition (w/t) – Rendezvous of Victory
2007: Abeng Soundings: Abolitionist Landmarks of our Freedom, Southwark 2007 and Beyond, London, UK
2007: Do It Yourself - A Handbook for Changing the World - (contributing designer) The Trapese Collective, Pluto Press, London, UK
2007: Cross Community Dialogue Facilitation Toolkit – SAVO, Grassroots Rising, London, UK
2006: Some Principles for Reclaiming the Good City - Urban Cultures & Consumption Research Cluster, P. Chatterton, (ed.), Leeds, UK
2006: Autonomy in the City? Reflections on the UK Social Centres Movement, Chatterton & Hodkinson (eds.), Leeds, UK
2006: Retro-fitting the Corporate City: 5 Principles for Urban Survival - Paul Chatterton, Leeds, UK
2004: Osmosis magazine, 'Confess', design work featured in, #2, The Watch-Men Agency, London, UK
Current Memberships & Positions Held
2005: Inscribe Writers
2006: African Writers Abroad
2006: The Global Justice Forum
2007: International Secretariat of AFRIKALABASH
2007: ASASEYAAMMA Pan-Afrikan Green Campaign (Associate Coordinator)
2007: The Planet Repairs Youth Positive Action Campaign (Board Member)
2007: The Pan-Afrikan Forum of Ghana (International Coordinating Committee member)
Filmography
2002: Schoolyard Samurai – scriptwriter, Sea Film & Television, Schoolyard Samurai had a public screening at York Cinema as part of a Digital shorts
2002: Coward – writer/ director, Self Produced
2002: Little Ken – script developer, Sea Film & Television
2002: Happy Hour – writer/ script developer, Sea Film & Television
2003: Grey Shorts – scriptwriter, Hi8us North
2003: Black Resources Sketches – co-writer and production co-ordinator, Lippy Films & Television
2003: Patients, Trolleys and a Bleeping Drip Stand – storyline, Sea Film & Television, Headingley Cinema, Leeds
2004: Partly Political Broadcast – scriptwriter / presenter, Mosaic Films North
Seni Seneviratne
Seni Seneviratne is a writer, singer, photographer and performer. She was born in Leeds, Yorkshire in 1951 to an English mother and Sri Lankan father. She has been writing poetry since her early teens and was first published in 1989.
Her poetry and prose is published in the UK, Denmark, Canada and South Africa. Publications include: - 'Flora Poetica' (Chatto & Windus); 'British South Asian Poetry'(Redbeck); 'Healing Strategies for Women at War'(Crocus); 'Language of Water, Language of Fire', (Oscars); 'Talking Black',(Cassell); 'Bad Reputation', (Yorkshire Arts Circus); 'Miscegenation Blues'( Sister Vision Press) and children's anthologies - 'Mixed Masala'(Macmillan); 'Free My Mind', (Hamish Hamilton);
She won second prize in the Margot Jane Memorial Poetry Prize, Onlywomen Press. She has given readings and performances in Vancouver, Cape Town, and around England.
Her poetry was broadcast on radio and recorded on audiotape, "Climbing Mountains" and CD, "Seven Sisters". Her photography appeared in Feminist Arts News, Autograph Open Photography Show, Signals Changing exhibition and in a solo exhibition 'Moving Words'.
Her collaborations include: a mixed media installation - 'Memoried Mosaics' which was exhibited in Sheffield's Open Up event in 2004 and at Outwood Grange College, Wakefield; an art song for piano and voice - 'Dandelion Clocks' commissioned for Leeds Leider Festival and performed in October 2005; 'A Wider View' – verse accompanied by saxophone quartet, commissioned for Leeds launch of architecture week June 2006.
Seni has also worked in other capacities, specifically in the areas of training and counselling in Equal Opportunities, confidence training for women and as a volunteer for organisations such as the Sheffield Women's Counselling and Therapy Service, the Awaaz Asian Women's Training Project Sheffield College and as a volunteer with Liverpool Adult Literacy campaign.
Wild Cinnamon and Winter Skin is her first collection of poems. She is currently working on a novel.
