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Gerry Ryan - The Open College of the Arts

To find out more details about the transfer to The Open University see A New Chapter for OCA.

Gerry Ryan

I’m a published short story writer with additional interests in radio drama and the novel. I work independently, or with others, to produce anything that involves words on a page, from recipe collections to life stories.

As part of the Writers in Prison Network, I’m the writer in residence at a high security prison in the north. Here I run all sorts of creative writing based projects including audio and magazine production, reading and drama groups and one to one support for prisoners and staff who write. I’ve worked as a writer in all sorts of prisons, including women’s prisons, young offender institutions, private prisons and even the military prison in Colchester.

I’m interested in the therapeutic benefits of creative writing and I recently wrote and delivered a creative writing course for a secure Abstinence & Recovery Centre.

I have a first class honours degree in English & Creative Writing from Bath Spa University and I am a qualified teacher. Over the last fifteen years, as well as Creative Writing, I have taught ESOL, English Language, Literature, Literacy and Communication Skills. I used to run summer language schools for foreign students and here I developed methods of teaching English as a foreign language through creative writing, music and drama.

I have worked for OCA since 2005 and I love the work I do as a tutor. Working with Creative Writing students is rewarding and inspiring, and giving feedback is a practice that enriches my own writing. I am currently co-writing the new short fiction course for OCA.

www.writersinprisonnetwork.org