Astrid Alben Elected Chair of Poetry London’s Board of Trustees
The Board of Poetry London has elected Astrid Alben as Chair of Trustees, succeeding Sophia Blackwell. The appointment took effect on 22 March, 2021.
Astrid Alben is a poet, editor and translator. Most recently she was the acting CEO and trustee of the Poetry Translation Centre and the co-founder and artistic director of the arts and sciences organization PARS. Alben worked as head of production at Saatchi & Saatchi Amsterdam. Alben is a graduate of the prestigious Clore Leadership Programme, a Wellcome Trust Fellow, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Rijksakademie alumnus and a member of the Society of Authors and English PEN. Her most recent collection, Plainspeak, was published by Prototype Publishing in 2019.
Outgoing Chair, Sophia Blackwell said: ‘Poetry London is one of the leading poetry magazines in the English-speaking world. It has a significant role celebrating new voices. I am delighted that when I step down in March, Poetry London will have an experienced Chair, knowledgeable about the organisation and passionate about what matters most: the poetry that the magazine showcases.’
Astrid Alben said: ‘André Naffis-Sahely’s vision of making poetry relevant and enriching to the widest possible audience has never been more important than it is today. I have a lifelong passion for poetry and been a reader of Poetry London for two decades. It’s a great honour to support Poetry London in this way.’
Poetry Editor André Naffis-Sahely said: ‘Since Astrid joined as a trustee in 2019, she has been a vital part of shaping our future vision for Poetry London. I am delighted that she will be succeeding Sophia as Chair and that we will be working closely to bring Poetry London’s ambitions to fruition.’
