After two years with StAnza, Artistic Director Lucy Burnett leaves us for new pastures. The Board would like to thank Lucy for her vision and commitment to the festival during these unprecedented times, including the challenges of hybrid delivery of the 2021 festival, and the myriad considerations of returning to an in-person festival in the spring of 2022. Lucy continued in the StAnza tradition of poet directors, and brought her poet’s eye and ear to curating the festival in 2022, encouraging poets and audiences alike to look at poetry anew. At the same time she brought huge energy to supporting Scotland’s Young Makars. Lucy set the creative course for 2023’s programme, which has been guest curated by Sasha de Buyl, on the theme of ‘Wild’, and the Board are looking forward to another successful festival this March.
Lucy said: “StAnza was a fabulous opportunity for me, and one to which I gave my all. I’m especially proud of the festival I delivered in 2022, which involved a massive diversity of poets, from all backgrounds, identities, aesthetics and traditions, programming writers from over 40 countries, and in an ambitious hybrid format. Yet it is now time for me to focus on my own practice; I can’t wait to spend more time over the coming months focussing upon my own writing and photography, other freelance projects, and getting back to fellrunning racing, while seeking out work opportunities closer to home. StAnza is a wonderful festival, and I look forward to seeing what new directions it takes in the coming years, while sending it all good strength and fortune.”
All at StAnza thank Lucy sincerely and wish her the very best in what comes next.
