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Dr Eleanor Rees

SENIOR LECTURER IN CREATIVE WRITING
English
0151 291 3536
reese@hope.ac.uk

Poet, Literary Theorist, Essayist 

Commissions, Collaboration and Community Writing


Overview


Poetry


I am the author of five collections of poetry, many poetry pamphlets, collaborations, commissions and lyric essays on poetics. My work has received numerous awards and has been reviewed widely in leading literary magazines. Tam Lin of the Winter Park (Guillemot, 2022) is my fifth poetry collection, following The Well at Winter Solstice (Salt, 2019), Blood Child (Pavilion, 2015), Eliza and the Bear (Salt,2009), and Andraste’s Hair (Salt, 2007), which was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection. My first pamphlet Feeding Fire (Spout, 2001) received an Eric Gregory Award from Society of Authors in 2002. Selections of my poems are translated into French, Spanish, German, Lithuanian, Slovak and Romanian. (Versopolis, 2016, 2019). New Spanish translations are due to be published in Latin America this autumn. I am regularly invited to read my poetry at literary festivals in the UK and internationally. My poems have inspired artists, musicians, and composers, most recently the new composition ‘In their Wake’ by acclaimed composer Christopher Cook for the Liverpool Philharmonic Ensemble 10:10. Oct, 2023. I have also worked extensively as a poet in the community with The Windows Project and have twenty years’ experience teaching creative writing in higher education. I have read my poems on Radio 4, Radio 3, Radio Merseyside and widely online. I am the recipient of an Eric Gregory Award, an Irish Glen Dimplex New Writers’ Award and a Northern Writers’ Award. 


Prose Writings (Lyric Essays, Theory and Place Writing)


Alongside my poetry writing, I write essays which explore these ideas in prose. My collection of lyric essays ‘Eyes in the Wood’: Encounters with Poiesis is forthcoming with Broken Sleep Books, 2025. My research explores interdisciplinary themes across creative writing and philosophy to better understand the importance of poetry to local and international communities, and the more-than-human world. My AHRC funded PhD, ‘Making Connection: The Work of the Local Poet’, drew on decades of experience as a practicing poet.  I am fascinated by the power of poetic language to transform and I seek to theorise and practice a poetry which offers this powerful art to all. I have worked widely in the community, running workshops and performing. I understand my experience as a poet in relation to the philosophies of posthumanism and new materialism,  schools of thought which conceptualize identity as fluid and matter as agential, even alive. The leading posthuman philosophy Professor Rosi Braidotti wrote a fulsome afterword for The Well at Winter Solstice.  ‘Rees’ poems go a step beyond neo-materialism, though they manifestly belong to this philosophical tradition. What the reader will find here is an elemental, lyrical quality that gets to the core of living matter. All that lives, lives in constant flow, fully lost and fully formed at the same time, always in process.’ - Rosi Braidotti, Afterword to The Well at Winter Solstice. I am a co-coordinator of the Limina interdisciplinary Research Group and a founding member of the School of Humanities Environmental Humanities research group. 


Recent readings, presentations and papers: 'Stone to Sand: A Posthuman Lyric 'I', Association for Environment and Literature conference, 2023; 'Poems and Prose in Process': Joint Universities Research Group, 2023; 'Eyes in the Wood' : New Lyric Essay, Limina Research Group, School of Humanities, 2022; The Windows Project Playscheme Summer Children's Poetry Workshops, 2022; Plathfest Poetry Reading and poetry workshop, 2022


I also have many administrative roles in creative writing and the English Subject area, including recruitment.  I lead the Liverpool Hope Poetry Workshop and coordinate The Matt Simpson Memorial Poetry Reading. I also wrote the English Impact Case Study 2021 based on my extensive work in the community as a poet. I am an advisory board member of The Windows Project and partner member of Liverpool Poetry Space and Liverpool Reads I have also been an honorary advisor on Wirral Poetry Festival and for many years acted as a trustee of The Poetry School, London.


I am supervising the VC Doctoral Studentship Project for poet and musician Andrew Hykel-Mears, 'Writing Poetry with the More-Than-Human'. 


I have a PGCERT in Higher Education. Over twenty years I have taught creative writing (poetry, prose and theory) at Manchester Metropolitan University, Edge Hill University, Liverpool Centre for Continuing Education, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Glasgow,


I am always interested in discussing research supervision, mentorship or poetic development.


CURRENT PROJECTS


Eleanor Rees: New and Selected Poems ( Forthcoming Guillemot Press, 2024) 

Eyes in the Wood: Encounters with Poiesis (Forthcoming Broken Sleep 2025).

