The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
This year’s StAnza, Scotland’s international poetry festival, drew to a close yesterday.
Director said many events were sold out well in advance of the festival opening
From left: poets Andy Fierens, Katie Hale and F Starik with festival director Eleanor Livingstone. Picture: Mhairi Edwards.
Scotland’s international poetry festival ended on a high yesterday.
As the 21st StAnza drew to a close, organisers said its success had exceeded all expectations.
Director of the St Andrews-based festival, Eleanor Livingstone, said: “This year’s festival was the second part of our StAnza 20:20 Vision project which marked our 20th festival in 2017 and our 20th anniversary and 21st festival this year.
“These two festivals were always going to be special for StAnza and we’re delighted 2018 has been a wonderful success, ending the two-year project on a such a high.”
This year, StAnza opened with a gala extravaganza.
Special guest, singer-songwriter and Olivier Award-winning actress Barbara Dickson, entertained the audience with singing and conversation.
She was followed by a selection of poets reading and performing, intertwined with music, film and art.
Another highlight was the StAnza lecture, Put Off the Mask, given by former Belfast Poet Laureate and recent winner of the prestigious Forward Prize for Poetry, Sinead Morrisey.
A number of events were live streamed to those unable to get tickets.
Overall, the festival included five days of more than 100 events involving 120 artists and thousands of visitors.
Eleanor added: “Attendance has been excellent this year with many events selling out well in advance of the festival opening.
“While it’s too early to give exact visitor numbers, we are confident we will have exceeded expectations adding to the success of StAnza 2018.”
Paul Bush, VisitScotland’s director of events, described the festival as outstanding.
“This year’s festival, with its exceptional line-up of local, national and international poets including Fife’s own Barbara Dickson, showed Scotland is the perfect stage for cultural events,” he said.
StAnza is supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland’s Open Project and EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
Attendance has been excellent this year. FESTIVAL DIRECTOR ELEANOR LIVINGSTONE