Manchester University lecturer wins T S Eliot poetry prize

Manchester Poet Jason Allen-Paisant Clinches Coveted TS Eliot Prize for bold exploration of black masculinity and immigrant identity.

Jason Allen-Paisant

In a momentous win, Jason Allen-Paisant, a Senior Lecturer in Critical Theory & Creative Writing at the University of Manchester, has been crowned the recipient of the highly esteemed TS Eliot Prize.

His winning collection, “Self-Portrait As Othello,” passionately explores the facets of Black masculinity and immigrant identity, earning accolades for its imaginative prowess, freshness, and technical flair.

The judging panel, composed of renowned poets Paul Muldoon, Sasha Dugdale, and Denise Saul, lauded the book’s large ambitions, met with exceptional creative capacity.

This triumph follows Jason’s earlier success in bagging the Forward Prize for Best Collection last October, further solidifying his status in the literary realm.

On his website, Jason said: “I explore the ways in which Afro-diasporic artists and communities shape their futures through embodied, living philosophies. My work is deeply concerned with poetry, and the overlaps between poetry and philosophy.

“​My first book of poems Thinking with Trees won the poetry category of the 2022 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature; it was also shortlisted for the Michael Murphy Memorial Prize.

“My second, Self-Portrait as Othello, is a Poetry Book Society Choice and the winner of the 2023 Forward Prize for Best Collection as well as the 2023 T. S. Eliot Prize.

“Recent commissions for written work and embodied, multimedia performances have come from the Manchester Art Gallery, the Cincinnati Art Museum and LUX Moving Image (London).”

About Jason Allen-Paisant’s work

Manchester University’s amazing poets

The TS Eliot Prize shortlist featured another talent from the University’s Centre for New Writing – Joe Carrick-Varty, a graduate recognised for his debut collection, “More Sky.”

Published by Manchester-based Carcanet Press, “Self-Portrait As Othello” reflects the university’s longstanding association with the press through the John Rylands Research Institute Library.

Carcanet Press, led by Professors John McAuliffe and Michael Schmidt, both educators at the Centre for New Writing, has been a steadfast supporter of Jason’s literary journey.

The collection adds another feather to Jason’s cap after the success of his debut collection, “Thinking With Trees,” published in 2021. The poet is set to expand his literary footprint with an upcoming non-fiction book, “Scanning the Bush,” slated for release later this year.

This victory not only underscores the brilliance of Jason Allen-Paisant but also highlights the University of Manchester’s commitment to fostering groundbreaking talent in the field of literature.

As we celebrate this achievement, it is a testament to the power of words in unraveling complex themes and contributing to a richer understanding of diverse identities.

The T.S Eliot Prize

The T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry, established in 1993, is a highly prestigious award presented annually by the T.S. Eliot Foundation.

Originally administered by the Eliots’ Poetry Book Society in the UK, the prize is bestowed upon “the best collection of new verse in English first published in the UK or the Republic of Ireland” for a given year.