Visit the StAnza Poetry Festival, 2nd – 6th March, 2016
The StAnza Poetry Festival is well worth a visit for poetry enthusiasts
What is the StAnza Poetry Festival?
The StAnza Poetry is an annual poetry festival, which has been staged in St Andrews every year since 1998. StAnza is the only festival through Scotland which is exclusively devoted to poetry.
The Festival is staged in March each year in St Andrews and is now recognised as one of the leading poetry festivals throughout the whole of Europe.
Each year there are two themes for the festival; in 2016 the themes are “Body of Poetry” and “City Lines”.
StAnza Poetry Festival Format
The format of the festival is a series of events staged throughout St Andrews. In 2016, the events will be from 2nd to 6th March. A full schedule of events can be viewed at https://stanzapoetry.org/festival/events, event highlights include:
- Debates – Such as “Is British Culture a Myth?”
- Meet the Artist – A chance to meet various poets during the festival
- Open Mic – A chance for would be poets to read their own poetry
- Readings – Including Border Crossings”, “Five O’ Clock Verses”
- St Andrews Library Collections – Read poetry from the St Andrews library collection
- Student Poetry – “The Inklight Poets”
- Theatre – Various theatre events such as “Poetic Interventions”, “Sea Threads”
- Walks around St Andrews – “A Window on Poetry”
- Workshops – Such as “Machines for Belonging”, “Earthly Bodies”, “The Old Monkey” and “52 Ways of Writing a Poem”, etc.
The StAnza Poetry Festival features many poetry readings from poets around the world
Poets and Artists at the StAnza Poetry Festival in 2016
There are in excess of 110 poets and artists attending the StAnza Poetry Festival in 2016. A full A-Z list can be viewed at https://stanzapoetry.org/festival/poets-artists.
The Festival features a wide range of poets, mostly from the UK but also from around Europe and the wider world. Whatever your interest in poetry there is bound to be a poet that meets your particular interests.
The headline poets for 2016 in alphabetical order are Andrew McMillan, Don Paterson, Fiona Benson, Jane Yolen, Jo Bell, Jo Shapcott, John Burnside, Lemn Sissay, Matthew Sweeney, Nora Gomringer, Pascale Petit, Sean O’Brien and Thomas Lynch.
Venues around St Andrews
A beauty of the StAnza Poetry Festival is a chance to also visit many venues in and around the St Andrews area (and have a reason for doing so!). There are sixteen venues in 2016, these are viewable at https://stanzapoetry.org/festival/venues.
Popular venues in 2016 include Fraser Gallery, Museum of the University of St Andrews, Parliament Hall, The Byre Theatre, The Preservation Trust Museum, The St Andrews Town Hall and The University of St Andrews Library. In addition a number of commercial premises will be hosting poetry events throughout the festival.
StAnza Poetry Festival Event Information
- Here is some information, which will provide all the details you need for the StAnza Poetry Festival:
- Date – 2nd to 6th March, 2016
- Official Website – https://stanzapoetry.org/festival
- Social Media – Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/stanzapoetry) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/stanzapoetry)
Stay With us here at St Andrews Coach Houses
Where better to stay then at St Andrews Coach Houses for the duration of your stay? Call us on 01334 477593 or email us at info@standrewscoachhouses.co.uk to book from our range of luxury self-catering accommodation in St Andrews.
Image Credits: Carcanet Press and Adrian Wale