Frances Bingham

Frances Bingham has written the definitive biography of Valentine Ackland, a remarkable cross-dressing woman, poet and activist, recovering an important part of British lesbian history and creating a testament to queerness and gender identity in Valentine's transgressive life. Her biography was published on what would have been Valentine's 115th birthday. Frances writes for live performance and her work often references plays, especially Shakespeare. Alongside writing she has worked in a...See more

Frances Bingham has written the definitive biography of Valentine Ackland, a remarkable cross-dressing woman, poet and activist, recovering an important part of British lesbian history and creating a testament to queerness and gender identity in Valentine's transgressive life. Her biography was published on what would have been Valentine's 115th birthday. Frances writes for live performance and her work often references plays, especially Shakespeare. Alongside writing she has worked in a variety of jobs, including; studio assistant in a country pottery; contemporary ceramics curator and London gallery front-of-house manager, exhibition installer, arts journalist, theatrical script editor, journal-writing workshop tutor. With her partner Liz Mathews she runs Potters' Yard Arts in London; among other projects they collaborate on joint text/image projects, including artist's books which sometimes set Frances' words, and making artists' films ( Riversoup , Paper Wings , The Moment That Holds You - shown at Arnolfini Bristol, turnthepage Norwich and Fruitmarket Gallery Edinburgh, among other venues). See less