About

Joe Kriss is a poet and the director of literature organisation 'Wordlife'. He has performed widely across the UK, including venues such as the Tate Modern, The Crucible Theatre and the National Media Museum alongside other poets and performers such as Kate Tempest, Laura Marling, Hollie McNish and Lemn Sissay. He has been published in various magazines and anthologies and has edited two anthologies of new writing titled 'Born Listening' and 'Wordlife 10'. He regularly leads creative writing workshops with participants from school to university level.

Summary of work

Wordlife's key mission statement is to bring new writing to new audiences in innovate ways. Wordlife achieves this through traditional outreach activities, such as events and workshops but also through new digital outputs and platforms. Wordlife has worked with a range of partners to produce poem films, poem films designed for large scale projection, 360 Degree films of poets designed to be viewed using Samsung Gear VR technology and other web based literary platforms such as writing maps. We are at the heart of finding new opportunities for writers to reach new audiences primarily in Yorkshire, but also nationally. 

Summary of work to develop

I’m increasingly excited by the areas of my work that involve broader definitions of literature and increasing its access points both as a writer and a reader/audience. Technology and the growth of interconnected communities creates unique opportunities and challenges for literature. Being part of that conversation and finding new ways that literature can impact and engage on readers/audiences is at the cornerstone of the work I'd wish to develop. I'd like to develop new projects outside of our main region (Yorkshire) and talk to other literature organisations about their plans for the future and how we can increase collaboration across local, national and international borders. 

Contact

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