Dr Rachel Carney

(she/her)

FHEA

Overview

I am a poet and non-fiction writer, with a particular interest in the practical use of creative writing in community settings, and interactions between poetry and the visual arts. 

My PhD in Creative and Critical Writing was funded through the SWWDTP, based at Cardiff University and Aberystwyth University. It examines the use of ekphrastic poetry (poetry written in response to visual art) as a means of enriching our engagement with art in museums. The critical component is now available to download by clicking here. The creative component will be published in book form eventually, and some of the poems have appeared in magazines. A section of this short article from the Journal of Artistic Research gives a brief overview of this research.

Since completing the PhD I have been working on several different projects. One of these extends my interest in how poets respond to art, through meta-ekphrasis, interactive ekphrasis and intermedial ekphrasis. I am also interested in other practical applications of reading/writing poetry in different contexts, such as therapeutic writing, and poetic inquiry as a method of research across various disciplines

My debut poetry collection Octopus Mind is published by Seren Books. It explores the intricacies of neurodiversity, perception, creativity and self-expression, and was selected as one of The Guardian's Best Poetry Books of 2023.

I currently teach part time in both the School of English, Communication and Philosophy (ENCAP), and the Lifelong Learning Centre.

I also deliver online creative writing workshops for the Lifelong Learning Centre at Aberystwyth University.

Academic Background

PhD Creative and Critical Writing - Cardiff University / Aberystwyth University - 2023 'Craquelure: Ekphrastic Inquiry as Engagement with Art'

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) - 2023

MA Creative Writing - Distinction - Manchester Metropolitan University - 2019

MA Museum Studies - Distinction - Newcastle University - 2008

BA (Hons) English Literature and Creative Writing - University of Wales, Aberystwyth - 2006

Funding

My PhD was funded by the AHRC via the South West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership (SWWDTP). My MA in Museum Studies was also funded by the AHRC.

Memberships

I am a member of the National Association of Writers in Education (NAWE). I'm also on the NAWE HE Committee.

Selected Publications...

Poetry

I’ve had poems published in numerous magazines and journals, including Poetry Wales, Envoi, Under the Radar, the New Welsh Review, Anthropocene, Ink Sweat and Tears, London Grip, Poetry Saltzburg Review and Acumen. I won the Pre-Raphaelite Society Poetry Competition in 2021, and came 2nd in the Bangor Poetry Competition. I’ve also had two poems shortlisted for the Bridport Prize (2019 & 2020), two poems commended in the Ware Poets Competition (judged by Kim Moore, 2021), a poem highly commended in the Liverpool Poetry Prize (2021) and other poems commended or shortlisted in other competitions.

Visit my blog for more information and links to some of my published poems.

Recent Articles 

Carney, R. (2024). ‘Negotiating empathy in the art museum: ekphrastic inquiry as a historiographic tool’, European Journal of English Studies, 28 (1), 62–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/13825577.2024.2420940  

Collaborative Journal Article: Sabrin Hasbun, Rachel Carney, Harry Matthews et al. ‘The application of creative practice as a means of disrupting or re-defining the dynamics of power in, with or for different communities’, The Journal for Artistic Research, issue 27, 2022

'Shaping the Lyric: Literal and Metaphorical Blank Space in the Poetry of Emily Berry and Ocean Vuong', C21 Literature: Journal of 21st-Century Writings 9(1). 2021. doi: https://doi.org/10.16995/c21.3038

Visit my blog - Created to Read  for more details and links to published work.

Forthcoming / Recent Conference Papers

Forthcoming - for the ‘English Shared Futures’ Conference. 3-5 July 2025.

-        A paper presentation: ‘Infiltraring Academia: Creative Writing as Research Method’

-        Organisation of a panel: ‘Divergent Writers: Neurodivergence and Inclusion in Creative Writing’ with Professor Oz Hardwick and Beth Rees. My own paper is titled: ‘Neurodiversity in the Creative Writing Classroom: The Nuance of Language’

27th November 2024 - ‘Ekphrastic Inquiry as Cultural Democracy: Museum Visitors Engaging with Art through Creative Collaboration’ at ‘ECR Symposium: Sensory Innovations in the Arts’, Henry Moore Institute.

9th November 2024 - ‘Connecting in the Museum: An Ekphrastic Conversation’ at the annual NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education) Conference.

6th July 2024 -  'Ekphrasis as a Process of Engagement with Art' for the 'We need to talk about Art: Ekphrasis Now' conference at Leeds Trinity University.

31st October 2022 - I organised and chaired a 'Creative Research Symposium' for members of the SWWDTP Creativity in Research Cluster, at Bath Spa University. As part of this I delivered an interactive workshop - 'Poetic Inquiry: Re-Imagine Your Research'.

29th June 2022 - I delivered a workshop on 'Neurodiversity and Inclusivity in Teaching and Learning' at the Cardiff University annual Teaching conference.

10th March 2022 - I organised and chaired a panel discussion - 'Embracing Creativity in the Creative Writing Thesis' - at the annual NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education) Conference.

27th September 2021 - 'Creative Writing in the Art Museum: Ongoing, Inclusive Engagement', presented at the Amgueddfa Cymru Research Showcase (National Museum Wales)

14th-16th June 2021 - I co-directed the inaugral SWWDTP annual research festival confrence, along with Iona Ramsay from Exeter University. I also presented my research with others as part of the 'Creativity in Research Cluster Showcase: Future Methods and Research Practices' discussion event on 14th June.