Peter Finch (Q60744)

Peter Finch is an internationally known poet, writer and critic, and was born in Cardiff in 1947. He sometimes writes in traditional literary forms, but he is best known for his interest and innovation in experimental literature, especially concrete, found and sound poetry. His writing process has evolved in tandem with the forefront of technological advances, often using computers, images, sound, video, e-mail and webpages. He has published more than 25 volumes of poetry, and has also written critical works relating to poetry publishing in the UK. Beginning in the late 1960s, Finch organised poetry readings in Cardiff and contributed to the pioneering and influential literary magazine, Second Aeon, which he edited until 1974. He was also treasurer of the Association of Little Presses from the 1970s until the 1990s, and was responsible for the Arts Council of Wales’s specialist Oriel Bookshop in Cardiff in the same period. His interest in performance poetry also led him to become a founder member of Cabaret 246 and the trio Horse's Mouth in the 1980s and 1990s. From 1998-2011 he was the Chief Executive of Literature Wales. He now spends his time writing, and also appears at many literary readings and festivals. Finch’s later work includes psychogeographies of the Severn estuary and alternative literary guides to Cardiff, including the Real Cardiff trilogy. He has received a number of awards.