Cori Gonzalez-Macuer

Cori Gonzalez-Macuer is a Scottish poet, spoken-word performer, playwright and cultural organiser whose work spans poetry, film and community arts. Born in Glasgow to Chilean and Scottish parents, Gonzalez-Macuer has been associated with contemporary Scottish literature, independent theatre and festival programming, and has collaborated with institutions and artists across the United Kingdom and internationally. Their practice combines bilingualism, multimedia performance and social engagement, placing them within conversations around diaspora, identity and contemporary British poetry.

Early life and education

Gonzalez-Macuer was born in Glasgow and raised between the neighborhoods of Govan and Pollok, with familial ties to Santiago and the Scottish Highlands. Early influences included local youth arts schemes, visits to the Glasgow School of Art exhibitions, and exposure to Latin American literature such as Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral, as well as British poets like Carol Ann Duffy and Liz Lochhead. They attended local state schools before studying creative writing and performance at the University of Glasgow and later training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where mentors and peers included practitioners connected to the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Tron Theatre. During this period Gonzalez-Macuer engaged with community organisations such as Creative Scotland-funded projects and collaborated with collectives that performed at venues like the Celtic Connections festival and the Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art.

Career

Gonzalez-Macuer emerged in the Scottish literary scene through spoken-word circuits, small-press poetry publications and residencies. Early career milestones included performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, writing residencies with the Scottish Poetry Library and curatorial work for the Pride Glasgow arts programme. Their interdisciplinary work led to collaborations with filmmakers and theatre directors associated with the National Theatre of Scotland and independent companies linked to the Abbey Theatre and the Bristol Old Vic. International appearances have included readings at the Hay Festival, events organised by the British Council, and poetry exchanges with cultural centres in Buenos Aires and Madrid. Gonzalez-Macuer has also taken part in panels and commissions from institutions such as the British Library and the Victoria and Albert Museum, and served as a guest tutor or workshop leader at the University of Edinburgh and the Glasgow School of Art.

Notable works and style

Gonzalez-Macuer’s notable collections and projects synthesize autobiographical material with mythic and political registers. Collections and performances like "Tales of Liminality" and "A Mouth Full of Salt" mix Spanish and English idioms, echoing bilingual works by Seamus Heaney-era translators and Latin American poets. Their film-poetry collaborations have been screened at festivals including the Berlinale-affiliated forums and the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and short plays have been staged at venues such as the Traverse Theatre and the National Theatre of Scotland's pop-up programmes. Critics in outlets including the The Guardian, the Scotsman and The Herald have noted Gonzalez-Macuer’s use of vivid sensory detail, political consciousness akin to that in the work of Adrienne Rich and Lorca, and a performance energy comparable to spoken-word artists who have appeared on platforms like BBC Radio 4 and Channel 4. Collaborations with composers and visual artists recall cross-disciplinary partnerships undertaken by figures associated with the Edinburgh International Festival and the Southbank Centre.

Awards and recognition

Gonzalez-Macuer has received awards and nominations from major Scottish and UK cultural bodies. Honours include the Saltire Society Poetry Book of the Year and recognition from the Herald Scottish Culture Awards; they have been shortlisted for prizes administered by the Forward Arts Foundation and included on lists curated by the British Council and the Arts Council England. Residencies and fellowships have been offered by the National Library of Scotland, the Dublin Theatre Festival and international programmes linked to the Instituto Cervantes. Their work has been supported by grants from Creative Scotland and collaborative commissions with organisations such as the Scottish Book Trust and the Royal Lyceum Theatre.

Personal life and public image

Gonzalez-Macuer is public about their bicultural heritage, describing influences from Chilean political history and Scottish urban life in interviews with publications including the The Guardian and festival programmes for Celtic Connections. They are active in cultural advocacy, speaking on panels with representatives from Amnesty International (UK), the Scottish Refugee Council and the Equality and Human Rights Commission on arts inclusion. Their public image combines grassroots engagement—workshops in community centres and schools affiliated with Glasgow City Council youth programmes—with appearances at major cultural institutions like the Royal Festival Hall and the British Museum. Gonzalez-Macuer maintains a profile in both literary and performance circuits, contributing essays and reviews to magazines such as Granta, Poetry Review and The White Review.

Category:Scottish poets Category:21st-century poets Category:People from Glasgow