Luke Hathaway

Luke Hathaway is an Assistant Professor of English Language & Literature at Saint Mary’s University (Halifax, Nova Scotia), specializing in creative writing pedagogy, classical literature, and the intersections between poetry and liturgical practice. His teaching spans creative writing, ancient literature, and interdisciplinary courses cross-listed with Ancient Studies, Women and Gender Studies, and Atlantic Canada Studies. He is also a core member of the queer artistic ensemble ANIMA and co-founder of the Fractal Arts Collective, collaborating on immersive operas and experimental theatre works like Eurydice Fragments and Navré de ton dart. Hathaway’s research explores the transformative potential of artistic collaboration, voice embodiment in performance, and queer reinterpretations of early music sources. His poetry has received international acclaim, including a New York Times 'Best Book' designation for Years, Months, and Days and Times Literary Supplement praise for The Affirmations.

Education & Affiliations

No formal education details provided in texts, though his work demonstrates deep engagement with medieval/early modern texts. Current institutional affiliations include:

• Saint Mary’s University English Department
• Amadeus Choir's Choral Composition Lab (mentorship role)
• ANIMA ensemble (co-creative director)
• re:naissance opera (collaborative projects)

Research Interests

Central to Hathaway’s work is the exploration of transitional spaces in art—both literal (e.g., liminal performance spaces) and metaphorical (e.g., gender transition narratives). He investigates how poetry and music can create ‘emergent properties’ through collaboration, particularly in:

• Liturgy as poetic form
• Voice embodiment in choral performance
• Early music sources’ queer reinterpretation
• Hybrid creative-critical pedagogy

Recent Creative Outputs

Recent projects include the immersive opera Eurydice Fragments (2024) and the song-cycle The Sign of Jonas (2024), both blending medieval motifs with contemporary queer aesthetics. His 2023 collection Membra Jesu nostri explores liturgical devotion through modernist verse forms.

Awards & Honors

• 2x Arc Poetry Confederation Prize (2009, 2022)
• Hamilton Arts Award for Writing (2015)
• Bryan Prince Bookseller Award (2012)

Grants & Collaborations

Has secured funding for collaborative projects through:

• re:naissance opera (operatic commissions)
• DaPoPo Theatre (masque productions)
• Thirtyminutes art collective (audio-visual albums)

His pedagogical approach emphasizes ‘makerly’ creativity, integrating scholarly research with hands-on artistic production.

Labs & Teams

Primary artistic collaborative units include:

• ANIMA: Produces queer reinterpretations of early music
• Fractal Arts Collective: Focuses on interdisciplinary performance art