STATEMENT
Lisa Matthews is a published and respected poet, prose practitioner and Creative Writing academic based at the north east coast of England. Passionate about multi-discipline and cross-art collaborations, Lisa has specialisms in using Creative Writing theory and practice in science/art (sci-art) research, science education, Medical Humanities and public engagement and co-inquiry. Lisa also owns and manages her own creative agency, The/Poetry/Fold, where she extends her academic practice and research into non-creative writing environments. The/Poetry/Fold’s innovative and unique CPD/training methods are informed by Creative Writing pedagogy, theory and practice and Lisa has over twelve years of experience as an educator, public engagement specialist and Teaching Fellow in most of the Universities in the north east. In the last few years Lisa has begun to specialise in the training and mentoring of experienced academics and practitioners from the education and healthcare sectors. Lisa is educated to Masters level in Creative Writing and has over a decade’s experience performing her own original work in venues across the UK. As a facilitator her style is open, flexible and curious. Keen to learn and develop, Lisa – through academic tenures and her work with The/Poetry/Fold – is always looking for new partners to collaborate with. Lisa’s working week is split 50/50 between her academic research/practice and running The/Poetry/Fold, and the two work streams are complimentary and constantly inform one another.
POSITIONS AND TENURES
- Oct 06 – Jul 11
- Research Associate/Lead Writer
- PEALS Research Institute, Newcastle University
“Stemistry” public engagement & co-inquiry sci-art project
www.stemistry.com
- Sep 08 – Aug 09
- Fellow of Literature & Science
- Newcastle Centre for the Literary Arts, Newcastle University
Coordination of the sci-art hub SciTalk (www.scitalk.org), an online resource bringing creative writers and scientists together in a supportive, mutually beneficial and inspiring self-directed environment. Also advised NCLA on sci- art/Medical Humanities programming and research.
- Sep 06 – Aug 07
- Arts Fellow
- Beacon North East, Newcastle University
Research into creative programming between various regional arts and scientific organisations, institutions and individuals. Creative brokerage and exploration of new processes of sci-art enquiry and engagement.
- Sep 04 – Feb 07
- Teaching Fellow
- School of English Literature, Language & Linguistics, Newcastle University
Development and delivery of undergraduate courses in “Poetry and Prose”, and an “Introduction to Creative Writing” modules. Portfolio marking, internal moderation, attendant administration and tutorial support.
- Jan 04 – Sep 06
- Research Associate/Lead Writer
- PEALS Research Institute, Newcastle University
“How Gay Are Your Genes?” sci-art public engagement & co-inquiry project. Wellcome Trust-funded sci-art project collaborating with nearly 750 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex people and questioning (LGBTIQ) people from local communities that took place in a 2.5-year programme of writing workshops, public lectures and debates and collaborative sessions with academics and clinicians. Final outcome: a major exhibition of film and creative writing at The Hatton Gallery. As Lead Writer I was responsible for budget, in-house recruitment, research, programming and delivery of approx 50% of the workshop/lecture programme.
- Mar 02 – Aug 04
- Royal Literary Fund Fellow (RLF)
- PEALS Research Institute, Newcastle University
Based at three sites: PEALS and the Medical Schools of Newcastle and Durham Universities this prestigious 18-month tenure researched and delivered innovative Creative Writing techniques in sci-art and community contexts, exploring genetics and biotechnology. Undergraduate teaching with third year medical students – created unique Medical Humanities modules “Novels, Poetry & Medicine” and “Imaginative Writing & Medicine”. Delivered lectures at both academic sites and devised and delivered an 18-month programme of creative writing events and local workshops.
- Sep 02 – Feb 04
- Teaching Fellow
- School of Arts and Social Science, Northumbria University
Development and delivery of undergraduate courses in “Poetry, Prose & Drama”. Portfolio marking, internal moderation, attendant administration and tutorial support.
The/Poetry/Fold: relationships & clients
I act as a consultant to staff in the School of Health, Education & Community Studies at Northumbria University and we are currently developing a Leverhulme Artist-in-Residence bid to extend and develop my role. I also delver and facilitate group CPD sessions as part of Northumbria’s in-house “Words Talk” initiative and undertake, freelance, one-to-one mentoring with staff.
