Kate Clanchy, Oxford City Poet

Together with Oxford City Council, the Poetry Centre created the post of Oxford City Poet in 2011, and Kate Clanchy was appointed as the first City Poet with a remit to work to encourage both the reading and writing of poetry in Oxford and the region.

She has since been involved in a number of projects, particularly in local schools, where she has both inspired students from a range of ethnic and migrant backgrounds to write confidently about their experiences, and also contributed to the delivery and teaching of creative writing within the curriculum. Kate has had considerable success in her work with Oxford Spires Academy and the First Story charity, and has raised public awareness of the students’ work and their lives in such high-profile environments as the Oxford Literary Festival.

Kate’s work is now an important part of the Oxford City Council’s Culture Strategy, 2012-15, representing what the Council calls one of the City’s ‘strong outreach services’.