Media pack: Adrian Johnson.
Adrian Johnson – what he does and can do for you, soon!
Adrian Johnson is a writer, poet and storyteller that lives in Smethwick, England. His work has been published in the Guardian, Poetry Society News, radiowildfire.com, assorted poetry magazines and web mags including Horizon and Canongate's 'meet at the gate'. He was the city of Birmingham's 14th poet laureate 2010-11. His new poetry often features on his youtube channel 'adrianwriter' and his first novel, 'Love and taxes' was published and launched in summer, 2010. Some of Adrian's short fiction appears in the recent, Sampad collection of short stories 'Journey's,' (autumn, 2010). Adrian is also a highly experienced literature producer and consultant with knowledge of the nations independent publishing, festival development, storytelling and poetry development. He was deputy chair of the national Poetry Society for three years and is currently a board member with Ledbury Poetry Society, the Society for Storytelling and the the Northern Centre for Storytelling. In January, 2012 Adrian announced the UK's new laureate for storytelling.
Latest story and verse projects for 2012 include:
a. Research poet in residence at Soho House Museum in Handsworth, Birmingham (2011) with support from the national lottery through Arts Council England and Birmingham City Council. In this residency Adrian explored the relationship between the inventor, William Murdoch, and his influential city friend and employer Matthew Boulton and his fabulous discovery of Gas light in Soho, 200 years ago.
b. The Black Country GIANT - the musical appeared in Wednesbury, June, 2011 and also a new version appeared at Thimblemill library in Spring 2012 with the Smethwick Venture group of primary schools.
c. Centenary celebration of Oldbury songwriter, Jack Judge's song 'It's along way to Tipperary' was also successfully celebrated by Adrian and friends at Oldbury library on 31 January, 2012 and covered in front page stories in The Sandwellwell Chronicle and BBC Radio WM.
In December, 2010 Adrian travelled to Kolkata, India to help launch and celebrate the publication of Sampad's small, but perfectly formed, collection of international stories called 'Journeys' in partnership with the British Council - India. He presented verse and stories including the tale of the Black Country GIANT.
Birmingham’s 14th poet laureate, 2009/2010
Adrian Johnson recently completed his successful year as Birmingham City Council’s 14th poet laureate – an honorary one year position to pronmote and celebrate poetry across the city.
You can see him in action by clicking the links, below, then, imagine him at work at your school, college, conference, festival or residency with you, because he is available, to do a great job, with words, energy and enthusiasm. Just call: m. 07929291589.
BBC Midlands Today, TV News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx9JBuBCze4
BBC Website
A new poet laureate for Birmingham 2009/10:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8297345.stm
Arts Council England, interview:
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/news/new-birmingham-poet-laureate-announced
Youtube:
‘Deep Mercia’ – a piece about the Staffordshire Hoard – 5 kilos of treasure!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDDY3b3UsTw
‘Happy Shopper’ – a short fun piece about shopping!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaCw5B-dpXU
More
First novel
In 2009 Adrian completed his first novel – ‘Love and taxes’ and the stage, musical adaptation of this work first appeared at the Wolverhampton Arena on 11 December, 2009 and went onto Ludlow Assemly Rooms, Shropshire on Friday 5 March 2010. 8pm start, Box office: 01584 874041.
Adrian is a member of the National Association of Literature Development and his production company ‘kindandgenerous’ devised the UK’s first laureate for storytelling (Taffy Thomas, MBE) which went live in January, 2010.
Education
In 1997 earned a first class honours degree in English, Politics and Arts Management at De Montfort University, Leicester. In 2006 he was awarded a distinction for his MSc studies in Library, management and Information studies.
He was Northamptonshire Libraries first and award winning Literature Development Officer in 1991 -'94.
Heroes
Adrian’s poetry heroes include Henry Normal, Wendy Cope, Carol Ann Duffy, Michael Rosen, Adrian Mitchell, Charles Bukowski, Benjamin Zephaniah, Moqapi Selassie, Billie Collins, Dreadlockalien, Simon Pitt, Liz Lochhead, Pete Chand, Xanthe Gresham, Jan Blake, Marion Kenny, Anna Conomos, Daniel Morden, TUUP and James Spence - among many others too numerous to list.
Between 1997 and 2010 Adrian took full time responsibility for projects and activities concerned with developing publishing, literature festivals, storytelling, writer development and work with public libraries across the West Midlands as literature officer for Arts Council England in the West Midlands.
