Hello!

My name is Olivia Calderón, and I am a queer Cuban American poet currently based between Edinburgh and Seville. From Miami to Scotland and beyond, my interdisciplinary creative practice embodies senses of place, identity, belonging, and a touch of magical realism.

In 2021, I graduated with degrees in Classical Civilizations and English from Florida State University. A year later I moved to Scotland to attend the University of Edinburgh, graduating with my MSc in Creative Writing specializing in poetry in 2023.

Since graduating, I have been shortlisted for the StAnza poet-in-residence, the Young Makars scheme, and was shortlisted for the Grierson Verse Prize. I am regularly commissioned to perform for local events, such as Fill This Space and Poets of the Night, and am passionate about attending local book launches, festivals, and open mics. Last spring, I was commissioned by The Edinburgh Park for their art zine Polaris.

I have also been building my portfolio, and have been published internationally in magazines such as LIT Magazine, Gutter, Interpret Magazine, local anthologies, and more. In 2024, I published my own self illustrated poetry zine Florida Woman, and in 2025 I founded guava, a magazine dedicated to underrepresented voices in poetry. I am a contributor for OnlyPoems, and have just started my PhD at the University of Seville.

When I am not writing, I am usually sitting in the grass or embroidering.