Critical Poetics in Colombia!


This summer, Sarah Jackson ran a Critical Poetics writing workshop at the Centro Colombo Americano in Pereira, Colombia. Collaborating with translator Heidi Ayarbe, Sarah worked with fifteen participants on a workshop exploring concepts of place. Participants discussed texts by Carolyn Forché, Coral Blanche, Warsan Shire, Homi K. Bhabha and Sigmund Freud.

During her visit, which was jointly funded by Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature and Nottingham Trent University, Sarah also performed at two poetry festivals: Luna de Locos International Festival of Poetry in Pereira (26 – 31 August), and Las Líneas de su Mano International Festival of Literature in Bogotá (2 – 6 September). She read her work alongside poets including Ana Blandiana (Romania), Piedad Bonnett (Colombia), Rita Dove (USA), Dovilé Kuzmiskaité (Lithuania), Raquel Lanseros (Spain), Francisco Larios (Nicaragua), Janet McAdams (USA) and Hugo Mujica (Argentina). During the trip and working with a range of translators, Sarah visited four schools for readings and discussion, gave a talk on poetry and feminism, and performed at open-air events.

Sarah at a reading in Bogotá with poet Dovilé Kuzmiskaité from Lithuania, and translator Carlos Salgado [courtesy of Nina Rivas]