Fiona Bennett

I am a poet and director and my practice encompasses poetry, theatre, audio and applied arts. I founded The Poetry Exchange in 2014 which began as an independent artist enquiry and has gone on to become a national and international project with an award winning podcast engaging poetry lovers and new audiences for poetry across the world. You can read more about the ideas and practice I’m involved with through my work with this project here.

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I have an MA (distinction) in writing poetry from Newcastle University / The Poetry School. My own poems have appeared in a variety of journals in the UK and USA, including The San Pedro River Review, The Rialto and on BBC Radio. They have also been shortlisted in The Bridport Prize, The Wolverhampton Literature Festival and The Verve Poetry Competition and longlisted in National Poetry Competition 2022.

 

I enjoy the interplay between my own writing and curating and directing the material of other writers in a wide range of projects and productions. I recently curated and directed the poetry of Adrienne Rich as part of a new ballet for Ballet Black, Then or Now, choreographed by William Tuckett and premiered at The Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. On this project I selected and arranged poems by Adrienne Rich, casted and directed the reading and recording of the poems alongside the choreographer and award-winning violinist Daniel Pioro and acted as literary adviser to the company in the making of the piece. Then or Now is touring the UK and Canada this Autumn, check Ballet Black's website for dates and venues. 

 

I have led a range of poetry workshops for writers at Ty Newydd, Spread The Word, Wise Words Festival, Malika’s Kitchen. I have also led creative writing workshops in workplaces. 

 

I am a specialist in Renga - a shared writing process following the traditional Japanese form and have led these for new writing organisations and stanzas and long-distance with international writers groups.

 

All of my current practice as a writer and interdisciplinary artist and facilitator is supported by my background in theatre and my ongoing leadership of The Map Consortium - an award-winning arts-based training company. This background and current broader practice includes work for: Shakespeares Globe, The Royal National Theatre, Setagaya Theatre Tokyo, British Council Mumbai, New York University, ANTI festival Finland and the Eurpean Dance Network.