New Writing South
Who we are
Our patrons and artistic associates
Fay Weldon
Patron
Throughout her long career Fay Weldon’s writing has provoked opposing reactions of popular acclaim and critical controversy. Her work includes over twenty novels, five collections of short stories, several children's books, non-fiction books, magazine articles and a number of plays written for television, radio and the stage, including the pilot episode for the television series Upstairs Downstairs. Fay is currently Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University. She was awarded a CBE in 2001. Fay has previously worked with NWS as a guest speaker and workshop leader during our 2007 Writers teaching Writers conference at the University of Sussex.
Mark Ravenhill
Patron
Mark Ravenhill is one of the most controversial and successful British writers to emerge in the 1990s. Within a decade, he moved from putting on small productions at fringe venues to becoming an Associate at the National Theatre in 2003. Growing up in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, Mark had a “pleasant and untroubled” childhood, and an early interest in theatre. Mark came to fame in 1996 with Shopping and F***ing, directed by Max Stafford-Clark for Out of Joint and the Royal Court.
Paul Lyalls
Artistic Associate/Poetry Curator 2009-to date
Paul Lyalls' work is funny, fast-moving, hip, accessible, rhythmic, clever and real. He has run hundreds of workshops in secondary and primary schools, youth projects and prisons. As a performance poet, Paul has gigged 10 Edinburgh Festivals and many prestigious venues in cities as diverse as New York to Belfast. In 2008 Paul was Poet for the London Borough of Brent, becoming the first poet to perform at the New Wembley stadium. Paul presented and starred alongside former World Poetry Slam Champion Kat Francois in the BBC/CBBC television programme The Big Slam Poetry House. More about Paul.
Vincent O'Connell
Artistic Associate 2008-9
Vincent's experience includes lecturing in screen writing at the South Bank University, London and with Sussex University; running writing workshops at York Arts Centre, being Yorkshire Arts sponsored Writer in Residence at Joseph Rowntree School, York, Writer Visiting Schools for York Theatre Royal YPT company, and occasional teaching at the London International Film School. He teaches occasional 3-day screenwriting workshops with the Exeter Text Festival, and with New Writing South in Brighton. He has run frequent workshops, rehearsed readings and mentoring schemes with New Writing South.
Jo McInnes
Artistic Associate 2005-6
Together with James Lance, Lee Ross, and others, Jo co-founded A.P.E., a Brighton-based theatre company with a passion for exciting, orginal and un-formulaic new writing.
Miranda Henderson & Alister O'loughlin
Artistic Associate 2004-5
Directors of Prodigal Theatre and were previously managers of the Nightingale Theatre, Brighton. The Nightingale Theatre is New Writing South's Associate Venue.
Annie Castledine
Artistic Associate 2003-4
Award winning director. Artistic Director of Derby Playhouse ('87 -'90), Associate Artistic Director of Theatr Clywd ('85 -'87). Directed at the National, Contact Theatre, Royal Court and many, many more.
Partners at Farnham Maltings
Farnham Maltings encourages the makings of new arts work. See their website for further information and events.