For Newcastle University I am currently delivering CPD sessions on “Getting Your Work to a Wider Audience” and we also are developing a more intensive CPD strand of enquiry entitled “Crossing Boundaries and Borders: the challenges of multi-disciplinary research and practice”.
SELECTED CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA
- 23 Sep 2011
- Gender, Sex and Sexualities: A Day of Provocations
- “Searching for the straight-gene: the genetic narrative of sexuality”
- Speaker and panel member.
- 01-02 Jul 11
- University of Lancashire, Connected Communities
- Facilitator and presented on being the Lead Artist and Research Associate on the Stemistry, sci-art initiative (www.stemistry.com)
- 14 May 2010
- PEALS Research Institute
- “Good Practice in Public Engagement: Expertise by Experience”
- Speaker and representative of the Stemistry project.
- 09-11 Nov 2009
- Wissens Werte (Knowledge Assets)
- Bremen Forum for Science Journalism
- Bremen, Germany
- “Using creative writing in science communication with hard-to-reach communities” Speaker, panel member and poetry performance”.
- 26-27 Mar 2009
- PEALS Research Institute
- 10th Anniversary Annual Symposium
- “Stemistry: ordinary people – extraordinary science”.
- Speaker and poetry performance.
- 12-14 Jun 2009
- Stem Cell Residential weekend
- Conference manager responsible for event and programme delivery
- 4-5 Apr 2003
- Words & Pictures
- Cumbria Institute of the Arts
- “Using writing in science & medicine”, with Dr Tom Shakespeare.
- Speaker and panel member for Question and Answer session.
- Poetry performance of original work and work written by project participants.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
The Deadheading Diaries, full-length poetry collection (Dogeater Press, Jan 2007)
Postcards from a Waterless Lake, full-length collection (Diamond Twig Press, Apr 2001)
Single poems, sequences and prose in a diverse range of journals including The Rialto, Mslexia, Printer’s Devil, Writing Women, Scratch and The North.
“Songbursts” blog, Mslexia Publications, online blog: women songwriters.
“Songbirds” feature writer, Mslexia Magazine,
Gaps in the Sequence, poetry pamphlet from Stemistry project. Editor.
The Blue Room Anthology, new writing from new women writers. Editor.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & COLLABORATIONS
“Our Voice” Photo-Poetry exhibition with Phyllis Christopher. First shown at the PEALS Symposium at Shepherd’s Dene, Northumberland
“Lovehearts”. Queer love poems exhibition, Queen’s Hall Gallery, Hexham.
INTERESTS & INSPIRATIONS
Writers I return to again and again include: Anne Sexton, Maggie Hannan, Adrienne Rich, Hart Crane, TS Eliot, Paul Durcan, Gillian Allnutt, Amy Bloom, e.e. cummings, E.M. Forster, Raymond Carver, Bridget O’Connor, Anne Michaels, Jeanette Winterson, Marilynne Robinson, Selima Hill, Hilary Mantel, Ruth Padel and Rose Tremain.
If I weren’t a writer/academic I would have been either a musician or deep-sea diver in the Navy (I almost joined up!). I publish non-fiction/journalism about music and lyrics and use music constantly in my writing process and teaching practice. Songwriters/musicians I admire include: Kate Bush, Liz Fraser and The Cocteau Twins, Joni Mitchell, Bjork, Laurie Anderson, Jane Siberry, Michael Stipe & REM, Jeff Buckley, Steely Dan, Anoushka & Ravi Shankar, Nitin Sawhney, David Bowie, Cerys Matthews, Carter Burwell and classical composers Bach, MacMillan, Britten, Tippett, Vaughan Williams, Bax, Debussy and Stravinsky.
A passionate swimmer, I have yet to perfect a reliable means of writing underwater, although I do have a waterproof iPod that makes swimming even more of a joy.
I play rhythm guitar, have been in several bands and have performed in public on numerous occasions. I now play music at home and I am currently wrestling with digital technologies like ProTools and Garageband, teaching myself keyboard and working on two original compositions entitled “Life for/back-wards” and “There has always been a delicate balance”.
