Scottish Poetry News: Online events & bookshop guide

Many of Scotland’s live poetry events that were due to take place in April have been cancelled or indefinitely postponed in response to the coronavirus outbreak and collection and pamphlet publications are being rescheduled as well to take place later in the year. Regular events such as Poetry at Inn Deep, Loud Poets and Sonnet Youth, as well venues such as the CCA and Scottish Poetry Library, will be taking a break for some time.  

Digital entertainment will be essential in keeping sane during this period of isolation. Already, Quarantine Cabaret has popped up, promising live spoken word and music gigs streamed weekly on Instagram every Saturday night. 

AMBIT magazine will also be offering more online content than usual. It plans to publish a special online feature on one of Barbados’s greatest poets: the late Kamau Brathwaite. 

With the spring months looking to be spent mainly in isolation, there’s no better time to catch up on all the collections and pamphlets you’ve been meaning to read over the years. Places like Wigtown’s Old Bank Bookshop are available over email, phone or online shop. Although not trading online, I’d strongly suggest getting in touch with the Old Bank – drop them an email requesting a recommendation or to check if they have a particular poet in stock. Independent bookshops like Category Is Books, Lighthouse Books, Armchair Books and Leaky’s Bookshop may not be continuing to keep doors open but may well still be selling books online. It’s always worth checking online or with a phone call to see how you can support them. 

April 2020 is the launch of the Edwin Morgan centenary. The Edwin Morgan Trust has been working incredibly hard on a series of fantastic events, publications and workshops that will celebrate the poet: check in online for up-to-date information regarding potential cancellations.