Sarah Butler is a motivated, organised and dynamic writer, with a passion for the role of creative writing within urban change and development. She has been working as a writer and project manager on literature development projects since 2000, and has worked within a local authority, charity, and a freelance consultant context.
Employment History
- 2007 onwards, Director, UrbanWords: Managing literature consultancy, advocating for role of creative writers within the process of regeneration. Recent projects include: Barking Metamorphosis, a partnership project with writer Yemisi Blake, product design students from RCA, muf art/architecture, Barking Learning Centre staff and local young people. Found Materials, A Cultural Leadership Programme funded network delivering mentoring, professional development and sharing best practice. Lower Belvedere public art strategy – a commission by Bexley Arts Department, to co-write a public art strategy for the regeneration area in Lower Belvedere.
- August 2010 – April 2011, Creative Co-ordinator, South Kilburn Neighbourhood Trust: Commissioned and managed public art and community engagement programme in South Kilburn. 5 successful projects with temporary and permanent outcomes, encompassing writing residencies, artist studios with traineeships for young people, a pop-up shop space and a parkour and film commission. Managed budget of £180,000.
- November 2009 – May 2010, Writer-in-residence, In Between, All Change: A creative critical residency as part of All Change’s In Between project, examining the role and potential of writing residencies to effect meaningful change within communities.
- November 2009 – December 2010, Writer-in-residence, Tideline, Lower Belvedere: Writing residency, commissioned by Bexley Council, engaging with the regeneration of Lower Belvedere through story and oral history. Outcomes include permanent and temporary text/public art commission and digital archive.
- September 2009, Writer, Leeds/Liverpool Canal, PublicWorks: Commissioned to create a new piece of fiction for the Leeds/Liverpool Canal, in Bootle, Liverpool, and run writing workshops on the Canal Club, a temporary conversation space created by PublicWorks for Urbanism 09 (Liverpool Biennial).
- June – August 2009, Lead Artist, All Change: Lead artist on a creative consultation scheme, working with 6 artists and 14 young advisors (16-24) to consult about the conversion of Hornsey Road Baths into a Performing Arts Youth Centre.
- March-Sept 2009, Writer-in-residence, Central line, Art on the Underground: Writer-in-residence, commissioned by Art on the Underground to engage creatively with staff along the length of the Central line. Work included performance writing project, new commissioned short stories and digital writing.
- Feb 2009 & January 2010, Creative Writing Tutor, British Council: Creative writing workshops, focused on place and the city, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Sept – Nov 2008, Writer-in-residence, Greenwich Peninsula: Writer-in-residence on the Greenwich Peninsula, working with poet, Aoife Mannix, to run workshops and walks with local residents and visitors. Project outcomes included conference performance, project blog and soundscape.
- April-October 200, Co-commissioner, BS1, Insite Arts: Worked with Neville Gabie to commission the novelist Donna Daley-Clarke to respond to the construction of Cabot Circus, Bristol, as part of the BS1 project.
- Feb 2007-Feb 2008, Lead Artist, All Change: Lead artist on Write Now and Then, a project engaging young people in Islington with the literary, social and architectural heritage of their borough. Led a team of 10 artists. The project culminated in an event and the publication of a digital book
- Jan-May 2007, Acting Director, Spread the Word: Managing leading London writer development organisation, with particular responsibility for Education and East London
- April 2006 onwards, Literature consultant & fundraiser: Consultancy, evaluation, project management and fundraising contracts for Spread the Word and other organisations
- Sept 2004 – June 2006, Literature Worker, Subtext, London: Engaging young people and health-service users with the written and spoken word through innovative bespoke projects. With a focus on deprived areas of East London
- Jan 2001 – Sept 2003, Literature Development Officer, Leicester City Libraries: Based in Leicester City Council’s libraries department, with a remit to promote creative reading and writing. Also part of the East Midlands Literature Development Network
Higher Education
| From | To | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | (Current student) | MSc Urban Studies University College London |
| 2003 | 2004 | MA Creative Writing (Prose) University of East Anglia, Norwich |
| 1997 | 2000 | MA Hons (Cantab) English Literature St. Catharine’s College, University of Cambridge |
Professional Training
Sarah is committed to her own professional development, and was recently a recipient of a ‘Meeting the Challenge’ award from the Cultural Leadership Programme. Other training courses include:
- Managing large scale projects (NALD)
- Understanding Place-Making (Homes and Communities Academy)
- Cultural leadership and Regeneration (Common Purpose)
- Oral History (Eastside Community Trust)
- Help for London Literature Professionals (group-directed leadership training, funded by Arts Council England)
- Business Planning and Development (Directory of Social Change)
- Fundraising Strategy (Directory of Social Change)
- Child Protection (Poetry Society 2004, All Change 2009)
- Reader Development and Theory (Opening the Book)
- Cultural Diversity and Equal Opportunities (WEA, Leicester)
Sharing best practice and leading debate:
Sarah is proactive about generating debate and discussion about writing and place. In 2006 she established A Place For Words, providing information, articles and case studies. Sarah regularly convenes debates and seminars, publishes articles, and presents her work at conferences. Recent examples include:
- Conference presentation at Playing in Urban Places, Leeds Met University, October 2008
- Roundtable discussion on writing and regeneration at TINAG festival November 2008
- Publications in Mslexia, New Start Mag, NAWE and NALD journals
- Talk at Arnolifi, Bristol, as part of public art programme, October 2008
- Creative writing and consultation workshop, Create KX, November 2008
- Writing and regeneration presentation at Moving Manchester Conference, September 2009
- Writing and public art seminar/workshop, NAWE Conference, November 2009
- Part of panel: Artists and Regeneration – Why Do It? Architecture Network, February 2010
- Presentation at Writing and Urban Space, University of Surrey, April 2010
Training and facilitation
Sarah regularly leads creative writing workshops, and facilitates training on subjects including text and public art, writing and regeneration and fundraising. Recent clients include: Westminster University Architecture Department, National Association of Literature Development, National Association of Writers in Education, Create KX, Spread the Word and the British Council.
