Anthony Shapland

Anthony Shapland grew up in Bargoed in the Rhymney Valley. His work, as a writer, artist and filmmaker blends documentary and fiction, building on his sense that the world is constructed in the same way as a film set – constantly evolving and temporary. The landscape of his childhood was in massive upheaval and change. In parallel, coming out as gay was complex in a world that was only just shifting its moral and legal attitudes, making blending-in a survival strategy.

Alongside writing and exhibiting, he is Co-founder of g39, an artist-led space in Cardiff, where he works. He was part of the Representing Wales 2022 Cohort on a support programme run by Literature Wales with mentoring support from Cynan Jones. Prior to that he took part in a short fiction course with Curtis Brown Creative, and a month-long programme with Moniack Mohr. In 2022 he was shortlisted for the Rhys Davies award for his short story, Foolscap, Available in the anthology Cree published by Parthian. He is currently working on a creative non-fiction essay with Inclusive Journalism and Seren, to be published in the anthology Cymru & I in 2023. His first novel, A Room Above A Shop, will be published by Granta in March 2025.

Visit Anthony’s website here.