He was director of several literary festivals, including the Royal Berkshire Poetry Festival, and held writer-in-residence positions in Berkshire and Lincolnshire; Barker was also the recipient of awards from the Arts Council, the Society of Authors and the Royal Literary Fund. He worked for the Nietzsche Society of Great Britain, and the English College Foundation in Prague.
He was director of several literary festivals, including the Royal Berkshire Poetry Festival, and held writer-in-residence positions in Berkshire and Lincolnshire; Barker received awards from the Arts Council, the Society of Authors, and the Royal Literary Fund. He worked for the Nietzsche Society of Great Britain, and the English College Foundation in Prague.