Adrian’s work has been published in The Guardian, Poetry News, Horizon Magazine, Public Library Journal, NALD online, Cannongate Books online journal and assorted poetry magazines:
January, 2011
Adrian Johnson is a writer, poet and storyteller that lives in Smethwick, England. His work has been published in the Guardian, Poetry Society News, radiowildfire.com, assorted poetry magazines and web mags including Horizon and Canongate's 'meet at the gate'. He was the city of Birmingham's 14th poet laureate 2010-11. His new poetry often features on his youtube channel 'adrianwriter' and his first novel, 'Love and taxes' was published and launched in summer, 2010. Some of Adrian's short fiction appears in the recent, Sampad collection of short stories 'Journey's,' (autumn, 2010). Adrian is also a highly experienced literature producer and consultant with knowledge of the nations independent publishing, festival development, storytelling and poetry development. He was deputy chair of the national Poetry Society for three years and is currently a board member with Ledbury Poetry Society, the Society for Storytelling and the the Northern Centre for Storytelling. In January, 2012 Adrian announced the UK's new laureate for storytelling.
Latest story and verse projects for 2012 include:
a. Research poet in residence at Soho House Museum in Handsworth, Birmingham (2011) with support from the national lottery through Arts Council England and Birmingham City Council. In this residency Adrian explored the relationship between the inventor, William Murdoch, and his influential city friend and employer Matthew Boulton and his fabulous discovery of Gas light in Soho, 200 years ago.
b. The Black Country GIANT - the musical appeared in Wednesbury, June, 2011 and also a new version appeared at Thimblemill library in Spring 2012 with the Smethwick Venture group of primary schools.
c. Centenary celebration of Oldbury songwriter, Jack Judge's song 'It's along way to Tipperary' was also successfully celebrated by Adrian and friends at Oldbury library on 31 January, 2012 and covered in front page stories in The Sandwellwell Chronicle and BBC Radio WM.
In December, 2010 Adrian travelled to Kolkata, India to help launch and celebrate the publication of Sampad's small, but perfectly formed, collection of international stories called 'Journeys' in partnership with the British Council - India. He presented verse and stories including the tale of the Black Country GIANT.
Birmingham’s 14th poet laureate, 2009/2010
Adrian Johnson recently completed his successful year as Birmingham City Council’s 14th poet laureate – an honorary one year position to pronmote and celebrate poetry across the city.
You can see him in action by clicking the links, below, then, imagine him at work at your school, college, conference, festival or residency with you, because he is available, to do a great job, with words, energy and enthusiasm. Just call: m. 07929291589.
BBC Midlands Today, TV News
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx9JBuBCze4
BBC Website
A new poet laureate for Birmingham 2009/10:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8297345.stm
Arts Council England, interview:
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/news/new-birmingham-poet-laureate-announced
Youtube:
‘Deep Mercia’ – a piece about the Staffordshire Hoard – 5 kilos of treasure!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDDY3b3UsTw
‘Happy Shopper’ – a short fun piece about shopping!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaCw5B-dpXU
More
First novel
In 2009 Adrian completed his first novel – ‘Love and taxes’ and the stage, musical adaptation of this work first appeared at the Wolverhampton Arena on 11 December, 2009 and went onto Ludlow Assemly Rooms, Shropshire on Friday 5 March 2010. 8pm start, Box office: 01584 874041.
Adrian is a member of the National Association of Literature Development and his production company ‘kindandgenerous’ devised the UK’s first laureate for storytelling (Taffy Thomas, MBE) which went live in January, 2010.
Education
In 1997 earned a first class honours degree in English, Politics and Arts Management at De Montfort University, Leicester. In 2006 he was awarded a distinction for his MSc studies in Library, management and Information studies.
He was Northamptonshire Libraries first and award winning Literature Development Officer in 1991 -'94.
Heroes
Adrian’s poetry heroes include Henry Normal, Wendy Cope, Carol Ann Duffy, Michael Rosen, Adrian Mitchell, Charles Bukowski, Benjamin Zephaniah, Moqapi Selassie, Billie Collins, Dreadlockalien, Simon Pitt, Liz Lochhead, Pete Chand, Xanthe Gresham, Jan Blake, Marion Kenny, Anna Conomos, Daniel Morden, TUUP and James Spence - among many others too numerous to list.
Between 1997 and 2010 Adrian took full time responsibility for projects and activities concerned with developing publishing, literature festivals, storytelling, writer development and work with public libraries across the West Midlands as literature officer for Arts Council England in the West Midlands.
Adrian’s work has been published in The Guardian, Poetry News, Horizon Magazine, Public Library Journal, NALD online, Cannongate Books online journal and assorted poetry magazines:
January, 2011