Þorvaldur S. Helgason (b. 1991) is a writer, journalist and critic from Reykjavik, Iceland. Þorvaldur has published three books of poetry: Draumar á þvottasnúru/Dreams on a clothesline (Partus, 2016), Gangverk/Clockwork (Mál og menning, 2019), which received a Grassroots Grant from the Icelandic Literature Center, and manndómur/manhood (Mál og menning, 2022).
Alongside his writing, Þorvaldur has worked as a journalist and radio programmer. He worked as a culture journalist at the Icelandic newspaper Fréttablaðið from 2021-2023 and was the author and host of the radio series Orðin sem við skiljum ekki (The words we do not understand) and Listin að brenna bækur (The art of burning books), among others, produced for The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. He regularly writes book reviews for various publications and journals in Iceland and is a regular contributor to Reykjavík City Library’s Literature Web.
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Þorvaldur has a BA degree in Theatre and Performance Making from the Iceland University of the Arts and an MA degree in Creative Writing from the University of Iceland.
Education
2021-
2015-2018
2012-2015
2014
2011-2012
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2007-2011
FÍH Music Academy: Jazz piano and vocal studies.
University of Iceland: Creative Writing (MA degree)
Iceland University of the Arts: Theatre & Performance Making
(BA degree)
Royal Academy of Art, The Hague: ArtScience (Exchange program)
University of Iceland: Philosophy & Literary Studies (BA degree - 30 credits)
Kvennaskólinn í Reykjavík Junior College (University Entrance Examination)
Job experience
2023-
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2021-2023
2020
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2019
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2018-
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2018-2019
2017-2018
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2016
Iceland University of the Arts: Academic coordinator.
RIFF (Reykjavík International Film Festival): Editor of festival brochure.
Reykjavík University: Freelance journalist in the communications department.
Reykjavík City Library: Book critic for the literature web.
Fréttablaðið: Journalist and managing editor of the culture section of Fréttablaðið newspaper, print and online.
Elsku Rut: Producer for Andri Snær Magnason’s film production company Elsku Rut.
Reykjavík City Library: Supervisor for a playwriting workshop for children.
RÚV (The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service): Various projects, i.e. theatre reviews for Víðsjá, programming for podcasts and radio.
BERG Contemporary: Receptionist.
Everybody’s Spectacular International Performance Festival:
Project manager.
Árvakur: Radio news broadcaster at K100.
The Talking Book Library of Iceland: Audio book narrator.
Cycle Music and Art Festival: Assistant director for David Levine for the performance Sepulchral City.
Ungleikur: Artistic director of Ungleikur, a theatre festival for young playwrights and actors.
Sælir eru einfaldir: A performative installation created with the performance group Sviðsverkur, premiered at Skriðuklaustur.
Nationaltheatret Oslo: Internship with director Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson for his production Vildanden + En Folkefiende for the 2016 Ibsen Festival.