Biography
Dr Gemma June Howell was born in Caerphilly Miners Hospital into a politically active family from Rhymney housing estate, Graig-Y-Rhacca. She is a grass-roots activist, editor, writer, poet, and academic.
Gemma is the founder and director of Women Publishing Wales - Menywod Cyhoeddi Cymru,
a network dedicated to empowering and championing new voices in the publishing industry.
Also an editor at Honno Welsh Women's Press and as Associate Editor for Culture Matters, Gemma edited Land of Change — a vibrant prose anthology which reflects the diversity of contemporary Wales.
She began performing and publishing with the Red Poets over 20 years ago, with poetry appearing in Bloodaxe Books (2015) and The London Magazine (2020).
She’s also published a volume of poetry, Rock Life (2015) and Inside the Treacle Well, a collection of short stories (Hafan Books: 2009).
Gemma has an BA in Political Communication, an MA in Creative & Media Writing and a PhD in Creative & Critical Writing from Swansea University. Underpinned with critical theory, her research focuses on the lived experiences of working-class women within the form of a künstlerroman novel. Her work mainly explores working-class identity in post-industrial Wales.
She has also performed and spoken at conferences and events. Gemma also has a PGCE and offers private tuition, mentoring and editing services. She has taught Creative Writing workshops at Swansea University, UWTSD and Marketing (CIM) at CAVC (University of South Wales). She also has an ILM L3 in Starting your Own Enterprise and an ILM L5 in Leadership & Management.
Performances & Projects
Sept 2024: Morecambe Poetry Festival.
May 2024: Hay Festival 'New Discoveries' Panel.
March 2024: Events Organiser - Launch of Women Publishing Wales - Menywod Cyhoeddi Cymru.
Oct 2023: Keynote Speaker UWTSD | Swansea College of Art, 'Are You Sitting Comfortably?' symposium.
April 2023: Keynote Speaker De Montford University, ‘Scandal ’63 Revisited’ symposium.
April 2023: The Fine Art Fundraiser at The Elysium Gallery & Bar.
March 2022: Conference Delegate. Presented paper titled 'Exploring Collective Trauma and Artistic Emancipation: A Literary Analysis' Kristiana University, ‘Artistic Research’ symposium.
Sept 2023: Morecambe Poetry Festival.Sept 2023: Swynwraig Appearance.
2021: Interviewed for BBC Radio 4: Tongue & Talk, The Dialect Poets.
2021: Events Manager: 2 x Book Launches and 1 x Art Exhibition for Land of Change at The Cultural Institute & Elysium.
2020: Performance - The Jaipur Literature Festival.
2020: Performance - 'Dear Christine' Elysium, Swansea & Art House, London curated by Fionn Wilson.
2020-22: Video Editor, Producer and Director.
2019: Performance, Urban Done Differently.
2018: Performance - Merthyr Rising Festival.
2017: Performance - Merthyr Rising Festival.
2017: Event Organiser, Carnival of Resistance. International Women's Day.
2017: Event Organiser, 'Why I March,' Music & Poetry.
2017: Protest Organiser, Sister March Cardiff.
2016: Interview by Esteemed Author, Tansy Hoskins. For Books Sake.
2016: Featured Poet with Beatbox Hann, Juke Cardiff.
2016: Event Organiser - ‘Rock Life: 17 Poems from the Welsh Valleys.’
2016: Panel member for BBC Radio Wales EU Referendum Debate.
2014: Guest Reader, Ty Newydd with Ros Barber.
2014: Ambassador, Dylan Thomas Centenary at Boyle Arts Festival with Literature Wales.
2014: Workshop and performance - Dylan Thomas Centenary at Boyle Arts Festival
2010: Project Leader 'Making Us Work' at Lampeter University.
2010: Host Oxslam! Cardiff v Swansea
2009: Finalist John Tripp Award.
2011: Performance The Red Poets at The Imperial in Merthyr.
2009: Featured Poet, Junkbox, Mozarts Swansea.
2009: Interviewed, Joe Milford Poetry Show. in USA.
2009: Event Organiser 'Out of Line' series Book Launch, Hafan Books.
2009: Event Organiser, 'MYscellaneoUS a Night for the Unsung,' Gw di Hw, Cardiff.
2004-5: President of Creative Writing Coalition and editor of handmade zine, 'Think Allowed!'
1999: Second Place, Aber Valleys Arts Competition.
Please contact Gemma to discuss projects or bookings.
Publications
‘Madame’s Menu’ and The Crazy Truth extract, Wife, Whore, Mother, Bloomsbury, Prof Marilyn Allen [ed] (forthcoming).
Review, Jesus Christ Superstar (Swansea Arena) Buzz Magazine (April: 2024).