Selection of poems to be translated into Spanish for publication in Europe and Latin America (Versopolis, 2024)

Poetry and Port Cities, co-editor Special Issue of 'Liminalities, Journal of Performance Studies' with Dr Cornelia Graber, University of Lancaster

Impact Case Study: 'A Living Tradition': The Work of the Local Poet

 

AWARDS AND GRANTS


Northern Writers’ Award for Poetry, 2018; From Cosmos to Genes: New Materialist Methodologies, Crossing the Humanities, Natural, and Technosciences Training School, Charles University, Prague. EU cost action funded,.2016; Versopolis. EU funded readings in Slovakia, Lithuania, Austria, Paris. 2016, Translation and publication in Slovak, Lithuanian, German, French; Liverpool-Ireland Bluecoat Arts Centre Travel Grant: Obheal Cork Reading,  2016; Arts Council Grant: Pavilion Poetry Tour 2015;

AHRC University of Exeter PhD Studentship in Creative Writing (fees and maintenance grant); The Forward Prizes (Highly Commended Poem) , 2010; The Forward Prize for Best First Collection (Shortlist of four), 2007; Eric Gregory Award, The Society of Authors, 2002


PUBLICATION LIST 2001 - present


Poetry Collections


Rees, Eleanor, (2022), Tam Lin of the Winter Park, Cornwall: Guillemot Press.

Rees, Eleanor, (2019), The Well at Winter Solstice, Cromer: Salt Publishing.

Rees, Eleanor, (2015), Blood Child, Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.

Rees, Eleanor, (2009), Eliza and the Bear, Cromer: Salt Publishing.

Rees, Eleanor, (2007), Andraste’s Hair, Cromer: Salt Publishing.


Poetry Pamphlets


Rees, Eleanor, (2015), Riverine, Norwich: Gatehouse Press.

Rees, Eleanor, (2012), Arne’s Progress, Birkenhead: Lemon Merchant.

Rees, Eleanor, (2012), A Burial of Sight, Todmorden: Word Hoard.

Rees, Eleanor, (2001), Feeding Fire, Huddersfield: Spout.


Recent Magazine Publication


Rees, Eleanor, ‘The Hill’, ‘, (June 2023) Dublin: Poetry Ireland Review 140

Rees, Eleanor, ‘Portent in the High Woods’, ‘Escape at Red Rocks’ and 

‘Divination at High Water, (April 2022) London: The White Review

Rees, Eleanor, ‘Woods in Late Summer’, ‘Wind-thrown’ (March 2022), Glasgow: Gutter Magazine.

Rees, Eleanor, ‘By the Walled Garden’, ‘Turned Earth’ (Fall, 2021), New York: The Manhattan Review.

Rees, Eleanor, ‘Tam Lin of the Winter Park’, ‘On coming in from the cold’ (Winter, 2021) London: The London Magazine.


Lyric and Speculative Essays, Reviews and Articles


Rees, Eleanor, (2022), ‘Review of Jones, Fayyaz, Duhig’, Poetry Wales, Bridgend. Seren.

Rees, Eleanor, (2021), ‘Journeying Through’: Poetry as a Way of Knowing, Ndlovu, D.S. (ed), Moving Words, Poetry In/As Research, York: York Tree Publications.

Rees, Eleanor, (2017), ‘The First Meeting of the Research Group’, Lune Journal of Literary Misrule, Display (3), 124 p. Available at: https://lunejournal.org/03-display/ (03.20)

Rees, Eleanor, ‘Going very birdlike’: Reflections on Poetry and Community at The National Poetry Library’, (2019), Available at https://www.nationalpoetrylibrary.org.uk/news-stories/going-very-birdlike 

Rees, Eleanor, ‘Preface to Riverine’, Riverine, (2015), Norwich: Gatehouse Press.

Rees, Eleanor, ‘Mark-Making in the Virtual’, Sam Skinner and Nathan Jones (ed) The Act of Reading (2015), London/Liverpool: Torque Editions.

Rees, Eleanor ‘Congleton Tapestry and Dusk Town’: Writing with Small Towns’, Lighthouse Literary Journal Feature Essay Issue 6 Online Supplement. (Autumn 2014). Available at: https://storymachines.co.uk/portfolio/read-lighthouse-journal/

‘Introduction’, The Book of Liverpool, a city in short fiction ed. Eleanor Rees and Maria Crossan, (Manchester,Comma,2008) 


Translated Works


Romanian: Rees, Eleanor, (2019) ‘Putal Sfantului Seiriol’. Translated from the English by Linda.Maria. Baros, Bucharest: Luceafarul dr Dimineata. 

Lithuanian: Rees, Eleanor, (2015) Eleanor Rees, Translated from the English by Dominykas Norkūnas, Vilnius: Druskininkai Poetic Fall. 

Slovakian: Rees, Eleanor, (2015) Eleanor Rees Translated from the English by Elvíra Haugová, Bratislava: Ars Poetica. 

German: Rees, Eleanor, (2019) No 22 Wo Lyrik zuhause ist Eleanor Rees, trans. Renee von Paschen, Wien: Edition Aramo. 

