National Poet of Wales will Inspire Students at Newport's University
Prize-winning poet and non-fiction writer Gwyneth will be attached to the BA (Hons) Creative Writing and English courses at the University’s School of Education and aims to stimulate creativity and raise the profile of contemporary Welsh writing in English throughout the University and the wider community.
Commenting on her role at the University, Gwyneth (left) said, “Being a South Wales woman I couldn’t be more pleased to be developing a relationship with the University of Wales, Newport, and to have contact with local community and the students at the University.
“I am very grateful for the warm welcome I have been given by the staff at the School of Education. I’ve found the creative writing course very enterprising and the atmosphere warm and nourishing – which is what you need for creative writing.”
Among the events planned by the School of Education is a major public reading from Gwyneth’s non-fiction writing as well as one-to-one sessions with students about their own writing, and a Creative Writing masterclass.
Gwyneth also plans to discuss Welsh writing in English and the role of a National Poet in Wales with undergraduates studying Celtic Literatures on the BA English course. In 2006 Gwyneth read from her poetry and presented the prizes in at the University’s Annual Writing Competition and next year she will assist in the final judging of the competition.
“We are delighted to have such an eminent contemporary writer attached to the University for the next year,” said Linda Ruhemann, who runs the BA (Hons) Creative Writing programme. “It’s part of the role of a university to introduce students to the people who are making literature now, and Gwyneth is a brilliant representative of the vitality of current writing.”
