Cheryl Martin

Cheryl Martin serves as a Visiting Teaching Fellow at the Manchester Writing School within the School of English at Manchester Metropolitan University. She concurrently holds the position of Co-Artistic Director at Commonword, a Manchester-based writing development organization encompassing Cultureword—established in 1986 as a pioneering center for Black creative writing in Northwest England that has gained national recognition for nurturing Asian, African Caribbean, and Chinese writers.

Her professional focus spans Creative Writing, Theatre, and Performance Art with specialized engagement in LGBTQ+ Studies, Black British Literature, and Poetry. Martin creates socially conscious works addressing themes like HIV awareness and refugee experiences through immersive storytelling, blending artistic innovation with community advocacy across diverse cultural platforms.

Notable accolades include:

• Manchester Evening News Theatre Award
• Lloyd’s Regional Award

Martin maintains an extensive creative portfolio featuring acclaimed solo productions like Alaska and Who Wants To Live Forever?, collaborative works such as Rent Party, and curation for major festivals including Homotopia (UK’s largest LGBTQ+ festival) and Manchester’s Black Gold Arts Festival, demonstrating sustained artistic leadership in contemporary performance landscapes.