StAnza: Information
StAnza 2009
StAnza 2009 takes place from: 18–22 March, 2009 Location: St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
Over 70 poets from New Zealand, America, Canada, Australia, Italy, Lithuania, Switzerland & across the UK including
Carol Ann Duffy
Helen Dunmore
Peter Porter
Robert Crawford
Kate Clanchy
Sophie Hannah
Bill Manhire
Angus Peter Campbell
Elvis McGonagall
Jay Parini
Alan Riach
Dilys Rose
Julia Copus
Roddy Lumsden
Jenny Bornholdt
Over 30 writers, artists, musicians, actors & film-makers complement the poetry programme including
Ian Rankin
David Mach
Sheena Wellington
Crispin Bonham Carter
Rod Paterson
John Sampson
Gill Bowman
Hub Venue: The Byre Theatre
Other venues: Parliament Hall, The Town Hall, The Council Chamber, St John’s Undercroft, St Mary’s Hall, The Preservation Trust Museum
Themes: The Homecoming, Poetry Centre Stage
Check the website for details on the following dates:
National Poetry Day (Oct 9): full list of participants
All Saints Day (Nov 1): full programme on website
St Andrews Day (Nov 30): tickets go on sale
Winter Solstice (Dec 21): printed programmes out
Burns Day (Jan 25): programme preview events
Festival Themes
Each festival focuses on two themes which weave around each other to give every StAnza its own unique flavour. For 2009, under the Homecoming banner, we will feature “affinity Scots” from around the world as poets and speakers, bringing them back to experience and participate in present day Scotland and St Andrews; and also in the 250th anniversary year of the birth of Robert Burns, a series of events looking from every angle at one of the world’s best loved poets. Our other theme, Poetry Centre-Stage, will consider the long and sometimes provocative relationship between poetry and the theatre.
Homecoming Scotland
First Minister Alex Salmond and StAnza Festival Director Brian Johnstone
at the Homecoming Scotland Launch
Photo: Peter Sandground
StAnza is delighted to announce that the festival has been selected to take part in the Scotland's year-long celebration, Homecoming Scotland 2009.
Timed to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, the country wide programme takes in wide-ranging events and activities that highlight Scottish culture and heritage. The festival is among only 58 events across the country to be selected for funding by Homecoming Scotland, out of nearly 200 applications. StAnza is proud to be the only organisation from Fife to receive funding.
First Minister, Alex Salmond launched Homecoming Scotland at Edinburgh Castle on 16 June, with a quotation from Robert Burns and a warmly expressed invitation to Scots at home and abroad, and to those who love Scotland, to come home and join the celebrations. Stanza Festival Director, Brian Johnstone said: 'StAnza is privileged to be chosen to take part in Homecoming Scotland 2009. It is fitting for us as a poetry festival to be at the heart of a project inspired by Robert Burns. We look forward to putting a contemporary spin on the celebrations.'