NALD will continue to highlight literature events and opportunities through this site and our social media networks, so send your info to wes@nald.org
Meanwhile the board will manage the NALD Futures Fund during 2012/13 and supervise the administrative closure of the company.
Information Manager Wes Brown Mail Wes
Wes Brown is a writer based in Leeds. He writes poetry, short stories, reviews and novels. He works an hour a day as Information Manager for NALD and part-time as the Young Writers Coordinator for NAWE. He is the founding editor of The Cadaverine and director of Dead Ink Publications. He blogs about writing and literature at Notes From The Underground.
Chris Gribble, Board Member and Co-Chair
Chris Gribble is the Chief Executive of Writers’ Centre Norwich. Based in Norwich, WCN exists to explore the artistic and social power of creative writing through pioneering and collaborative projects, regionally, nationally and internationally. After completing a PhD in the poetry of Paul Celan at the University of Manchester, Chris worked in publishing for Carcanet Press and then spent a number of years working as a consultant in cultural strategy for Manchester City Council. He was the Director of Manchester Poetry Festival and then Manchester Literature Festival. He is an Artistic Assessor for Arts Council England, sits on the Advisory Group for Manchester University’s Centre for New Writing, on the Board of ICORN, the International Cities of Refuge Network and on the Steering Group of the British Centre for Literary Translation.
Will Carr, Board Member and Co-Chair
Will is the Deputy Director of the International Anthony Burgess Foundation in Manchester www.anthonyburgess.org. He has worked for the prison service; as Arts Officer at the Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere; in the literature and media department of Arts Council England (North West); and until July 2009 was Director of the Poetry School. His interests include contemporary poetry (of course), playing jazz piano (badly) and arts and cultural strategy (no, really)
Jacob Sam-La Rose, Board Member
Jacob Sam-La Rose is a poet, performer, educator and editor who has performed and taught internationally. His work has been published in several anthologies, including Identity State: New British and Irish Poets(2010), Penguin's Poems for Love (2009), City State: New London Poetry(2009) and Michael Rosen's A-Z: The Best Children's Poetry from Agard to Zephaniah (2009). His debut pamphlet collection, Communion(2006), was a Poetry Book Society Pamphlet Choice.
With over a decade of experience in managing and delivering literature in education projects, Jacob runs workshops in schools and other institutions, and has developed programmes for poets and writers of all ages: he is well known for his work as an artistic director for city-wide, national and international youth “slam” poetry initiatives, including the London Teenage Poetry SLAM ; the work he does in supporting new and emerging poets and literature in education practitioners; and his advocacy for positive impacts of new technology on literary and artistic practice and collaboration. www.jsamlarose.com
Sarah Ellis, Board Member
Sarah is the Creative Producer - Programme for Apples & Snakes www.applesandsnakes.org . She manages the national programme evelopment for the organisation and works with its team of programme coordinators based across England.
Sarah is currently exploring new and pioneering ways of touring work through live and online experiences and is executive producer for its national online critical framework, My Place Or Yours. She produced Molly Naylor’s Edinburgh Fringe run Whenever I Get Blown Up I Think Of You in 2010 and Martin Figura’s poetry and visual collaboration Whistle which was premiered at Ledbury Festival and Freeword in 2010, Polarbear's tour, If I Cover My Nose You Can't See Me in 2008 and Apples & Snakes' national tour, Exposed in 2006 and has previously worked for BBC World and ITV digital.
Mai Lin Li, Board Member
Mai Lin is a freelance creative producer and a 2010/11 Fellow of the Clore Leadership Programme. She was previously Reader Development Librarian for Kirklees Libraries in West Yorkshire. She lives in Fife, Scotland. "What is most important to me in my work is: reducing barriers to engagement with literature, libraries and the arts; challenging perceptions about the relevance and importance of literature; broadening interpretations of literature; developing new and existing audiences. And encouraging people to explore creativity. I particularly enjoy creating links between audiences creative practitioners, venues and arts promoters. I work to encourage dialogue and experimentation between partners, to stimulate creativity and share the risk of new ventures. I work to promote the potential for public libraries to be thriving cultural venues and community arts spaces."
Rachael Ogden, Board Member
Rachael is the Managing Director of Inpress, the sales and marketing agency for independent publishers. Based in Newcastle, the company’s growing client list includes over 35 publishers, whose books are sold directly to the consumer at www.inpressbooks.co.uk and to the book trade in the UK and internationally through a specialist sales team. Inpress also delivers book events, audience research, e-marketing and publicity campaigns. Rachael Ogden is formerly literature officer at Arts Council England and an award-winning event manager, with ten years’ experience in arts fundraising, marketing, PR and grant management. She is also a trustee of The Fawcett Society, a national organisation which campaigns for gender equality.
