Ian Clayton

Ian Clayton (born 4 September 1959 in Featherstone, West Yorkshire) is a British writer and broadcaster. In a freelance career spanning 20 years he has edited and authored more than forty books and broadcast on TV and radio. As an animator, Ian has run education workshops from infant schools to universities, working regularly with musicians on opera and music theatre projects. He has worked across Europe as well as the United States.

Current Work

Clayton has worked with Yorkshire Art Circus for twenty five years. He currently presents a documentary series for Yorkshire Television called "My Yorkshire" and is a regular radio broadcaster and workshop leader for numerous cultural institutions.

Canoe tragedy

Clayton's nine-year-old daughter Billie died in a canoeing accident in April 2006. Following the inquest into her death in 2008 - which recorded a verdict of misadventure - Clayton criticised the canoe hire industry and called for it to be more strictly regulated. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7461413.stm]

Selected Books

*"Bringing It All Back Home" (Route Publishing, 2007 (Hardback) ISBN 978-1901927337 (Paperback) ISBN 978-1901927351)

*"Entertaining Angels" (Saint George's Church & Crypt, 2002 ISBN 0953446417)

*"What the Eck Is That Over There?" (Yorkshire Art Circus, 1996 ISBN 1898311277)

*"When Push Comes To Shove Volume 2 - Centenary Edition" (Yorkshire Art Circus, 1995, ISBN 1898311145)

*"When Push Comes To Shove" (Yorkshire Art Circus, 1993, ISBN 094778098X) - "The Sunday Times" Sports Book of the Year

*"Running For Clocks and Dessert Spoons" (Yorkshire Art Circus, 1988, ISBN 0947780327)

Selected projects as writing workshop leader.

*Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
*Opera North.
*London Sinfonietta.
*English National Opera at Sky TV.
*Royal Festival Hall.
*Benjamin Britton School of Advanced Music Study.
*National Youth Orchestra Summer School.

Television

*"With a little Help from our Friends" - UNESCO prize nominee.
*"Wakefield Jailhouse Opera" - BBC Late Show.
*"My Yorkshire" - Yorkshire TV.

Radio

*"Still angry after all these years" - BBC Radio 4

Film

*"Prometheus" - Dir. Tony Harrison.