Seni can be contacted on: Seni Seneviratne
Bibliography
1988: Charting the Journey non-fiction anthology, Sheba Press, London, UK
1990: Feminist Arts News Poetry and photo
1992: Language of Water Language of Fire, Oscars Press
Free My Mind: Black and Asian poetry for children, Hamish Hamilton, London, UK
1993: Daskhat, Journal of South Asian Literature, Engelsk Meddelelser, Denmark
Red Deer Anthology, Sheffield Writer's Plus Risk Behaviour Poetry Business Anthology, Huddersfield
1994: Kiss Poetry anthology, Cultureword, Crocus Books, Manchester, UK
As Girls Could Boast: new poetry by women, Oscars Press
Letters in a box, in 'Bad Reputation', non-fiction anthology, Yorkshire Arts Circus
Poetry in 'Miscegenation Blues; Voices of Mixed Race Women', Sister Vision Press
1995: Talking Black, '..and Some of Us are Older', Cassell
1997: Nailing Colours: poems of rebellion, Commonword, Crocus Books, Manchester, UK
1999: Healing Strategies for Women at War an anthology of six black women poets, Cultureword, Manchester, UK
2000: Redbeck Anthology of British South Asian Poetry D. Chatterjee, Redbeck Press, Bradford, UK
2001: Flora Poetica Poetry in, The Chatto Book of Botanical Verse, Chatto & Windus, London, UK
2003: Breaking Glass – flash fiction published on the web
A woman sits down to write… Women's Writing Workshops, Cape Town
2004: Freedom to Practice' Race, Culture & Supervision', eds. S.M.Worrall & K.Tudor, PCCS Books
2005: Women Flashing, Women's Writing Workshops, Cape Town
Masala, Collection ed. D.Chatterjee, Macmillan Children's Books
2006: Featured poet in Sable Litmag – Autumn issue
2007: Wild Cinnamon and Winter Skin – Peepal Tree Press, Leeds
Prose in Hair Anthology, Suitcase Press, Manchester
Exhibitions
1992: 'Autograph Open Photography Show'
1995: 'Signals Changing', exhibition of Women's Photography
2000: Moving Words, photography exhibition commissioned by Off the Shelf Literature Festival
2004: Memoried Mosaics, mixed media installation, Open Up Sheffield & Outwood Grange College
Broadcasts
1991: Poetry featured on 'Talking Poetry', BBC Radio 4
Discography
1991: Climbing Mountains, poetry and song collection, audio tape
1999: Poetry featured on Seven Sisters, Poetry CD, Mongrel Press, Manchester
Mixed Media Collaborations
2006: A Wider View : spoken voice and saxaphone with composer and musician Gemma Wild commissioned for the launch of Architecture Week at Leeds Music College, June 2006
2005: Dandelion Clocks : art song for piano and voice with composer and musician Gemma Wild commissioned for Leeds Leider Festival, October 2005
2004: Memoried Mosaics : mixed media installation with Tanya Chan-Sam
Prizes
1993: Cinnamon Roots, Margot Jane Memorial Poetry Prize, (Joint second), Onlywomen Press
1993: Poetry Business Competition, (Runner up)
Selected Residencies & Writing Commissions
May '99 - Jun '99: Black Writers in Rural Schools, Cultural Diversity Project for 8-16yr olds, Herefordshire Council
May - July 2000: Huddersfield Asian Women's Refuge – Writing & photography project
Sept - Dec 2000: Creative Arts Project – Sheffield Young Carers
May - July 2003: Writing Renewal – GOYH
Aug '06 – Jan '07: Writing residency with Young Carers, Sheffield Young Carers Project
Selected Workshops
1990: Words without Borders, Vancouver
1991: Bretton Hall Festival of Literature, Yorkshire
1992: Huddersfield Poetry Festival, Yorkshire
1998 - 1994: Halifax High School Language and Drama Festival, Outwood, Yorkshire
1995: Park Hill Primary, Sheffield Grange Comprehensive, Wakefield
Meri Zindagi – Asian women's photo project
2000: Writing Day Rastrick High School
2001: Coram Family Parent's Centre
2002: WOW Women's festival, Cape Town
2003: Summer Learning Event Sheffield College
Selected Performances
1989: Opening the Book – Writers Festival Sheffield
