StAnza, Scotland’s International Poetry Festival, is an award-winning festival dedicated to bringing poetry in all its forms and many languages to audiences around the world. Founded in 1998 by three local poets, the annual festival takes place every March in the beautiful historic town of St Andrews and has gained a truly international reputation as one of the country’s most significant literary events.
StAnza is committed to being both cutting edge and inclusive across our festival programme and in our outreach and development work. We love showcasing and celebrating poetry that is:
- dynamic, drawing upon and challenging past traditions in order to ask ‘where to’ next;
- deeply involved with the world, participating in questioning its structures and direction; and
- able to imagine words, worlds and feelings that are new to us, as well as ones we share.
We believe in making poetry accessible. Our outreach programmes aim to engage more people with a literary form that is often seen as elite or difficult, and our festival offers a vibrant programme that celebrates and explores poetry in as wide a range of ways as possible, with something for everyone.
Our hybrid format combines live events with a rich digital programme for those who are unable to attend in person. Our aim is to involve as many people as possible in embracing poetry in all its forms.
From readings to exhibitions, creative workshops to open mic events, and beyond, StAnza pushes open the door between tradition and experimentation to bring a medley of different ideas, languages and cultures together. The festival seeks to create a welcoming, open and curious community of audiences and artists, where diversity is welcome in both person and poetry.
Support StAnza
StAnza is a registered Scottish charity (Charity No. SC 031789), and donations and other offers of financial support make crucial contributions to our ability to deliver the festival every year. You can donate to StAnza directly using the PayPal form below.
