Creative Writing student at University of Brighton Dr. Mark Price shares his experience of the MA course, collaborative projects and how COVID-19 has impacted his practice. When he’s not participating in poetic analysis or journaling for poetry and prose modules, he also remotely teaches on the Doctoral programme at St. Mary’s University Twickenham, London.

Well, actually, Mark may have used a little more colourful language than that. It is clear that he still has that lust for learning and that youthful energy, he certainly knows how to command an audience, even if it is over Microsoft Teams.

“I’m not retiring! It’s been brilliant because it meant I had something to look forward to. I don’t imagine myself as somebody that is 62.”

This course meant something that I could immediately step onto, obviously hacked off because of COVID but it gave me something that I could be different again in. I wanted something that would give me a place of being, something that would stretch me and I knew I’d be asked to do things that I wouldn’t normally do.”

I can agree with Mark on that latter point. I packed up my marketing job in London to move to Brighton, to dive headfirst into the University experience and thriving spoken word scene in the city. Only to find (after I’d signed my lease to a rental property in Seven Dials, Brighton) the whole Creative Writing MA 2020/2021 academic year would be delivered remotely, online. *Deep breath in… and out*, it’s fine though, because London doesn’t have a beach.

The writing on the MA has also taken me into new places with my day job too, which is brilliant.”

Whilst doing this course, Mark is also continuing to write academically too, having Journals published throughout 2021.

I’ve met new people. It’s been one of the best things of my life. I feel more rounded, I feel like I’ve got this, I’ve got that. I’m not just Dr Mark Price full-time in academia. I’m a student on the MA, I’m doing Tenebrae for the Brighton Festival, I’m developing my writing. I’ve never felt more fulfilled workwise in my life.”

This course has certainly made a positive impact with Mark. The opportunity to become part of the writing community in Brighton isn’t the only highlight of this course. It also enables students to really push perceptions of what writing can be, challenging preconceptions and empowering their voice as writing practitioners.

Mark is pleased to share his experience of the Tenebrae: Lessons Learnt in Darkness a project inspired by The Old Testament ‘Book of Lamentations’ and Francois Couperin’s Tenebres music composition, which will be featured in Brighton Festival 2021. The project was the creative vision of Theatre Director, Neil Bartlett, with writing facilitator Akila Richards, who mentored 15 diverse writers to produce, record and showcase their poetry to illuminate the Theatre Royal – which has sat in darkness for the past 12 months.

Tickets for Tenebrae have now completely sold out, but you can find out more about the installation here on the Brighton Festival official website.

In terms of process of collaboration, on the Rhetoric and Narrative modules, we wrote collaboratively – I really enjoyed that process!”

“The Tenebrae project came up from Craig Jordan-Baker (Senior Lecturer in School of Humanities, University of Brighton). It was incredibly evocative; I liked the idea that I was signing up to something where somebody else was directing. I love the intensity of being in a project that takes over.

In terms of collaboration in the Tenebrae project, I don’t feel that I’ve collaborated with anybody else. I’ve enjoyed hearing people speak and sense some of the cohort. I don’t feel I’ve collaborated with other writers, but it’s a piece of work I feel hugely proud of and pleased to be a part of – I feel that my part in it is just one small bit, it’s a piece in itself that Neil has conceptualised and directed. I loved it – what a fantastic opportunity.”

COVID-19 and a remote learning delivery has impacted the student experience.

“The whole experience has been positive in the fact that I’ve learnt lots and I’ve taken lots out of it. There has been a convenience to the remote learning, I haven’t had to travel into the University but that is pretty much the only advantage. I feel like I’ve lost direct contact to students and tutors.”

On a Masters level course, the tutor/student relationship is so important, a pivotal point where students identify as academics, potentially going on to PhD studies. Mark is a part-time student and of course, already a distinguished academic. He is doing the course over a couple of years and next year hopes that he and other students can experience face-to-face classroom teaching, post-lecture corridor natters and physical meet-ups. The experiences that are both so important, academically and socially.

Article written by Joey Lee