1990: Words Without Borders, International Writer's Festival in Vancouver
Feminist Book Fortnight, Blackburn
Mehfil – Celebration of Asian Women's writing, Lambeth
1991: Bretton Hall Festival of Literature
Apples and Snakes Mother Tongue Tour
1992: Black Arts Alive festival, Sheffield Festival of Asian Arts, Sheffield
Huddersfield Poetry Festival
1993: Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Off the Shelf, Sheffield Literature Festival
Apples and Snakes, Covent Garden
1994: Sheffield City Libraries launch of Women's Wishes
1995: Raise Your Banners, Sheffield
2002: WOW Women's Festival, Cape Town
Langa Township Cultural event, Cape Town
2004: Schools ,Parents and Community Education Annual Conference
Firvale Vision - Community Conference
Black Community Forum conference - Moving from Margins to Mainstream
2005: Tell Tales Tour
Sheffield Homes - Conference
2006: Off the Shelf Festival, Sheffield
2007: Verb Yorkshire – Showcase event
Peepal Tree Press at Spit Lit
Sable Litmag at Spit Lit
2000: Meri Zindagi – An anthology of poetry and prose by Asian women
2001: See, Hear, Speak Out – a resource pack for work with children and young people experiencing domestic abuse. Sheffield Domestic Abuse Forum
Production & Co-Ordination
2001: Awaaz – The voice of women 10 minute video on work of project with Asian women
2003: Awaaz CD-Rom – Archive of organisation and showcasing of creative arts work.
Rommi Smith
'Rommi Smith may be the Moveable Type, but she is also the unstoppable type'
Benjamin Zephaniah.
Rommi Smith is a poet and playwright, who works to fuse spoken word and music together. She has been performing her work since the age of 14. A spellbinding, dynamic and powerful performer, Rommi works in collaboration with dancers, music producers and musicians, as well as with her own band, to create a synthesis of lyrical spoken and sung word.
Performing her work regularly, both nationally and internationally, at arts, music and literature festivals (including The Guinness Jazz Festival; Ilkley Literature Festival, Sight Sonic; Crossing Borders, Amsterdam; Nuyorican Poet's Café, New York; Prix Europa, Berlin and Vienna Literature Festival), Rommi has achieved a reputation for sharp, socially conscious poetic imagery, fused with astute harmonies, and jazz, funk and soul rhythms.
Rommi has been commissioned to create new work which has been broadcast extensively on various media, including: BBC Online, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, BBC Arabic Services Radio and BBC World Service. She has contributed to and performed on numerous programmes including, Late Junction, Woman's Hour, Fine Lines, The Verb and Poetry Please! Rommi and her band were commissioned to create new work for 'Late Night Lines from the Lowry' (part of Radio 4's Poetry Festival). Rommi was Chair of the first ever 'People's Jury' for the Booker Prize.
Rommi has held numerous residencies in England and abroad. In 2001, she was invited to take up the post of Poet in Residence for BBC Music Live, the first post of its kind in the history of the festival. In 2002 she was BBC Artist in Residence for the Commonwealth Games, writing for broadcast on BBC World Service, Radio 4, Radio 5 Live, BBC 2002 Commonwealth Games Radio and BBC Television. In 2005, she was appointed Writer in Residence for BBC Radio 3's Africa Season. Her role explored her Nigerian and English heritage, as well as stories of other people of African heritage in the UK. As part of this residency, she wrote and performed a documentary about the cosmology of African naming, for the Twenty Minutes documentary series on BBC Radio 3. These poems were fused with music in collaboration with bassist Ken Higgins and percussionist Danny Templeman, for programmes such as Late Junction and The Verb.
