Olumide Popoola

Olumide Popoola is a London-based Nigerian German writer and speaker who presents internationally. Her novella this is not about sadness was published by Unrast Verlag in 2010. Her play Also by Mail was published in 2013 by Witnessed (edition assemblage) and the short story collection breach, which she co-authored with Annie Holmes, in 2016 by Peirene Press. Her full-length novel When we Speak of Nothing was published in the UK and Nigeria in 2017 and in 2018 in the US (Cassava Republic Press). Her publications also include critical essays and creative non-fiction, hybrid pieces and poetry. Olumide holds a PhD in Creative Writing, a MA in Creative Writing and a BSc in Ayurvedic Medicine. She has lectured in creative writing at various universities and regularly gives workshops and masterclasses. In 2004 she won the May Ayim Award in the category Poetry. She has received grants, fellowships and residencies from Grants for the Arts/Arts Council England, UEL, Djerassi, Künstlerdorf Schöppingen and Hedgebrook, amongst others. She is the initiator and leader of the Arts Council funded mentoring scheme for emerging LGBTQ+ writers, The Future is Back.