About
Astra holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Surrey. Her practice-based doctoral project at Surrey was funded by the Doctoral College Studentship Award and explored sculptural poetics as a revolutionary act in the context of the Anthropocene. She is a widely published author with work featured in UK and international magazines including The Times, Magma Poetry and BeeCraft. Astra is the author of several books including Stargazing (Guillemot Press), and her work has been translated into Turkish, Korean, German, Russian, Slovenian and Spanish.
Astra currently works at The Poetry Society's Poetry Review. She is also the founder of Poem Atlas, and has curated several visual poetry exhibitions across the UK. She won the Pebeo Mixed Media Art Prize in 2016, and her visual poetry work has been showcased at venues such as the National Poetry Library, Kew Gardens and Christie's, London.
photo: Charlene Lovesey
EXTENDED BIO
Currently based in London
Born 1991, Greece
Education
2019-2022, University of Surrey, PhD in Experimental Poetics
2016-2017, Royal Holloway University of London, MA Poetic Practice
2009-2013, University of Surrey, BA (Hons) Theatre Studies
Editorial/Publishing
2018-now, Editorial Assistant at The Poetry Review
2020, Assistant Editor at Mercurius Magazine
2019-2021, Editor at Pamenar Press
2019-2020, Poetry Editor at WhyNow Magazine
Teaching
2021-now, Associate tutor in Creative Writing, University of Surrey
2022, Visiting Lecturer, Falmouth University
2019-now, Creative Workshop Tutor, University for the Creative Arts
Poetry Books
2023, Selected Variations for Bees (Cornwall: Guillemot Press)
2022, Constellations (Cornwall: Guillemot Press)
2021, Inside Ocean Größt's Time Capsule (Shropshire: Penteract Press)
2021, Bunnies Behind Bars, co-written with John Kilburn (Newton-le-Willows: KFS Press)
2021, Auditioning for Poem Atlas, co-written with John Kilburn (London: Poem Atlas)
2020, Astropolis (Bristol: Hesteglock Press)
2019, Stargazing (Cornwall: Guillemot Press)
Anthologies (as an editor)
2023, Hauntings, co-edited with Michał Kamil Piotrowski (London: Poem Atlas)
2023, Textual Porosity anthology, co-edited with Caroline Harris and Briony Hughes (London: Poem Atlas)
2021, Text-Isles anthology (London: Poem Atlas)
2021, Aww-Struck anthology, co-edited with Isabel Galleymore and Caroline Harris (London: Poem Atlas)
2021, Photo-poetry Surfaces anthology, co-edited with Paul Hawkins and David Solo (Bristol: Hesterglock)
2020, Temporary Spaces, co-edited with Nic Stringer (London: Pamenar).
Chapbooks
2022, Elements (Banff: No Press).
2021, Crescent Earth (Talgarreg: Broken Sleep Books).
2019, Blockplay (Bristol: Hesteglock Press).
2019, Perseverance Valley Interrupted (Cornwall: Stegosaurus).
2019, Almost a Dream (London: Sampson Low).
2019, Imprints We Leave Behind (London: Gang Press).
2018, Clockwork (London: Ampersand Publishing).
2017, Almost a Nightmare (London: Sampson Low).
Printed & Online Magazine features include:
3:am magazine, Aesthetica, Alterity, Ambit, Anthropocene Journal, Babel Tower Notice Board, Bee Craft, Berfrois Magazine, Berkeley Poetry Review, Bi Women Quarterly, Brave Voices Magazine, Burning House Press, Buzdokuz, Crisiology, Cuntry Living Zine, Datableed Zine, Dusie, Eborakon Journal, Erotoplasty, Fur-lined Ghettos, HA&L, Harana Poetry, НОЖ, HTVN Magazine, Kanstellation Magazine, Literratura, Magma Poetry, Mercurius Magazine, Moonchild Magazine, Moon Lit, National Poetry Month Canada, NōD Magazine, Pamenar Press Magazine, Periodicities Journal, Permeable Barrier, Perspektive, Petrichor Journal, Poetry News, Queen Mob's Tea House, Stag Hill Journal, Streetcake Magazine, Stride Magazine, Synapse International, Synchronised Chaos Magazine, Tangerine Magazine, Tears in the Fence, Tentacular Magazine, The Abandoned Playground, The Minnesota Review, The Minute Review, The Projectionist's Playground, The Times, ToCall Magazine, Visual Verse, ZenoMagazine
Performed in the UK venues including:
