Discover what’s what and who’s who in the live poetry scenes of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle in this informative panel that will inspire you to get off the sofa and onto the mic. Chaired by Catherine Wilson Garry of Rock the Boat, this panel will feature Degna Stone, Leyla Josephine and Jo Gilbert.
Accent Society is a nomadic literary organization that facilitates synergies across languages, borders, and media. It is a home where accents become the strongest notes. Here, we are pleased to introduce a diverse ensemble of Chinese poets: Wang Yin, Wang Jiaxin, Ming Di, Qin Sanshu, Su Xian, Chris Song Zijiang , Shangyang Fang, Jiaoyang Li,
In this workshop with Stuart King and Lynda Clark, we will explore the convergence of poetry and technology. Using computer-based AI-driven tools we will delve together into the world of co-creation with AI, from remixing and weirding texts to creating from scratch.
Embrace the cat life in this extra special event at Maison de Moggy Cat Cafe with The Cat Prince himself, prize-winning poet Michael Pedersen. The Cat Prince & Other Poems (Little Brown) is the third collection from acclaimed poet and author of Boy Friends, Michael Pedersen. Rich unfolding imagery tumbles off the page in this
Join this whistle stop tour of the adventures of Henrietta Liston, wife of the second British ambassador to the newly-formed USA. Discover her recipe for ink and Martha Washington’s dinner menu through the words of Open Book participants from across Scotland. A poetry reading like no other, in association with NLS.
Embrace the cat life in this extra special event at Maison de Moggy Cat Cafe with The Cat Prince himself, prize-winning poet Michael Pedersen. The Cat Prince & Other Poems (Little Brown) is the third collection from acclaimed poet and author of Boy Friends, Michael Pedersen. Rich unfolding imagery tumbles off the page in this
A special live recording of the Lantern Scottish Poetry podcast, with Scottish Makar Kathleen Jamie and Alistair Heather talking tradition, mentoring and passing the baton, with their guest, the poet and mentor, Niall Campbell.
Poetry reminds us what it is to be human, and more importantly, humane. It creates a haven for those who care. In a mutually supportive atmosphere, poet John Glenday will share existing poems and discuss how to approach writing your own. Using tools and tips, you will write a poem that reflects your experience of caring in a world that often overlooks kindness as a force for change.
Delve into the BBC archives in this screening of pioneering film Hair. After the screening Hannah McGill, Nadine Aisha Jassat, Khadijah Ibrahiim and Joanna Bourke will discuss all things follicle, and poet Francesca Beard will read a new poem inspired by the film.
To tell your story is to create it. In this double bill, Kim Moore and Iona Lee both share poems and lyrical essays firmly written from the female gaze. In All The Men I Never Married, Kim Moore reckons with the harms and coercions of being female in a male-dominant world. Moore’s 2023 collection of
Ready to take the stage? Join Rock the Boat for this hands-on workshop for aspiring open mic performers! Learn how to use a mic, develop your delivery, discover where to perform and build your confidence engaging with audiences, in the capable hands of Rock the Boat hosts Julia Sorenson and Catherine Wilson Garry.
As well as a shared belief in a fairer, more equal Britain, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and trade unionist Len McCluskey share a love of poetry. In this special event, they share poems from their new co-edited anthology Poetry for the Many and talk about why poetry is for everyone.
Catrìona NicÌomhair Parsons is a native Gaelic speaker who moved from Lewis to Cape Breton in the 1970s; Beth Freiden crossed the Atlantic in reverse, from the US to Scotland. Both of them now write in Gaelic. Tune in to hear them read and discuss ideas of home and place, language and identity with Peter
Poet Rishi Dastidar has spent a lot of time in the company of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea. Join them for a Sunday morning stroll along Portobello Beach, where they will try and answer questions about the waves, species envy, the apocalypse, football managers, and much, much more
Tishani Doshi shares work from her recent collection A God at the Door, alongside conversation with poet and researcher Theresa Muñoz. Tishani Doshi publishes poetry, fiction and essays. For fifteen years she worked as lead dancer of Chandralekha company in Madras, India. As such, the body has been a central preoccupation in her work—a vehicle
Chaired by Mónica Parle, Co-Executive Director of the Forward Prize, performance poet and Forward judge Joelle Taylor will share her work alongside insights into the art of delivering captivating poetry performance and discuss what’s exciting in contemporary poetry right now. This fascinating conversation will be followed by a reading from a Forward poet. Joelle Taylor
Inspired by the Arena film, Hair, this workshop will explore how our individual poetic voices can come together to create a collective cultural memory which acts as an alternative history and document of our society. This hands-on workshop is for experienced writers and spoken word artists as well as beginners.
Translating poetry is as much a technical endeavour as it is an immersion into the feeling and context of the original work. Join poets Esa Aldegheri, Annie Rutherford, Peter Mackay and Nasim Rebecca Asl as together they attempt a live translation of At Eighty, the Edwin Morgan poem that our festival takes its name from.
Join Hannah Lavery and Caitlin Skinner as they host a one-off Quines Cast special. For this show, the theme is BELONGING, with poetry from RJ Hunter and an extract from a new work in progress by Hannah Lavery with music provided from a special guest. Come and find your place.
This one-of-its-kind event is your permission slip outta your day-to-day, and into a realm of wellness wonder where we champion the unsung heroes in the wellness business space. These passionate individuals are on a mission to serve, contribute, and make a positive impact on your well-being.
Mella Shaw, the artist behind ‘Sounding Line’ , currently exhibiting as part of the Summerhall Arts inaugural exhibition season FORM: a season of exhibitions by female contemporary artists, will give an illustrated presentation on their inspiration, creative practice and current exhibition. Between 11:00 – 12:00 there will be a chance to view the galleries and
Camila Ospina Gaitán, the artist behind ‘An Uncanny Feeling that She was Being Watched’, currently exhibiting as part of the Summerhall Arts inaugural exhibition season FORM: a season of exhibitions by female contemporary artists, will give an illustrated presentation on their inspiration, creative practice and current exhibition. Between 11:00 – 12:00 there will be a
Emma Hislop, the artist behind ‘What is Left Behind’, currently exhibiting as part of the Summerhall Arts inaugural exhibition season FORM: a season of exhibitions by female contemporary artists, will give an illustrated presentation on their inspiration, creative practice and current exhibition. Between 11:00 – 12:00 there will be a chance to view the galleries
Rowan Walker, the artist behind ‘Foreign Objects’, currently exhibiting as part of the Summerhall Arts inaugural exhibition season FORM: a season of exhibitions by female contemporary artists, will give an illustrated presentation on their inspiration, creative practice and current exhibition. Between 11:00 – 12:00 there will be a chance to view the galleries and meet