The Crazy Truth, Seren Books, poetry novel, Rachel Trezise [ed] (May: 2024).
‘Normull,’ ‘Dirty Pill,’ ‘A Social Call,’ ‘Benefit Fraud,’ Another Bun in the Oven,’ ‘Jobseeker’s Disagreement’ and’ ‘Head Hunted,’ Yer Ower Voices: Dialect Poems in Welsh and English from Cymru, Mike Jenkins [ed] (Sept: 2023).
‘The Wasted Place,’ Poetry Wales [59.1] Zoë Brigley [ed] (June: 2023).
Editor & Introducer Land of Change: Stories of Struggle & Solidarity from Wales, Dr Gemma June Howell [ed] Culture Matters (Oct: 2022).
Review, ‘Cost of Living: The Trial by Franz Kafka’ (Grand Theatre) Swansea, Nation Cymru, (March: 2023).
Interview, ‘Author Kathy Briggs on her second novel: a universal tale of resilience and second chances,’ Nation Cymru, (Oct: 2023).
‘The Orwellian Plight,’ Red Poets [28], (Sept: 2022).
Review, Fragments of a Woman by Emma Venables (Aderyn Press) Nation Cymru, (July: 2023).
Review, Fannie by Rebecca F. John, (Honno Press) Nation Cymru, (Aug: 2022).
‘I am Warman,’ Gwrthryfel / Uprising! - An Anthology of Radical Poetry from Contemporary Wales, Culture Matters, Mike Jenkins [ed] (May: 2022).
Review, Painting the Beauty Queens Orange (Honno Press), Nation Cymru, (Feb: 2022).
‘Benefit Fraud’ & ‘Another Bun in the Oven’ Onward/Ymlaen! An anthology of Radical Poetry from Contemporary
Wales, Culture Matters, Mike Jenkins [ed] (2020),
‘A Hand to Play’ 'and ‘Learning to Burn the Slut’ Dear Christine, ArtHouse1-London, Fionn Wilson [ed] (Feb: 2020).
‘The Wasted Place,’ The London Magazine, Lucy Binnersley [ed] (Dec: 2020).
‘Muvvaz on the Dawl,’ The Red Poets, Mike Jenkins [ed] (Sept: 2026).
‘Divide & Rule,’ Your One Phone Call, (July: 2016).
‘Abide the Bosses’ Law,’ Proletarian Poetry Archive (April: 2016).
Rock Life: 17 Poems from the Welsh Valleys, MYscellaneoUS Press (Nov: 2015).
‘Black Lips,’ Red Poets [21], Mike Jenkins [ed] (Sept: 2015).
'Anuva bun inee uh-vun' & 'Madame's Menu, Hallelujah for 50ft Women Raving Beauties [eds] Bloodaxe Books, (June: 2015).
'Bus Girls,' Captivity - 2014 Short Story Review, Momaya Press, Maya Cointreau & Monisha Saldanha [eds] (Nov: 2014).
'Portrait of a Wide Boy', The Red Poets [20], (Sept: 2014).
'Our Bosses' Law,' 'Anuva Bun Inee Uh-vun' & 'Fanx Toower Majustee thuh Queen,' When Young Dodos Meet Young Dragons Anthology,' Barlen Pyamootoo of L’Atelier d’ecriture & Kindle, Alan Perry [ed] (Oct: 2014).
‘Our Bosses' Law,’ The Red Poets [18], (Sept: 2012).
‘Benefit Fraud’ and others, The Red Poets, [17] (Sept 2011).
‘Birth by Defect,’ Square [6] Pure Poetry, Gemma June Howell [ed] (March: 2010).
‘Jumping Jack Flash,’ short story, Square Mag [5] Pure Poetry, Nick Fisk [ed] (Sept: 2009).
‘The Ballad of Blair’s Third Way-ster,’ Giggle Magazine [3] (July: 2009).
Inside the Treacle Well, short story anthology, Hafan Books (June: 2009).
‘Jackpot’ Fluellen Theatre Co. Director: David Britton, Dylan Thomas Centre, Rough Diamonds (July 2007).
Interview, ‘Facing into the West Wind by Lara Clough,’ Platform [12], Susie Wild [ed] (May: 2007).
Review: ‘Gemma Howell Reviews Rachel Trezise’s Dylan Thomas Prize-winning book, Fresh Apples’ Front: The Waterfront, Andrew Gwilym [ed] (Nov: 2006).
Think Allowed [2] Creative Writing Coalition, Swansea University, Gemma June Howell [ed] (June: 2005).
Think Allowed [1] Creative Writing Coalition, Swansea University, Gemma June Howell [ed] (March: 2005).
Please contact Gemma for commissions or colloborations