University of Sheffield

The creative writing teaching team is headed by Professor of Poetry, Simon Armitage, whose work has always combined imaginative exploration of regional histories and local languages, and an advocacy and sponsorship of networks of writers and stories grounded within northern contexts.

Research in creative writing has a threefold remit: the generating of novels, collections of poetry and short stories which explore specific social, psychological and cultural concerns; engagement with communities of emergent writers and artists in the city of Sheffield and environs; and extension of creative work to include drama, TV, film, community stories, documentary and non-fiction work.

These include:
• the international poetry journal Blackbox Manifold, co-edited by Adam Piette;
• the Creative Writing in the Community project centred on Simon Armitage’s work within Sheffield contexts;
• the Lyric Festival launched by Simon Armitage and into its third year;
• participation in funded initiatives, such as the citybooks project, the Plasticities project, generating publications and editions such as the psychogeograohical pamphlet, Wordwards, and the edition of Sheffield Corn Law poet, Ebenezer Elliott