Dean Bowen is a poet, writer, performer, program maker, and critic. In his work, he explores the dynamics of composite identity and how it relates to the political and social positioning of the individual. His debut collection Bokman (2018) has been described as lyrical, passionate, and angry—a personal quest that exposes universal patterns and gives voice to many perspectives. Bokman was published in Italian translation in 2021.

In 2020, the chapbook Ik vond geen spoken in Achtmaal (I Found No Ghosts in Achtmaal) was released. It is an intimate search for what remains of a person after they have died. This publication, created in collaboration with the literary festival Tilt and the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds – North Brabant, saw Bowen seeking a way to relate to activist and poet Henriette Roland Holst. For this, he stayed at her former country estate on the Oude Buisse Heide, in her old summer residence.

He served as the city poet of Rotterdam from 2019 to 2020.

Dean Bowen has published on online platforms such as Samplekanon and Hard//Hoofd, and in literary journals such as nY, Tirade, Revisor, and de Gids. His powerful performances make him a welcome guest at various spoken word and literary stages both in the Netherlands and abroad. His work has taken him to South Africa, the United States, Slovakia, Italy, and Austria.

Bowen won the Van Dale SPOKEN Award in the poetry category in 2015, and his debut Bokman was nominated for the C. Buddingh’ Prize.

He teaches performance literature and poetry in the Creative Writing program at ArtEZ in Arnhem. His second collection Masc:r will be published in January 2026.