Neo Gilson

Bio Neo Florence Gilson is a South African poet, storyteller, and singer who now lives in Ireland. She is an artist in residence at Sample Studios. In 2021, she received the Playitforward fellowship and gave public readings at the Dublin Literature Festival, Traffika Radio Europe's "Migrant Authors in Ireland," the Cork International Poetry Festival, and the Cuirt Festival of Literature's "Breaking Ground Writers." Neo has performed in Corcadorca Theatre Company and Outlandish Theatre Platform productions. Her work has appeared in The Stinging Fly, Storms Journal of Poetry, Prose, and Visual Art, Irish Weekend Examiner, and Golden Shovel Poetry Jukebox Belfast. She contributed a song for OWLET: Lullabies of the World, a collaborative project between Early Childhood Ireland and Mother Tongues. In 2023, she was selected for the Graffiti Theatre Company: Graffiti Way Facilitator Training mentorship programme. Neo received the Dignity Partnerships Visibility Award 2023 for a migrant poet who promotes social change. She received the Dublin South City Partnership's 'A Decade of People of African Descent in Ireland' award for her efforts in developing sustainable communities.