Two Manchester writers – David Hartley and Ogheneguono ‘David’ Okodeh – have been selected for Melbourne City of Literature’s Virtual Writers in Residence Programme.

The residency pairs each writer with a host organisation, giving them an opportunity to get to know Melbourne’s vibrant literary community. Working with their host organisation, the writer will produce virtual content – ranging from online workshops and written pieces to panel discussions and social media takeovers.

On being selected for the residency, David Hartley said:

“I am so very happy to have been invited by Story Studios Australia to be their Virtual Writer-in-Residence this year. It’s going to feel pretty special beaming myself and my words to the other side of the globe, and I can’t wait to meet the talented writers of Melbourne. We’re planning to build worlds together, so this will be quite the feat of globe-spanning storytelling. What could be better?”

About The Writers

David Hartley is a writer and performer based in Manchester, UK. He is the author of the short story collections Fauna (Fly on the Wall Press) and Incorcisms (Arachne Press). He holds a PhD in Creative Writing with The University of Manchester, where he currently teaches undergraduates how to write short fiction. In 2024 he was writer-in-residence in Tartu, Estonia for their Capital of Culture celebrations where he worked with performance artist Henri Hütt to create an immersive folktale event about tattoos and forests. Later the same year, he was writer-in-residence in Gothenburg in Sweden, where he staged a ‘live writing’ stunt in a haunted train station.

David’s host organisation is Story Studios Australia. They exist to inspire and nurture a lasting love of stories and storytelling. They work with young and emerging creative writers, who are just starting out, right through to experienced writers who are looking for community, accountability or a fresh perspective. They take a mentoring approach to imparting skills skills, knowledge and to sharing their passion.

Ogheneguono ‘David’ Okodeh is a 17-year-old poet, actor and writer from Greater Manchester. His work tackles themes of society, identity and youth – his most notable work being his poems about Pan-Africanism appearing in the Big Picture Show at the Imperial War Museum. Having starting writing at 14, he became the winner of ‘The Poetry Place’ slam at the age of 16. He has poetry published in the British Library and the Creation Through Form anthology – he has also been commissioned to write poems many organisations. Namely, The National Trust, BBC Film and The Imperial War Museum North. Having performed at both the National Theatre and West End, he has also directed and acted in ‘Stream of Consciousness’ which is a poetry short film he wrote himself.

David’s host organisation is SIGNAL. It is a creative studio for young people aged 14 to 25, providing a space for exploration, creation and presentation. It offers young people the opportunity to work alongside professional artists through multi-artform workshops and mentoring.