In 2006, Rommi was invited to work for the British Council as Poet in Residence at California State University in Los Angeles. Whilst there, she worked with faculty and students to create 'Blues, Boats and Hurricanes', a response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
As an actor, Rommi has performed in Eve Ensler's, The Vagina Monologues. As a playwright, Rommi has been commissioned by Paines Plough Theatre Company, BBC Radio Drama and Pentabus Theatre. Her play, Take a Pinch Of was an afternoon Drama for BBC Radio 4, featuring soul diva, Ruby Turner. In 2005, Rommi was commissioned to write and perform a new play, Fairtrade and Fairytales as part of 'Flight 5065', an evening of live performances on the London Eye to raise awareness of Africa, Fairtrade and Debt Relief. In 2006, Rommi's play Rain in his Suitcase was a European commission aired on BBC Radio and as part of Prix Europa celebrations in Berlin. Her short play, Mountain Knows Me (commissioned by Pentabus and BBC Radio 4 Drama) was part of the Edinburgh Festival, before transferring to Soho Theatre in London's West End and then onto Stockholm. It has since been developed for broadcast on Woman's Hour in 2007 and is published by Oberon Modern Plays as part of 'White Open Spaces', a collective commission from seven writers, which was nominated this year for a South Bank Show Award.
In autumn 2006, Rommi was invited to write an edition of From Fact to Fiction, the BBC Radio 4 series where writers are commissioned to write about the week's news. Rommi wrote Our Deep Sorrow, a poetic examination of the public reaction to Tony' Blair's non-apology, but 'deep sorrow' for Britain's role in the Slave Trade. The piece featured actor Burt Caesar and music by London Community Gospel Choir and bassist Ken Higgins. The piece was directed by Peter Leslie Wild.
Rommi dreams up and leads imaginative writing workshops for groups of all ages. A qualified teacher, Rommi tailors workshops for schools in Key Stage subjects. She also teaches creative writing at Leeds University and has taught for the Arvon Foundation.
Rommi's second poetry collection, Mornings and Midnights, inspired by the lives of jazz divas, will be published by Peepal Tree Press. The chapbook of poems from the full collection was selected as a Poetry Book Society Pamphlet Choice in 2006.
Rommi was the Bicentenary poet-in-residence at Ilkley Literature Festival in Autumn 2007. During the same year, Rommi was delighted to have been appointed Parliamentary Writer in Residence in 2007. Employed by the House of Commons, Rommi's work focuses on creatively exploring the Parliamentary exhibition: 'The British Slave Trade, Abolition, Parliament and People.' It is the first time that a Parliamentary Writer in Residence has been appointed. It is also the first time in history that there has been a Parliamentary Writer in Residence for a Parliamentary exhibition.
As part of her role, Rommi is producing dynamic and imaginative educational resources which will be available for download via the Parliamentary website for the exhibition. For more information visit:
http://slavetrade.parliament.uk/slavetrade/explore/authoredpages/writerschoice1.html
http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk/526/s3.htm
http://www.parliament.uk/what_s_on/exhibitions/slavetrade_images.cfm
Rommi can be contacted on: Rommi Smith
Bibliography
2000: Moveable Type, Route, Yorkshire, England
2004: Paging Dr Jazz : International Anthology of Jazz Poetry, Shoe String Press, UK
2004: Infallible: In Search of the real George Eliot, Article Press, UK
2005: Selected Poems from Mornings and Midnights, Peepal Tree Press, Leeds, UK
2005: Dance the Guns to Silence: 100 poems for Ken Saro Wiwa, Flipped Eye, London, UK
2006: White Open Spaces, 'Mountain Knows Me' Oberon Modern Plays, UK
2007: F Words Inscribe and imprint of Peepal Tree Press, UK
Fosuwa Andoh
Fosuwa Andoh was born in Sheffield and grew up in Sierra Leone, Ghana and The Gambia. She now lives in Leeds.
She is an artist, craftsman, educationalist and musician. Her work is inspired by the traditional and visual aesthetics of African’s oral tradition, working with various materials including glass, batik and sand. Fosuwa Andoh’s work honours the chain of transmission from the ancestors for the creative journey; conveying and maintaining her deep spiritual heritage, producing an immediate and direct communication between viewer and the work.
She is presently undertaking research for her Ph.D at the Prince’s School of Traditional Art in London on the Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts programme.
Oluseyi Ogunjobi
Seyi Ogunjobi is a storyteller, musician, painter, textile artist and translator. He was born in Nigeria and educated in West Africa and the UK.
As a textile designer for over 25years, his interests in arts, crafts and textiles, started as a child growing up and watching his mother Kikelomo, designing and dyeing fabrics using traditional methods. He became involved in the production process and was always fascinated by the vitality and vibrancy of the products. He believed that the colours he saw and the textures he felt were important in enriching our sensibilities as human beings.
