- 2017 – present: Patron of Chapeltown Arts, Leeds, UK
- 2017 – present: Advisory Board, Cross/Cultures series, Brill Publishers, Netherlands
- 2016 – present: Patron – The Leeds Library, Leeds, U.K.
- 2012 – present: Founding Patron of the David Oluwale Memorial Association (DOMA)
- 2011 – present: Advisory Board of SMALL AXE, New York
- 2007: Writer in Residence, Het Beschrijf, Brussels, Belgium
- 2005 – 2009: Vice President, North American Network of Cities of Asylum
- 2003 – present: Advisory Board of BELGIAN JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURES
- 2002 – 2003: Mel and Lois Tukman Fellow of the New York Public Library's Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers
- 2002 – present: Senior Adviser – Literature, The British Council, London
- 1996: Series Editor, FABER AND FABER, London
- 1996: Co–Producer, THE FINAL PASSAGE, Channel 4
- 1995 – present: Advisory Editor, JOURNAL OF POSTCOLONIAL WRITING, England
- 1995 – present: Advisory Editor, WASIFIRI MAGAZINE, London
- 1994: Director, HEARTLAND PRODUCTIONS LTD. [until 2000]
- 1994 – present: Consultant Editor, GRAYWOLF PRESS, Minneapolis
- 1993 – present: Contributing Editor, BOMB MAGAZINE, New York
- 1992: Consultant Editor, FABER INC. Boston [until 1994]
- 1989 – present: Board Member, THE CARIBBEAN WRITER, St. Croix, USVI
- 1988 – present: Honorary Senior Member, THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT, England
- 1985: Board Member, THE BUSH THEATRE, London [until 1989]
- 1985: Member of THE BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE Production Board [until 1988]
- 1982: Member of THE ARTS COUNCIL OF GREAT BRITAIN DRAMA PANEL [until 1985]
Photo: Laurent Denimal
Photo: Don Usner
biography