Date/Time: Wednesday 4th May 2022, 12 noon to 1pm

Venue: Newcastle University

NCLA and the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics at Newcastle University are launching an exciting new series of talks hosted by the writer Jackie Kay – and we want Newcastle University students to help plan, organise, promote and run these events.

Here’s what Jackie has to say about the project:

"I’m going to be giving a talk on 4th May about my forthcoming series to be called IN THE POET’S CHAIR. I’ll be interviewing prominent poets about their process, their past, their priorities. I’m interested in finding out what makes different writers themselves. I’d like to find students who are interested in also learning about the interviewing process, about the many things that go into making an event possible from the publicising of it to the big day itself. I propose to involve students in the entire process so that they gain practical as well as creative experience in conceiving of and running a series of events."

And here’s more about Jackie:

Jackie Kay is one of Scotland's most celebrated voices - a prolific writer of poetry, novels, short stories and plays who has enjoyed great acclaim for her work for both adults and children. Her first novel Trumpet won the Authors' Club First Novel Award and the Guardian Fiction Prize. She is also the author of three collections of stories with Picador, Why Don't You Stop Talking, Wish I Was Here, and Reality, Reality; two poetry collections, Fiere and Bantam; and her memoir, Red Dust Road. Jackie's latest book Bessie Smith (Faber & Faber, 2021) was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week: 'Pure joy: one trailblazing woman pays tribute to another. Jackie Kay finds the music in the short, dazzling, capricious life of Bessie Smith, the Empress of the Blues' (Helen Lewis). She is Professor of Creative Writing at Newcastle University and Chancellor of the University of Salford. Jackie was the Scottish Makar (Poet Laureate) from 2016 to 2021, and has been awarded an MBE for services to literature.

The event will be hosted by Head of School, Jo Robinson.

Please note this event is open to Newcastle University students only, and the venue will be emailed to you after you have booked a place.