504 Arch London, Avivson Gallery, Beehive Tottenham, Betsey Trotwood, Birmingham Hippodrome, Café OTO, Canvas Café, Chener Books, Christie's London, Conway Hall, Dutch Church, Gulbenkian Theatre, Harrison Pub London, Hungarian Cultural Centre, Iklectik London, Kensal Green Cemetery Chapel, Landmark Arts Centre, Libreria London, Museum of Futures, National Poetry Library, Nell of Drury, Resurgence & Ecologist, Rich Mix, Peckham Pelican, Rose Theatre Kingston, Second Shelf Books, South London Gallery, Senate House, Sterts Arts Centre, The Crown Tavern, The Poetry Café, The Spike Guildford, Torriano Meeting House, University of Surrey, Westminster Reference Library, Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium
Performed international venues including:
Art Park Gallery (Rhodes), Einbaumöbel (Vienna), Klub Gromka (Ljubljana)
Festival and Event Series Participation
artBLAB London, Beyond Text, Bloomsbury Festival, Bodmin Moor Poetry Festival, Bristol Photo Festival, Cadence Video Poetry Festival, Contraband Live, Creative Writing reading Series at the University of Kent, Dead Women Poets Society, Dirt, Enemies Project, European Poetry Festival, Free Verse Poetry Book Fair, Green Blues Seminar series, Guillotine, Haus für Poesie, IGNOR Festival, International Video Poetry Festival, Paper Ink Print Festival, Poesie Festival Berlin, PRAXIS, Small Publishers’ Fair, StAnza International Poetry Festival, Theatre of Failure, The Glue Factory, The Poetry Society's Poem-A-Thon, Regrowth & Resistance Conference, Verve Poetry Festival, Writers' Centre Kingston Camarade, Xing the Line
Awards/Commendations
2021, Official Selection of Cadence Video Poetry Festival, USA
2021, Official Selection of the 9th International Video Poetry Festival, Greece
2019, Shortlisted for the Zealous Mixed Media Art Prize, UK
2017, Commended at The Poetry Society's Edgelands challenge, UK
2016, Winner of the Pébéo Mixed Media Art Prize, UK
Group Exhibitions
2024, On the Sea of my Tttttongue, Gramma Epsilon, GR
2024, Words from the Wild, Royal Holloway Exhibition Space, UK
2023, Hauntings, Brewery Tap, UK
2023, Seed, Art Workers' Guild, UK
2023, Textual Porosity, Winning Gallery, UK
2023, POÈME SBJKT, Librairie Galerie Métamorphoses, FR
2023, Off-page, Many Studios, UK
2023, Räume für notizen, Galerie Wechselstrom, AT
2022, Poetry Games, National Poetry Library, UK
2022, Soundtext: Some Currents of Contemporary Poetry, Škuc Gallery, SI
2022, Water Rituals, Muzeum HERstorii Sztuki, PL
2022, Future Cities, National Poetry Library, UK
2022, The Sea Is Always Far, Technohoros Gallery, Athens, GR
2021, Text-Isles, Art Park Gallery Rhodes, GR
2021, Regrowth and Resistance, Kew Gardens, UK
2021, Timglaset Editions, Malmö Konsthall, SE
2021, Summer with the Arts, Women's Memorial (WIMSA), USA
2020, Hesterglock Press Exhibition, Neck of the Woods Cafe, UK
2020, Poetry Illustrated: a Teenagers View, Royal Marsden Hospital, UK
2020, Temporary Spaces, The Poetry Café, UK
2020, Double Six, Kingston Museum, UK
2019, Blockplay, Poetry Café, UK
2019, The Yellow Book Exhibition, Westminster Reference Library, UK
2019, Behind the mask, Another mask, October Gallery, UK
2019, Groving: Acts of Resistance, Street Exhibition in Bury St Edmunds, UK
2019, The Poet's Brut Group Exhibition, Poetry Cafe, UK
2019, Poetography Exhibition, Museum of Futures, UK
2019, Love Tokens and Bad Pennies Exhibition at #unsettledgallery, UK
2018, Ampersand poetry & art evening, 504 Arch, UK
2018, Instagram Poetry Exhibition, National Poetry Library, UK
2018, Scribbling & Scrawling Exhibition, Museum of Futures, UK
2016, Pébéo Art Exhibition, A&D Gallery, UK
2014, Pro Arté International Group Exhibition, The Studio, UK
2013, Group Student Design Show, Ivy Arts Centre, UK
2013, Pro Arté International Group Exhibition, The Studio, UK
Online Exhibitions
2021, Photo-poetry SURFACES at Bristol Photo Festival
2021, Aww-Struck at Poem Atlas website
2021, Instagram Poetry for Every Day at StAnza Festival
2021, Refraction, at Poem Atlas website
2020, Future-Facing at Poem Atlas website
2020, artBLAB:Text at artBLAB website
2020, Escapisms at Poem Atlas website
2020, Trånslatiøns at Mellom Press
2020, Islet Zone at Poem Atlas website
Poetry commissions include
Christie's London, Millfield School, National Poetry Library, Poesie Festival Berlin, Zero Guildford
Residencies
2019, Roger and Laura Farnworth Arts Residency, Bodmin
2023, Fleck Fellowship at Banff Centre for Creativity, Banff, CA
Judging
2022, Millfield School Film poetry showcase
2021, Streetcake Experimental Writing Prize (30+ Poetry category)
2021, Millfield School Film poetry showcase
2020, Streetcake Experimental Writing Prize (18-23 Poetry category)