French: Rees, Eleanor, (2019) Eleanor Rees Poemes. Translated by Linda Maria Baros, Paris: La Traductiere.


IMPACT AND SOCIALLY ENGAGED POETIC PRACTICE


Impact Case Study: The Poet in the Community: A New-Materialist and Posthuman Approach to Impact, 47 poetry events in local and international settings (2014-2020)

Coordinator of Matt Simpson Memorial Poetry Reading for 5 years in association with The Windows Project

Worked freelance with The Windows Project, Liverpool since 2003 offering writing workshops in community settings as socially engaged poet.


Public Readings and Performances


I regularly read poetry at international and local poetry festivals and events. Includes reading at House of Commons and Versopolis EU funded poetry festivals in Slovakia, Lithuania, France, and Austria. Most recently online for University of Lancaster/Obheal Cork and in-person Stanza Poetry Festival, St Andrews.


A selection of public poetry readings 2015-2023  (I've been giving poetry readings since 2001)

28th September 2002, Liverpool One Waterstones; 12th October 2022, Bangor University; Friday 21st October 2022, PlathFest, Hebden Bridge and Saturday 22nd October, Poetry Workshop ‘Poetry and Magic’; 28th November 2022 online poetry reading in association with University of Lancaster and Obheal Cork; 23rd September 2022  Online launch of ebook Poetry as/in Research which includes a lyric essay by Eleanor ‘Journeying Through: Poetry as a Way of Knowing’;15th May 2021, Light Night Liverpool Online: 19th February 2021, Bangor University; 20th February 2021, Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool 1st March 2021; 7th March 2020 Stanza International Poetry Festival, St Andrews;1st Mar, Salt Poets Reading 2020, Soho Theatre, London ;20th February, Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool;19th February, Bangor University;21st December, Poem-songs from The Well at Winter Solstice, Ullet Road Unitarian Church Liverpool with Emily Portman and Mikey Kenney ;Sept 21st, 2019, Williamson Art Gallery. Birkenhead;14th Sept 2019, Poetry Reading, Peter Barlow’s Cigarette, Waterstones, Manchester, UK; Sept 3rd, 2019, Vespers, Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh;21st June 2019, The Well at Winter Solstice Book Launch, St Brides Church, Liverpool.;22-25th May 2019, Le Printemps des Poètes & Versopolis 2019, Paris, France; Poetry Reading at ShadowPlay, Not Just Collective, Light Night Liverpool, Liverpool Central Library; 12th May 2019 Stargazing, A Celebration in Music and Poetry, West Kirby Arts Centre; 12-14th April, ‘Literature and Wine’ International Literary Festival, Austria,; 1st March, Presence Exhibition Launch, Not Just Collective, Naked Lunch Café 26th Jan 2019, Poetry by the Fireside, St. Brides Poetry Evening, St. Brides Church, Liverpool; 16th Jan, 2019, The Cult of Water/Liverpool Arts Lab, Gibberish Brewpub; 1st Oct, 2019, A Reading at Dusk, Fulwood Gardens Happening, Not Just Collective, Liverpool Independent Biennale; 11th Sept 2018, Mystery Literary Festival, Wavertree; 28th May Verbose Manchester, Fallow Café, Fallowfield; 5th July, Guest Poet, Sounds of Wirral, West Kirby Arts Centre; 25th July, Guest Poet, Damson Poets, Preston; The Black Chair Eisteddfod Centenary Festival 2017, Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead, 9th Sept/3rd Nov 2017;Women on Brexit Magazine Launch, House of Commons, London, 20th June 2017;Tonight at Noon: A celebration of The Mersey Sound, Bluecoat Arts Centre, 16th July 2017;Ars Poetica International Poetry Festival, Bratislava, Nov, 2016;The Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere, July, 2016; Druskinkai Poetic Fall, Lithuania, Oct 2015;Bradford Library September 2015; Keats House London August 2015;Ledbury Festival 11th July 2015;‘Pavilion Poetry’, University of Liverpool 27th April 2015; ‘Pavilion Poetry’ Manchester Launch, Centre for New Writing, University of Manchester 20th April 2015.


COLLABORATIONS, COMMISSIONS and PARTICIPATORY PROJECTS (2001-2023)

The Windows Project Small Press Archive Women’s Writing Workshops, July 2018. Project funded by University of Nottingham Centre for Regional Literature.

The Black Chair Eisteddfod Centenary Festival 2017, Birkenhead. Schools workshops and commissioned poem June-Nov 2017.

‘Water/Creature’, a collaborative poem for performance with artist Justin Coombes. Performed at the Fordham Gallery, a barge on the Thames in association with the Ruskin Art School, Oxford. 11th May 2014.

‘High Tide’ ’: A lyric for folk singer Emily Portman performed at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall as part of the Irish Sea Sessions 2012.

