StAnza, Scotland’s first poetry festival, was conceived in 1997 by three poets based in St Andrews: Gavin Bowd, Anna Crowe and Brian Johnstone.  The festival was launched on National Poetry Day in 1998.

Brian Johnstone passed away in 2021. ‘Brian will always be remembered as the man who made StAnza happen,’ said Anna Crowe. ‘From the very beginning he had ambitious hopes for what was to become StAnza (the cunningly spelled title was his idea). I was keen to make the festival international in scope, and he had the vision and energy to see how this could be achieved.’

StAnza has indeed evolved as a national festival with truly international stature, as recognised by its membership of the festivals’ network that meets annually in Berlin.

In 2003, StAnza moved to its staple spring date, kicking off festival season each year.

After Anna and Brian stepped down, Eleanor Livingstone took up the reins as Festival Director. During her tenure, Livingstone was responsible for arranging packed readings by poets from Seamus Heaney to Carolyn Forché, the establishment of StAnza’s digital Poetry Map of Scotland, and the webcast of festival events to 68 countries in 2009 – a world first!

Virtual offerings became the norm in 2021 due to lockdown. StAnza rose to the challenge under Livingstone’s leadership and the virtual festival was awarded the Saboteur Award for Best UK Literature Festival – a fitting tribute to Livingstone’s achievements.

Lucy Burnett was appointed as Festival Director in April 2021 with a bold vision to frame the festival as an intervention in poetry that poets and audiences alike cannot miss. Her vision led to an exciting hybrid festival in 2022, combining livestreams with in-person experiences. Burnett conceived the festival’s theme for 2023, WILD: forms of resistance, which built upon the success of 2022’s hybrid model, bringing poetry to an even wider audience in person and online.

Burnett stepped down as Festival Director in January 2023 and the festival is now jointly led by Artistic Director, Ryan Van Winkle and Executive Producer, Suzie Kirk Dumitru, whose collective vision is to harness StAnza’s long history and reputation, evolving the festival’s offering to entice new and wider audiences across the UK and overseas to explore and experience poetry in all its forms.

To explore previous festivals’ events and artists, click the links below.

StAnza 2025StAnza 2024StAnza 2023StAnza 2022