Gig Ryan

Gig Ryan
Born
Elizabeth Anne Martina Ryan

(1956-11-05) 5 November 1956 (age 70)
Leicester, England
EducationLa Trobe University (B.A.)
University of Sydney
University of Melbourne
Monash University (Ph.D.)
OccupationsPoet
Critic
RelativesPeter John Ryan (father)
Writing career
Notable workSelected Poems (2012)

Gig Ryan, born Elizabeth Anne Martina Ryan, is an Australian poet. She is a recipient of the Christopher Brennan Award.

Early life

Ryan was born in Leicester, England in 1956. This was when her father, Australian surgeon Peter John Ryan, had taken the family to England to gain his surgical qualifications (FRCS). After they returned in 1957, Ryan grew up in Melbourne, and was educated in the Catholic school system.

In 1993, Ryan earned a B.A. in Latin and Ancient Greek, and in 2020, she earned her doctorate in Creative writing at Monash University.

Career

At seventeen, Ryan won the Victorian 1974 Maryborough Prize, and published her first poems. Ryan lived in Sydney 1978–1990. Before moving to Sydney, she had co-founded Melbourne women writers' magazine Luna in 1974, which she co-edited and reviewed for until '78. Ryan later became poetry editor of The Age newspaper (1998–2016). selecting a weekly poem, and regularly reviewing contemporary poetry. She has also recorded her songs with the bands 'Disband' (1981-1982: Kathy Bluff, violin, backing vocals; Amanda Jones, saxophone; Elizabeth Drake, piano, keyboards; 1983-1988, Amanda Jones, saxophone, backing vocals; Jo/Joanna Packer, drums, percussion; 1986-1988 joined by Thomas Tallis/ Ashelford, bass, backing vocals; Simon Alcorn, violin) and 'Driving Past'(David Nichols, drums; Mia Schoen, guitar and backing vocals; Andrew Withycombe, bass).

Awards and recognition

Bibliography

Discography

Selected list of poems

Title Year First published Reprinted/collected in
"If I Had a Gun" 1980 The Division of Anger : Poems, Transit Poetry, 1980, pp. 51-52

References

  1. 1 2 "Ryan, Gig 1956–". Encyclopedia.com. 25 October 2025. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Gig Ryan". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  3. 1 2 Cassidy, Bonny (1 July 2014). "Profit is rare, but poetry's weird blooms persist". The Conversation. ISSN 2201-5639. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  4. ↑ "Ryan, Gig (1956–)". Australian Poetry Library. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  5. ↑ "2020 Completions – Arts" (PDF). Monash University: 3. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "Unit-5 Mudrooroo Narogin & Gig Ryan". IGNOU – eGyanKosh. 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  7. ↑ "Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1979-81". Austlit. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  8. ↑ ""Literary prizes sail under the bridge"". The Age, 16 October 1999, p7. ProQuest 363426003. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "2012 - Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry". State Library of NSW. Archived from the original on 16 June 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  10. ↑ ""ALS Gold Medal (1928-)"". Austlit. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "2012 shortlists". Office for the Arts. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
  12. ↑ National Literary Awards Results 2015 (PDF). Fellowship of Australian Writers Victoria. 2015. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2026.