New Centenary Lecture Series To Be Launched At Swansea University’s Great Hall

Owen Sheers, Professor in Creativity at Swansea University, will welcome a number of wonderful writers to the University’s Great Hall this autumn as part of the University’s centenary lecture series, including a free event with Michael Morpurgo, one of the UK’s best-loved authors and storytellers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This newly established centenary lecture series will feature high profile writers as well as prestigious speakers from the creative sector in the lead up to the University’s centenary celebrations in 2020. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

‌The series begins this autumn with Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and her favourite court musician John Sampson bringing an hour of light and shade, laughter and reflection to Swansea on Thursday, 10 November. Carol Ann will read from her acclaimed collections, including The World’s Wife, The Bees and other works. Alongside her words, John Sampson performs a virtuoso tour through musical highlights of the past 500 years played on a fascinating collection of period and modern instruments. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

At an exclusive event on Thursday 17 November, Michael Morpurgo, one of the UK’s best-loved authors and storytellers will read from and discuss his new book Such Stuff: A Story-maker’s Inspiration, a revealing and insightful mediation upon the wellsprings and sources of his many books and tales. This free event will be followed by a Q&A and book-signing with Michael Morpurgo. It also forms part of Being Human: the UK Festival of the Humanities for which Swansea University’s Research Institute for Arts and Humanities has been awarded hub status for the second year running. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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On 15 December, the National Poets of Wales and Scotland, Ifor ap Glyn, and Jackie Kay, will come together for an evening of poetry and conversation followed by a Q&A and book-signing. National Poet of Wales, Ifor ap Glyn is a multi-award-winning poet, presenter, director and producer. He has represented Welsh poetry around the world in both the Welsh and English language. Jackie Kay, MBE, is an award-winning poet, novelist and writer of short stories. Several of her novels and poetry collections have won awards and her first novel for children, Strawgirl, was a huge critical success.‌ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

‌Professor Owen Sheers (left), said: “I’m thrilled to be opening the Centenary Lectures with a quartet of current and past Laureates. Between them these four writers represent some of the most original and important voices in British literature. They also happen to all be engaging and often very funny speakers, so I hope the readers of Swansea will take full advantage of their visits to the city. The Michael Morpurgo event will be offered for free and also forms part of Being Human, the national UK festival of the Humanities. Michael is a storyteller of great empathy and generosity of spirit – the kind of writer who can light a child’s mind and set them on a lifetime path of books, reading and creativity.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Swansea University Centenary Lecture Series is sponsored by Swansea Building Society. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​