Talks/Conversations
Each festival is launched by a public figure with a connection to one of the festival’s themes or with an interest in poetry or the arts in general. The long-running In Conversation events focus on a single poet or writer and are an opportunity to encounter them in a more informal setting. Each event features a discussion of their life and writing – often focusing on one of the festival’s themes – and includes readings of a few poems – either the writer’s own or a selection of their personal favourites. The StAnza Lecture has been running since 2002 and has, over the years, sparked controversy, inspired reappraisals and highlighted new approaches. An innovation since 2008, Poetry Breakfasts offer a relaxed start to the day with a group of poets chatting about their poetry and the poetry scene with which they are familiar, finding some things in common, some differences, and reading one or two poems - an ideal introduction to the poets and their poetry.
Wed 14 March | 7.00-7.40pm | Festival & Exhibitions Launch
Alistair Moffat, St Andrews Saxophone Quartet, Lavinia Greenlaw, Kwame Dawes, Lucilla Sim, Ramskeerie
The Byre Theatre, Abbey Street – Level 2 Foyer
Thu 15 March | 11.30am-12.30pm | Past & Present
Jonathan Falla on Ramón López Velarde, Judith Taylor & A.C. Clarke on Gavin Douglas
The Town Hall, Queens Gardens – Council Chamber
Thu 15 March | 3.30-4.30pm | The StAnza Lecture
A Good Argument : Lavinia Greenlaw
The Town Hall, Queens Gardens – Supper Room
Fri 16 March | 10.00-11.00am | Poetry Breakfast: Watch This Space
Gerry Cambridge, Andrew Michael Roberts, Rozalie Hirs and Helen Ivory discuss the appearance of poetry
The Byre Theatre, Abbey Street – Studio Theatre
Fri 16 March | 11.30am-12.30pm | Past & Present
Kwame Dawes on Anthony McNeill, Lavinia Greenlaw on Sir Thomas Wyatt
The Town Hall, Queens Gardens – Council Chamber
Fri 16 March | 2.15-3.15pm | My Dante
Enthusiasts introduce their favourite passages from the great mediaeval poet
Parliament Hall, South Street
Sat 17 March | 10.00-11.00am | Poetry Breakfast: Iconic
Robert Crawford, Norman McBeath, Lavinia Greenlaw and Michael Symmons Roberts focus on images and imagery
The Byre Theatre, Abbey Street – Studio Theatre
Sat 17 March | 11.30am-12.30pm | Past & Present
Chase Twichell on Robinson Jeffers, Keston Sutherland on William Wordsworth
The Town Hall, Queens Gardens – Council Chamber
Sat 17 March | 2.15-3.15pm | Past & Present
Christopher Reid on Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Anna Crowe on R.S. Thomas
The Town Hall, Queens Gardens – Council Chamber
Sat 17 March | 3.30-4.30pm | In Conversation
Matthew Hollis talks to Joyce McMillan about Edward Thomas and Robert Frost
The Byre Theatre, Abbey Street – Auditorium
Sun 18 March | 10.00-11.00am | Poetry Breakfast: Translating the Image
Tadeusz Dąbrowski, Antonia Lloyd-Jones, Nikola Madzirov and Bernard O’Donoghue discuss the joys and problems of translating poetry
The Byre Theatre, Abbey Street – Studio Theatre
Sun 18 March | 11.30am-12.15pm | Archive
Chris Jones discusses the archiving of Douglas Dunn’s papers
Parliament Hall, South Street
Sun 18 March | 4.30-4.45pm | Meet the Artist: Holly Pester
A chance to meet the creator of The Murmur Line sound installations
The Byre Theatre, Abbey Street – Conference Room