‘Night Tales’: Participative poem for children and workshops, World Museum, Liverpool Aug/Sept 2013.

‘The Witching Hour’: Commissioned poem for anthology, Aug 2013

‘Treasury’: Collaborative poetry and music programme with Rebecca Sharp, Catherine Butterworth and Cait Walker, The Poetry Library, South Bank Centre, London. May, 2013.

‘Mr Seel’s Gardens’: Associated poet for AHRC Connected Communities Research Project. Jan 2012 – Jan 2013

‘In Your Ears and In Your Eyes’: Online collaboration with poet, Adam Steiner for performance Cornerhouse Manchester. Feb, 2012

‘Walls Have Voice’: Workshop leader for site-specific writing sessions and anthology editor for a collection of new writing by local Blackpool writers, August 2012

‘Time to Read’: Commissioned poems ‘Dusk Town’ and ‘Congleton Tapestry’ written with small towns for performances at Runcorn Library and Congleton Library, 04th Oct/29th Nov 2012.

‘’Saltwater’: A short film of the poem by Glenn Emlyn-Richards selected for Zebra Poetry film festival, Berlin, Oct, 2012

‘Arne’s Progress’: Sequence of poems exploring the local history of the Mersey region and published in a broadside newspaper illustrated by Desdemona McCannon, sold at Granby Street community market, Toxteth, Liverpool. Jan-May, 2012

Visiting Poet offering writing workshops for Year 5 and 6 at Primary Schools in East Liverpool in association with The Poetry Society, London. 2011

‘Saltwater’: Commissioned poem for ‘Radical Liverpool’, Everyman Theatre, Apr 2011

‘Settlement’: Hidden Door Collaborative Project, Edinburgh, Aug, 2010

Four Poems as Audio Responses: Liverpool Biennial 2010 available to the public to download, Sept, 2010

‘‘The Orchard’ Mercy Liverpool Biennial Audio Guide, collaborative audio piece including 20 younger writers. Poem cited in review in the Independent. Sept, 2010

‘Private View Bridewell Open Studios, Liverpool, 19th December, 2010 

For Folks Sake, The Magpie’s Nest, Islington, London, 28th August, 2010

Night River’: a short film of the poem by Glenn Emlyn-Richards commissioned for Version Film Festival, Comma Films, Manchester. Toured to international short film festivals. July 2009

Write On Liverpool: Photographic Project, Liverpool Central Library, Nov 2008. Inclusion in photographic exhibition of portraits of Liverpool Poets past and present. Contributed audio reading and prose text published in booklet

‘Extract from Eliza and the Bear on Radio 3 The Verb recorded Broadcasting House December 2009

The Flower Dipped in Ink’: The Fragrant Project, Liverpool Culture Company 2007 

Eliza and the Bear: The poem in performance, 30 minute performance poem performed by performer Cathy Butterworth with specially commissioned harp score by harpist and writer Rebecca Joy Sharp. 

Chapter and Verse Literature Festival, Bluecoat Arts Centre, 19th Oct 2008. Calvalerie, Black-E Arts Centre Dec 2008

Shindig, Blackburne House, Liverpool, Mar, 2008, Lost Voices, View Two Gallery, Apr 2008, Chester Performs on Chester Walls 28th May 2008

Write on Liverpool, Liverpool Central Library, Nov 2008

Four Poems as Audio Responses for Liverpool Biennial 2010 available to the public to download, Sept, 2010.

‘Settlement’ for Hidden Door Collaborative Project, Edinburgh, Aug, 2010

Poet-in-residence, Chester Zoo, Oct 08 – Dec 08

Performances of ‘The Animals’ Sleep’ at the Zoo and four schools workshops in Ellsemere Port. 

Poem ‘On An August Midnight’ Broadcast ‘Free Thought’ on ‘Breakfast’ Radio 3, 19 Dec 2008

The Verb, BBC Radio 3, Free Thinking Festival. Radio Merseyside, Liverpool

‘The Flower Dipped in Ink’ ,The Fragrant Project, Liverpool Culture Company 2007 

Live BBC Radio 3 performance and debate. Commissioned poem ‘Walking the Avenues’

'The Migrant Body' Merseyside Dance Initiative 2006

A Day at the Office, Liverpool International Biennial August 2006

Tell me something of this, Speaker’s Corner Commission, 07/04 – 04/05, Digital Research Unit. The Media Centre, Huddersfield. 

City Memories Project, 06/03-07/04, National Museums Liverpool.

Openingline, The Word Hoard, Huddersfield. 1999-2001


PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Fellow of Higher Education Academy, 2016

External Examiner for Creative Writing BA Nottingham Trent University 2023 - 2027

Member Association for Study of Literature and the Environment 2023

Member The Windows Project Advisory Board, 2003 - 2023