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| Manchester Writing School | |
|---|---|
| Name | Manchester Writing School |
| Established | 2005 |
| Type | Public |
| City | Manchester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Affiliations | University of Manchester |
Manchester Writing School The Manchester Writing School is a centre for postgraduate creative writing at the University of Manchester located in Manchester. It offers postgraduate degrees linked to the John Rylands Library, the Whitworth Art Gallery, and regional cultural organisations such as Manchester International Festival and Contact Theatre. The school is a node in UK and international networks tied to the Arts Council England, the British Council, and partnerships with institutions including the Royal Society of Literature and the Hay Festival.
The school's origins trace to initiatives at the University of Manchester alongside collaborations with the Manchester Literature Festival and the Library of Manchester in the early 21st century. Early milestones involved links to the John Rylands Library, residencies funded by the Arts Council England and fellowships modelled on programmes at the Royal Society of Literature and the British Library. The programme expanded through partnerships with the Whitworth Art Gallery, the Manchester International Festival, and municipal bodies such as Manchester City Council to create public events and community outreach. Key developments aligned with national frameworks like HE regulations overseen by the Office for Students and funding models influenced by the Research Excellence Framework.
The school delivers taught and research-led postgraduate degrees connected to the University of Manchester curriculum, including master's courses comparable to offerings at University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and King's College London. Programmes combine workshop modules, seminars and supervision drawing on practices used at the Royal Academy of Arts and pedagogies similar to those at Goldsmiths, University of London. Students engage with external partners such as the BBC, the National Theatre, and the National Trust for placements and collaborative projects. Assessment methods reflect frameworks employed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England and research outputs are eligible for submission to the Research Excellence Framework.
Faculty have included authors, critics and scholars with connections to institutions like the Royal Society of Literature, the British Library, and the National Poetry Library. Visiting writers and lecturers have come from organisations such as the BBC, the Hay Festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and the Royal Court Theatre. The school hosts residencies that attract figures associated with the Man Booker Prize, the Costa Book Awards, and the PEN International network. Collaborative teaching has involved practitioners linked to the National Portrait Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and international partners like the Yale University and the Columbia University writing programmes.
Research themes include creative practice as research, archival projects using the John Rylands Library collections, and interdisciplinary work with the Whitworth Art Gallery and the Manchester Museum. Projects have been funded by bodies such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the European Research Council, and the Wellcome Trust and have produced outputs presented at venues including the Manchester International Festival, the British Library, and the Southbank Centre. Collaborative initiatives have linked the school to enterprises like the BBC Radio 4 commissions, film projects with BFI, and community programmes with Tate Modern and Imperial War Museums.
Students use facilities across the University of Manchester campus, the John Rylands Library, and the Whitworth Art Gallery for seminars, readings and exhibitions. The school runs reading series and events hosted at venues such as Contact Theatre, the Royal Exchange Theatre, and the Home (Manchester arts centre). Students often participate in internships and freelance opportunities with employers including the BBC, Manchester City Council, and independent publishers allied with the Independent Publishers Guild. Extracurricular life involves collaborations with the Manchester Literature Festival, the Manchester Histories Festival, and student groups affiliated to the Manchester Students' Union.
Alumni have published with houses such as Faber and Faber, Penguin Random House, Bloomsbury Publishing, and Vintage Books and have been longlisted and shortlisted for awards including the Man Booker Prize, the Costa Book Awards, the Walter Scott Prize, and the Goldsmiths Prize. Graduates have secured fellowships at the Royal Society of Literature and residencies at the British Library, the V&A and international posts connected to Yale University and the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. Notable public readings and commissions have appeared at the Hay Festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the Southbank Centre, and broadcasts on BBC Radio 4.
Category:University of Manchester Category:Creative writing schools