Patrick Jones – Writer in Residence Royal College of Psychiatrists in Wales
Published words – fuse/fracture. The Guerilla Tapestry. Darkness is Where The Stars are
Performed words – Everything Must Go, Unprotected Sex. Before I Leave
Soundtracked words – Even in Exile. Tongues for A Stammering Time. Renegade Psalms.
Cat lover neuroscience nerd humanist republican and Dad
Taz Rahman’s first poetry collection is forthcoming in February 2024 by Seren Books. He has been published in Poetry Wales, Bad Lilies, South Bank Poetry, Anthropocene, Honest Ulsterman, Nation Cymru, Culture Matters and in various anthologies. He was one of the judges for the 2021 Poetry Wales Pamphlet Competition. In 2021, he was also awarded a place in the Literature Wales writer development programme ‘Representing Wales’, and was mentored by Poetry Wales editor Zoe Brigley. Having spent the vast majority of his life in Cardiff, his writing takes much inspiration from the natural world and stories found between the rivers Taff and Ely. He founded the YouTube poetry channel ‘Just Another Poet’ in 2019, which won a Books Council Wales ‘New Audience Creation’ commission in 2022.
Mike McNamara had his Selected Poems Overhearing The Incoherent published by Grevatt and Grevatt in 1997. His poems have appeared in Acumen, The Atlanta Review, Orbis, International Times, Ink Sweat & Tears, The New Welsh Review, Tears in the Fence, etc. His eBook This Transmission was published in Oct. 2019 by The Argotist Online. His print book Dialling A Starless Past was published by Arenig Press in December 2019 and his collection Loose Canon was published in July 2020 by Canada’s Subterranean Blue Poetry. His poem Other Times was featured in the 2022 Bridport Literature newsletter and his latest collection Mondegreen is due for publication this October from the editors of Aji (USA). Mike is a published songwriter and lead singer with 12-piece Classic Soul outfit Big Mac’s Wholly Soul Band who have been together for over 3 decades performing in Cairo, Vienna, Tenerife, Germany, Dublin and all over the UK supporting acts from Van Morrison and Edwin Starr to Billy Ocean and Jools Holland.
Alix Edwards is a multi-platform writer, artist and facilitator based in Cardiff.
She uses photography, painting, installation and spoken word to tell stories that would otherwise remain untold and to empower others to share their stories through their own creativity.
“I put people in touch with that creative ‘artist’s child’ part of themselves that gets lost in the struggles, work and disappointments of everyday life. Many people that I have helped have been made to feel that they can’t ‘do’ art or write from a very early age and I am passionate about proving to people that they can!“
Alix has exhibited in the UK, Barcelona and USA. She is part of the 2022-2023 cohort of writers Representing Wales funded by Literature Wales.
In 2018 she founded Company of Words literary events which holds on-line and live events in Cardiff. She facilitates creative projects in the community including the recent Treorchy Time Capsule project and an art group here in Pontypridd.
She is currently writing a poetry pamphlet entitled Changing The Locks – and will be reading from this today.
Trigger warning: domestic abuse.
Pete Ak’ spoken word performer and vocalist/songwriter with the S.Wales based band TaffyWasAThief. His spoken word pieces are strong on narrative, rhyme and humour, enjoying word play and ingenious metaphors. His pieces reflect his admittedly confusing childhood, growing up in a Barnardo’s children’s home as the only black child in a small Welsh valley town in the 1960’s. His performances strongly feature emotional and energetic renditions which add colour and verve to his pieces. He has appeared at Llandeilo and Hay (fringe) ‘ Where the Light Comes In’ literary festivals and also appeared on BBC Wales’ feature programme Jonathan Davies’ Six Nations Quiz performing his poem ‘A Nation Hold its Breathe Again’ a signature piece which integrates patriotism with rugby lore and passion. He has yet to publish independently but has had numerous pieces featured in various publications both online and in print.
clare e. potter bilingual poet, radio presenter, participatory artist, second poetry collection is under offer. She had a Literature Wales bursary and a grant from the Society of Authors to complete the book. She is working on projects to facilitate well-being and writing through nature and is learning poetry therapy practice thanks to Arts Council funding. She directed BBC Wales documentary about her village barber and will be presenting poetry programmes for BBC radio this year. Twitter: @clare_potter
Nicholas McGaughey lives in Pontypridd. He has new work in Bad Lilies/Stand/Lucent Dreaming/The Friday Poem and Spelt Magazine.
Nicholas played Brandon Monk in Pobl y Cwm for 10 years and has had his poetry widely published including most recently in the hit anthology A470.
Rob Cullen was born in the Rhondda valley, studied at Bristol, Cardiff & Brighton art schools. He lived in New York and Brighton UK returning to South Wales in 1982. Rob worked in the Justice system. For the latter 9 years of his career he was an Expert to the Family & Criminal Courts.
Rob retired and in 2013 Rob returned to his arts training focussing on writing and photography. Rob’s short story The Choice was published in the anthology A Fall into Grace published on 16th December 2015 with a launch at the National Folk Museum of Wales in St Fagans.
Rob’s first collection of poetry “Uncertain Times” was published in 2016.
Rob’s poetry & short stories have been published in the UK &US
Rob has completed a Taff Noir novel which awaits publication and also completed a second psychological novel.
Rob has organised “Voices on The Bridge” since 2017.
Celfypridd 