Podcast
When it became clear that the Library would remain closed for a significant period of time, and the Carcanet anniversary exhibition was unlikely to open, alongside John McAuliffe, Professor of Poetry and Co-Director of the Centre for New Writing, it was decided that another way to celebrate would be to record a podcast which featured individuals of note to Carcanet discussing the Press and the archive.
• Michael Schmidt, Managing Director of Carcanet Press
• Stella Halkyard, writer and former joint head of Special Collections at the Rylands Library
• John McAuliffe, Co-director of the Centre for New Writing, The University of Manchester and editor at Carcanet Press
• Stephen Raw, textual artist and designer
• Robyn Marsack, Director of the Scottish Poetry Library, and former editor at Carcanet Press
• Anthony Vahni Capildeo, poet
• Jessica Smith, Creative Arts archivist at the Rylands Library
In episode 1, Creative Arts Archivist at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, Jessica Smith is in discussion with Carcanet Editor and University of Manchester Professor Michael Schmidt, talking about Eavan Boland’s Collection, Domestic Violence and her work and importance to Carcanet and the University Archives.
In Episode 2 of The Rylands Brief, archivist Jessica Smith talks to her predecessor at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, Stella Halkyard, about her work with Carcanet Press, including her memories of the iconic building destroyed by an IRA bomb, which was for many years the publisher's Manchester base. Stella also remembers encounters with Christine Brooke-Rose and cinema-going with with Les Murray...
In Episode 3 of The Rylands Brief, archivist Jessica Smith talks to artist Stephen Raw about his work with Carcanet Press, which began 30 years ago and includes many iconic covers: in this conversation he talks to Jess about his work on Eavan Boland's books, and about his changing process during his time working with the press.
In Episode 4 of The Rylands Brief, archivist Jessica Smith talks to poet John McAuliffe about his work with Carcanet's archive at the Rylands: he also talks to Jess about Thomas Kinsella's work, and about notable Rylands readings, by Bill Manhire, Elaine Feinstein, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin and others.
In Episode 5 of The Rylands Brief, archivist Jessica Smith talks to writer and editor Robyn Marsack about her work with Carcanet Press, which began in 1983, and most recently led to her editing Fifty Fifty, a collection of letters to celebrate Carcanet’s jubilee.
In this conversation she talks to Jess about her discoveries in the archives while working on that book, explaining how one poet's archive included a vinyl LP of Yuri Gagarin's reminiscences of his space walk, and how the correspondence of John Ash and John Ashbery seemed to extend her appreciation of their poems.
In Episode 6 of The Rylands Brief, archivist Jessica Smith talks to poet Anthony Vahni Capildeo about their work with Carcanet Press, which includes their 2016 Forward Prize winner, Measures of Expatriation, and last year's Skin Can Hold.
In this conversation they talk to Jess about how their study of Old Norse chimed with their interest in "the movement of the sea" and in migration as "roaming". They also discuss their new "expanded translation" projects, how the language of diversity and inclusivity struggles with the "superabundance" of love, and reflect on the work of fellow Carcanet poet Kei Miller.
Listeners should be aware that Anthony reads from a poem, 'Kassandra', which mentions difficult and violent material, including rape.
In Episode 7 of The Rylands Brief, archivist Jessica Smith talks to John McAuliffe about her work at the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, picking out key items which made their way into the 'Exploding the Archive' exhibition and reading a poem by Carcanet poet, Matthew Welton.