News | Friday, 19th July 2019

Visiting Professor Guy Garvey to discuss writing influences with new poet laureate

The Elbow frontman is in conversation with Simon Armitage at Manchester Literature Festival

Visiting Professor of Songwriting Guy Garvey joins new Poet Laureate Simon Armitage for a Manchester Literature Festival event
Visiting Professor of Songwriting Guy Garvey joins new Poet Laureate Simon Armitage for a Manchester Literature Festival event (image:Deirdre O'Callaghan)

Guy Garvey, award-winning musician and Visiting Professor of Songwriting at Manchester Metropolitan University, will take part in a one-off conversation with new poet laureate Simon Armitage at Manchester Literature Festival.

The Elbow frontman and the acclaimed Yorkshire poet will discuss their work, writing processes, literary and musical influences and how the people and places of the North have inspired their work.

The event is presented in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan at the RNCM Concert Hall on Sunday, October 13, at 8pm. Tickets are on sale from Monday.

'Absolute must-see'

Dr Adam O’Riordan, Academic Director of the Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan, said: “This is the kind of conversation poets and songwriters alike dream about eves-dropping in on. It brings together a pair of titans in their respective fields – though eminently big-hearted ones, and wryly humorous too – who are both committed to sharing their passion, craft and knowledge with the wider world.

“It looks set to be a ground-breaking event: an absolute must see for anyone with even the slightest interest in either sphere.’’

It was also announced that, as part of Manchester Literature Festival, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing Andrew McMillan will host 'Neil Tennant in Conversation', with one half of the Pet Shop Boys discussing his career in music. 

Garvey joined the University in 2018, using his Visiting Professorship to share his expertise with the next generation of talented young creative writers at Manchester Metropolitan.

Speaking to Met Magazine that same year about how he would approach his new position, the Ivor Novello and Mercury Music Prize winning songwriter, said: “You can teach writing like you can teach art. You can point to other examples to inspire people and try to remove the doubts and make people feel relaxed about doing it.

It looks set to be a ground-breaking event: an absolute must see for anyone with even the slightest interest in either sphere.

“[But] the fact is, if you want to be a songwriter, you already are one. That’s the way you’ve got to think about it. It means that songs touch you enough for you to dedicate yourself to it. So it’s your province. It’s your corner of the garden and it’s yours to tend if you want to.

“I have no doubt that some of the people in the room are going to go on to write for a living – Manchester is the perfect city for that.”

Armitage, a former lecturer at the Manchester Writing School, takes over the poet laureateship from Professor Carol Ann Duffy DBE, the Writing School’s Creative Director, whose ten-year tenure in the country’s top poetry role concluded in April.

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