Biography

Tessa Foley is a poet whose work explores feminism, sexuality and the rejection of normalcy. Her debut poetry collection ‘Chalet Between Thick Ears’ was published and launched by Live Canon in November 2018 and has inspired a series of Live Canon films. The same year, Tessa also self-published ‘Garden’ illustrated by her sister, Anna Foley, to raise money for the Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling Service where she volunteered for three years. She has created and taught workshops on writing for performance at the University of Portsmouth where she formerly gained her Master's Degree in Creative Writing. She has recently been recognised in the Ware Poets Competition, the Charroux Poetry Prize and the Canterbury Literary Festival Poet of the Year Competition. Her latest collection “What Sort of Bird are You?” was launched by Live Canon in May 2021.

Buy a Book

Chalet between Thick Ears - https://www.livecanon.co.uk/store/product/chalet-between-thick-ears What Sort of Bird are You? - https://www.livecanon.co.uk/store/product/what-sort-of-bird-are-you-tessa-foley

Competition Recognition

Commended 2020 Ware Poets Open Poetry Competition​ Shortlisted 2020 Canterbury Literary Festival Poet of the Year Commended 2020 The Charroux Poetry Prize Shortlisted 2017 Live Canon First Collection Competition Longlisted 2017 Live Canon International Poetry Competition Shortlisted York Mix Poetry Competition 2017 Commended 2016 Bristol Poetry Prize Highly Commended 2016 Verve Poetry Competition Finalist 2015 Magic Oxygen in six word story competition Finalist 2014 Poetry Rivals Competition Long listed 2014 National Poetry Competition Commended Sentinel Quarterly Poetry Competition August 2014 Commended Sentinel Quarterly Poetry Competition February 2014 Long listed 2013 Plough Poetry Prize Winner 2013 Live Canon International Poetry Competition

All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.