Joy Francis appointed to Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowships

The Jerwood Charitable Foundation has appointed Joy Francis to the freelance role of project manager for the Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowships.

Francis is a journalist, editor, lecturer and communications strategist. She is also executive director and founder of Words of Colour Productions, a UK-based social business which primarily develops, promotes and champions writers of colour from the main professional writing industries. She is part of Spread the Word’s Writing the Future Advisory Group, taking forward the recommendations from the 2015 Writing the Future report.

The Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowships are a development opportunity for poets supporting individuals whose practice encompasses poetry in the broadest artistic sense. Recipients of the Fellowships might be page, spoken word or interdisciplinary poets, work with new media or have interactive, visual or participatory practices.

Successful artists receive a bursary of £15,000, and are matched with a core mentor with further access to a range of advisors and ‘critical friends’ to support their developing practice over the course of one year.

The project aims to put together a culturally and creatively diverse shortlist of artists, looking to those who would not normally consider applying for development opportunities, awards or prizes.