Having been seduced with such an artistic and cultural milieu, it became obvious that his abilities and temperament were directed towards all things associated with the creative arts. In 1990 the Nigerian Export Promotion Council elected him for a solo exhibition in Houston and Georgia in the US.
He has exhibited as a fine artist internationally, spanning Africa, Europe and America. His solo exhibitions, ‘The Myths and Legends of African Gods and Goddesses’, ‘The Seasons of the Blue Angels’, ‘Memories’, ’The Romance of The Beaded Neck’, ‘Legions’, ‘The Smoking Spirits’, ‘Dancing & Drumming’ and ‘The Promise of a Child’, have been regarded as fascinating displays of colour, design, technique, originality and craftsmanship. (The Manx Independent).
Seyi’s works echoes a philosophical journey capturing the universal essence of spirituality and traditional life. Through lectures, residencies, workshops, seminars and exhibitions at various institutions, he has brought true light and intellectual understanding of some of Africa’s rich and diverse culture to his audience, highlighting the vibrancy of colours and production techniques utilized to produce both authentic and yet contemporary designed textiles and painted canvas.
Being a storyteller, musician and leading specialist in African and contemporary textiles, his commissions have included works for Harrods, the BBC costume department, The British Museum, the Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Nehru textile Museum project, the Banbury Museum, international trade fairs and several arts and education establishments.
Registered as a Yoruba & Hausa language teacher and translator at the Centre for African Language Learning in London, his translation credits include B.B.C. World service (Hausa section), translation of the news of the world and the 1999 Nigerian election results from Hausa language to English language, consultant/translator-October/Films-Channel 4. This has included translating subtitles from Hausa to English for ‘Noma’, a documentary about a type of mouth disease which affected part of Niger Republic.
Seyi has been actively involved in all aspects of production, marketing, development and co-ordination of artistic and educational programmes through directing and managing his own projects as well as collaborating with other art practitioners and organisations. He facilitates combined art programmes in schools, colleges and universities, in the UK and internationally, bringing together all of his skills as a visual and performing artist. Engagements have included, hosting events at the ‘Live 8 at Eden ‘ (Biome tent) concert organised by ‘A Real World and WOMAD’ production for the ‘Make Poverty History’ in Africa campaign; and as a musician and storyteller at the ‘WOMAD’ festival in Reading. He also completed an oil painting of the Lion Boy inspired by the responses of school children who participated in this book project, commissioned by Kirklees Council / Huddersfield Library.
His last exhibition, ‘The Legends of the Ancestors’ was held at the Huddersfield Art Gallery. The works were exhibited with the hope of evoking universal peace, love and cosmic attunement. Dig Yorkshire reported that, “The Legends of the Ancestors comprises over 20 mixed media works depicting the tales of ancestral legends, as viewed from Oluseyi’s, ‘The Yoruba Perspectives’, with which he contemplates the innumerable problems confronting humanity today, such as war, injustice and racial divide’.
He completed his Masters Research programme at the University of Central England in 1998.
Seyi’s collaborative exhibitions have included:
1990: A group exhibition of contemporary art from western Nigeria held in London to mark thirty years of Nigeria independence alongside other Nigerian artists comprising of Nike Davies, Rufus Ogundele, Isaac Ojo, Tijani Mayakiri, Ashiru Olatunde and Adebisi Fabunmi;
1993: A joint exhibition entitled, ‘New Era’ with Hassan Aliyu, Faisal Abdu’ Allah, Chike Azuonye and Ademola Akintola in 1993, at the 198 Gallery in Brixton;
1995: A combined exhibition of his ‘Legions’ series with some of the photographic works of the late founder of Magnum, George Rogers at the ‘The Amulet’ in Shepton Mallet;
2000: ‘The sixteen pieces’ exhibition of sixteen artist’s works from Africa and the Diaspora. depicting various aspects of the Ifa Yoruba cosmology at The Brickhouse Gallery in London, featuring the works of Leroy Clark of Trinidad, Gutierrez Martinez of Cuba, Cassandra Wilson of the USA, Alberto Pitta of Brazil, Mufu Onifade of Nigeria.
Seyi Ogunjobi can be contacted on: Seyi Ogunjobi