Hannah Lavery
hannah_lavery@outlook.com
Hannah Lavery
Introduction
I began writing professionally in my mid thirties. As a poet and a playwright, working across artforms is an important part of my practice. My themes and interests are wide but I think there is a common thread of political and social justice concerns in my work, especially, around the intersections of race, nationality, feminism and class.
Plays (including radio and digital)
Unwritten Women, 2024, Soundhouse’s Winter Festival (Scratch Performance)
For us girls of colour making half notes into song when the haar is all, 2023, Stellar Quines (Scratch Performance)
Finding Seaglass, 2023, BBC Radio Four, Tangible Productions, National Theatre of Scotland
Protest, 2023, Fuel Productions, Northern Stage, National Theatre Of Scotland.
Life and Times of Santa Claus, 2021, Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Jekyll and Hyde 2021, Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Eavesdropping, 2021, Traverse Theatre
Lament for Sheku Bayoh, 2019, 2021, National Theatre of Scotland, Fuel Productions, Edinburgh International Festival
Thirteen Fragments, 2021, Royal Society of Edinburgh, National Theatre of Scotland
The Idler, 2020, BBC Radio Four
Disco with Mum, 2020, National Theatre of Scotland
Earwig: Baba Yaga, 2020, Tron Theatre
Lament for Sheku Bayoh (Digital) , 2020, National Theatre of Scotland,
Drift, 2019, National Theatre of Scotland
Publications:
Drama
Protest, 2023, Methuen
Lament for Sheku Bayoh, 2020, Salamander Street
Poetry
Unwritten Woman, 2024, Polygon
World May Not Be The Same, 2023, Stewed Rhubarb
Blood, Salt, Spring, 2022, Polygon
Finding Seaglass, 2019, Stewed Rhubarb
Commissions (a recent selection)
Entanglements, IASH, 2024
Tomorrow Cathedral, St Giles 900, 2024
Words from the Wards, Edinburgh International Book Festival, 2024
Disrupting the Narrative, Edinburgh City Museums, 2023-2024
Edinburgh is a Story, Edinburgh International Festival, 2022
Thirteen Fragments, Edinburgh Royal Society, 2021
Translation Project, Stanza Poetry Festival and Kiev Book Festival, 2021
Relevant Work Experience
Mentor, We Are Scotland, 2024-
Curator and Host, Quines Cast, Stellar Quines, 2023-
Group Leader and Facilitator, The Writers of Colour Group,
Scottish BIPOC Writers Network, 2018-
Edinburgh Makar, Edinburgh City, 2021-2024
Guest Poetry Editor, Stewed Rhubarb, 2023
Lead Artist and Director, Disrupting the Narrative, Edinburgh City Museums, 2024
Lead Artist and Director, For Coloured Girls, Stellar Quines, 2023
Chair, Nairn Book Festival, 2024
Guest Curator, Granite North, 2024
Associate Artist, National Theatre of Scotland, 2020-2024
Chair, Edinburgh International Book Festival; 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Director, Homelands at Edinburgh International Book Festival, 2022
Writer and Director, Lament for Sheku Bayoh, Edinburgh International Festival, 2020
Lead Artist, Thirteen Fragments- 2021
Guest Curator and Director, Sorry I Was On Mute, Fringe of Colour, 2020
Engagement and Learning Coordinator, Scottish Poetry Library, 2017-2021
Artistic Director, CoastWord Festival, 2013-2020
Reader in Residence, Scottish Book Trust, 2014-2015
Creative Director, Appletree Press, 2012-2019
Co-Owner, Bowdy Books, 2013-2016
Secondary English Teacher, 2002-2008
Education
BA(Hons) English and Education with Commonwealth Literature (First), Dip Ed Secondary Teaching, University of Stirling, 1998-2002.