Jo Clement Readings & Workshops
‘As vivid as engravings, the poems in Jo Clement’s debut collection Outlandish braid together a richness of language and a precision of imagery to illuminate Traveller identity and Roma culture. These are poems of clarity and lyricism that sing of people, places, and the beauty of what is passed down.’ – Kris Johnson (Poetry Society Books of the Year 2022)
Jo Clement's Outlandish, a powerful first full collection exploring Gypsy, Roma and Traveller identity and culture, was published by Bloodaxe in May 2022. It was shortlisted for the John Pollard Foundation International Poetry Prize 2023, an award which recognises outstanding debut collections, and longlisted for the 2023 Michael Murphy Prize for a distinctive first volume of poetry.
Jo Clement launched Outlandish at a joint online event on hosted by Bloodaxe on 31 May 2022 and in person at Newcastle Poetry Festival - see videos below. Jo read at StAnza International Poetry Festival in St Andrews in March 2023.
Jo was a guest on BBC Radio 4's Start the Week on Monday 13 June 2022. Jo features at 11:47 and again at 17:08. Listen here.
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On 4 April 2025, Dr Jo Clement was announced as MERL Fellow 2025 at The Museum of English Rural Life in Reading.
Jo Clement writes:
'My interdisciplinary Fellowship at The MERL offers valuable time and space to deepen my scholarly research into the representation of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller people in museums and literature. With a practice-led approach, writing poems and creating short films in response to a selection of The MERL’s holdings, I aim to make what UNESCO terms Intangible Cultural Heritage tangible.'
In 2024, Jo Clement collaborated with the museum to redesign the Making Rural England gallery, bringing the presence of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people into focus. Jo designed a new educational resource for schools accessing the exhibition and led on-site workshops exploring the museum with local Gypsy, Roma and Traveller school children.
Jo Clement’s Fellowship project, The Long Road, will respond creatively to objects and textual material in the Robert Dawson Romany Collection. This collection includes 32 boxes and over 2,000 volumes of literature, ranging from sheet music and legislature to posters, cigarette cards, waggon plans, and a whole range of amazing artefacts.
Read more about Jo Clement's Fellowship here.
FORTHCOMING WORKSHOP & DAY-LONG EVENT AT THE MERL
Wednesday 16th April 2025, 11am-12noon, The Museum of English Rural Life
University of Reading, Redlands Road, Reading, RG1 5EX
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller, Showman and Boater: Community-led Museum Label Workshop
Jo Clement is hosting an interpretation workshop especially for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people on 16 April 2025.
Jo writes: 'Together, we’ll discuss how the community is represented in this unfinished painting depicting life on the road and create our own collaborative museum label. My workshops are inclusive, safe spaces and you can join in-person or online. If you’re an individual or represent an organisation and would like to take part, please fill in this form to book a space.'
In person and online. Information & booking details here. Lunch is provided for in-person attendees.
The Museum of English Rural Life, 14 June 2025, 11am-4pm
Redlands Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 5EX
Romany & Traveller Heritage Day 2025
A day of music, film, poetry, tours, talks, displays and family fun at MERL as they celebrate Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month! This is the official launch of the new exhibition The Long Road. This new permanent exhibition includes materials curated by Jo Clement from the Robert Dawson Romany archive.
Explore heritage in the MERL's new gallery The Long Road and with experts from the Romany and Traveller Family History Society. Dive into the Robert Dawson Romany Collection and the MERL Library. Bring a picnic and enjoy sitting in the garden listening to live music, or try your hand at blacksmithing. Enjoy refreshments from the café, or browse a specialist bookstall in the gift shop.
Special guests include Jo Clement, guest curator of The Long Road. Learn more about Clement’s work curating The Long Road on Jo's blog here.
Free event, no need to book. More information below.
https://merl.reading.ac.uk/event/romany-traveller-heritage-day-2025/
PAST EVENTS
Jo Clement reads from Outlandish at the 2022 Newcastle Poetry Festival
Jo Clement reads from her 2022 collection Outlandish. She reads: a section from “Vault”; ‘Self-portrait as 100 Travellers’; ‘Vardo’; ‘Teesdale Erratics’; ‘Larch’; ‘Haunt’ and ‘At Eildon’. Filmed by Peter Hebden. Special thanks to Newcastle Centre for the Literary Arts.
JOINT LAUNCH EVENT ON 31 MAY 2022
Tuesday 31 May 2022, live-streamed launch reading by Jo Clement, Sarah Wimbush and Clare Shaw
Bloodaxe's joint launch reading by Jo Clement, Sarah Wimbush and Clare Shaw celebrating the publication of their new poetry collections was live-streamed on 31 May 2022, and is now on YouTube. They were reading from and discussing their new collections with the host, Bloodaxe editor Neil Astley, and with each other. All three poets have won Northern Writers' Awards for poems included in these collections.
Jo Clement read first in each set, followed by Sarah Wimbush. They were reading from their first full collections Outlandish and Shelling Peas with My Grandmother in the Gorgiolands. Clare Shaw was reading from their fourth collection, Towards a General Theory of Love. Passionate, mesmerising readings from all three poets, followed by a wonderful discussion during which they drew out the connections between their three books.
[24 May 2022]
