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Current and Upcoming Projects
Lydia will be working with Stockport Cultural Champions on a series of workshops for over 55s. This is open to all kinds of writers, and any level of experience. They will be looking at various ‘ways in’ to writing, and exploring different topics and techniques. You can ask questions about organising workshops or attending upcoming events with Lydia directly, using this form.
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Lydia is currently working on creating project books with darts (Doncaster Community Arts). The aims are to allow this great organisation to continue engaging with the community distantly until the gallery is safe to open.
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If you need some writing inspiration now, click here to see some ideas on how to get started with your writing, have fun, and pass a bit of time!
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Lydia also creates blackout poetry, usually using The Metro’s horoscopes, you can read these on twitter.
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Recent Publications
Lydia’s poems ‘Douglas the Bottom Dweller’ and ‘Self Portrait with Douglas’ will be included in issue 3 of Feral magazine, to be published next month. This issue will explore the theme of ‘body’. Douglas the fish plays a major role in these sister poems.
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Lydia’s poem ‘Not Anywhere’ is due to appear on Ink Sweat and Tears later in the year. Watch this space if you’d like to hear more about fish and rollerskating.
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Lydia’s poem ‘Electric Shadows’ was featured in Product Magazine. This poem grew from an interest in language. The title is a literal translation of the Mandarin for ‘movie’. Despite the poem’s Chinese origins, it actually follows the syllabic pattern of a Tanka, a Japanese form. To further muddy the cross cultural nature of the poem, there are a number of references to American films and TV. See how many you can place..!
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Lydia has also had three pieces included in Staying Home, a Mass Observation project, which you can explore here.
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Recent Projects
Lydia’s residency with darts (Doncaster Community Arts) at The Point has come to a close. You can read more here. She worked with Creative Directions, People Focussed Group, and Conversation club to produce an anthology of work inspired by three excellent exhibitions. This was launched with the groups and other attendees in a sharing event at the beginning of November.
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For National Poetry Day on 3rd October Lydia was involved with Books Up North’s Dancing With Words – a collaboration for Ilkley Literature festival which brought together poets and dancers to express collaborative works on the theme of ‘Truth’. Lydia created a performance piece with the dancer Akeim Toussaint. Watch a video about the project below.
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Competition News
Lydia’s pamphlet Signs We Couldn’t Read was shortlisted in the 2017/18 Poetry Business New Poets Prize, and she had two poems longlisted and one subsequently shortlisted in the 2019 Hive Young Writer’s Competition.
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