Biography
Lerah Mae Barcenilla grew up in Cuartero, Capiz in the Philippines full of magic, superstition and tradition before moving to the UK. Her work touches on topics of the diaspora, memory, mythology, folklore and the state of duality. Her writing has appeared in Harana Poetry, with Verve Poetry Press, was Highly Commended in The Literary Consultancy’s PEN Factor Award–Novel (2021) and won the Creative Future Writers Award–Platinum Poetry (2022).
Alternative:
Born in Manila, Philippines, writer and poet Lerah Mae Barcenilla grew up in a small province full of magic, tradition and superstition. Currently based in Birmingham, her work touches on topics of the diaspora, memory, mythology and the state of duality. She particularly enjoys breaking apart narrative structures and exploring how words exist on and outside of the page.
2014-2017 BA English (2.1), University of Leicester
Press
“Barcenilla and McLeod triumph in Creative Future Writers’ Awards” (Sep 13 2022, The Bookseller)
Previous Publications
2022 Creative Future Writers Award, How It Started – publication
2021 The Alchemy Spoon, Issue 3: Spell – poetry | performance | publication
2020 Verve Poetry Press, “30 Synonyms for Emerging” – performance | publication
2020 “When The Sun Stood Still”, commissioned by Punch Records for Culture Central’s #ItGetsLighterFromHere – –spoken word
2020 Verse First’s Alone Together podcast (Episode 2: “Arboretum”) – spoken word
Awards
2022 Platinum Award (Poetry), Creative Future Writers Award
2021 Highly Commended, The Literary Consultancy Pen Factor (Novel)
Residencies
2019-2020 Hippodrome Young Poets inaugural cohort, Birmingham
2018 Punch Record Gallery37, Spoken Word Camp, Birmingham
2017-2018 Writing West Midlands’ Room 204 Writer Development Scheme, Birmingham
2018 BMAG Remixed: Hack The Archive Hackathon with Rebel Uncut, Birmingham Museum.
2016 UKYA Residency: TEXTure Theatre Devising with John Berkavitch, Derby Theatre, Derby.
Performances / Screenings
2020 Hippodrome Young Poets Showcase, Birmingham
2018 Gallery 27 Spoken Word Camp, Medicine Gallery, Birmingham.
Group Exhibitions
2017 ‘Transition’ with Pop My Mind, The Storey, Lancaster.