Sophie on Poet Laureate Panel

The chair of the Writing Squad Board, Sophie O’Neill, will be on the panel making recommendations on who should be the next UK Poet Laureate.

Sophie, who is MD of Inpress and the Poetry Book Society says, “I’m taking this opportunity, alongside my poetry colleagues, to really think about the role of the laureate and how we can put forward poets who represent contemporary poetry in the UK and further afield in all its glory.  It is a role steeped in history, but as poetry is seeing a renaissance at the moment, the laureate can be of significant influence and value; there is a lot more to it than penning poems for births, deaths and weddings.  Carol Ann Duffy, the first female laureate, has done a wonderful job over the last 10 years, so considering her replacement is a task I am taking seriously, and I’m taking soundings on among the writers and publishers Inpress and the Squad work with.”

Full details of the process can be found in this DCMS press release.