Edwin Morgan wrote across forms, themes, and languages and supported other writers to find their voices; it is with this spirit that St Mungo’s Mirrorball designed the Clydebuilt Verse Apprenticeship Scheme. Founded in 2007, the scheme provides intensive support for poets at an early stage of their writing careers, encouraging a greater dialogue between them and more experienced practitioners. Through a series of group and one-to-one sessions taking place over twelve months, the selected participants will be encouraged to develop not only their own writing style but their ability to critique others, as well as a portfolio of poems to showcase at the end of the programme.
St Mungo’s Mirrorball and The Edwin Morgan Trust are delighted to announce the mentor and mentees for Clydebuilt 17, supported by The Second Life Awards.
Mentor
Niall Campbell is a poet from the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. His first poetry collection, Moontide, was published by Bloodaxe Books and won the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award and the Saltire First Book of the Year. Noctuary, his second collection, was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Collection. His third full collection, The Island in the Sound, was published by Bloodaxe in September 2024. In March 2024 he took over as Poetry Editor of Poetry London.
Clydebuilt 17 Poets
Ruth Aylett lives and works in Edinburgh and her poetry has been published in many online and print magazines and anthologies. Having worked as a researcher in AI and robotics, technology is one theme of her work and she has occasionally appeared at readings with a robot. She is joint author (with Greg Michaelson) of the novel Equinox (Stairwell 2023) and her two poetry pamphlets Pretty in Pink (4Word) and Queen of Infinite Space (Maytree) were published in 2021.
Ellen Renton is a poet and theatre maker from Edinburgh. She is the writer of one-woman show Within Sight and the Stellar Quines production Disciples. Her debut pamphlet An Eye For An Eye For An Eye was published by Stewed Rhubarb, and in 2023 she released an album with musician Lord of the Isles.
Gabrielle Tse is an Edinburgh-based writer and poet. Originally from Hong Kong, she moved to Scotland to study literature. Her works can be found in places like Propel, Interpret, and The London Magazine. She is working on her debut pamphlet. Find Gabrielle at @gabrielletse_ on X.
Catherine Wilson Garry is a poet and writer. Her debut poetry pamphlet Another Word for Home is Blackbird was published in 2023 by Stewed Rhubarb Press. Her writing has been commissioned by organisations including BBC Radio 4, the British National Gallery and published by Extra Teeth, Gutter and New Writing Scotland. She is the winner of the Janet Coats Memorial Prize and has been highly commended by the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award 2024. She is a member of The London Library’s Emerging Writers, and the Push the Boat Out Festival team, where she co-hosts their monthly night Rock the Boat.
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