Scottish Poetry News: July 2022
July's spoken word and poetry round-up has new a new queer Scottish anthology, a new open mic in Edinburgh, and festival fun at Kelburn and Belladrum
Re·creation is a blistering new anthology by contemporary queer poets, edited by Éadaoín Lynch and Alycia Pirmohamed, published by Stewed Rhubarb Press. The anthology features an incredible array of poets including Mary Jean Chan, Andrew McMillan, and Courtney Conrad. A dazzler of a launch night is planned for 30 July and will take place in Life Church on Edinburgh's Davie Street/W Richmond Street. Joelle Taylor, Dean Atta, and Harry Josephine Giles are all performing and there will be a Q&A session with the editors, Éadaoín and Alycia.
There is a new open mic night taking place in Typewronger Books every second Monday of the month (July through to October), hosted by little living room. This one isn’t just for poets, but also for storytellers, singers, and other creatives who would like to use the performance platform. Keep your eyes on little living room’s Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for details on how to book tickets. It’s also open to performers under 18, so younger poets, please come along!
Indie publisher Bad Betty Press is teaming up with Loud Poets to bring a night of poetic revelry to the Scottish Storytelling Centre, 2 July. The two are bringing together a dynamic line-up of spoken word and poetry, featuring Molly Naylor, Shanay Neusum-James, and Gray Crosbie. The event will also feature an open mic section – just sign up on the night to get your place on the stage.
Poetry is also at the heart of Scotland’s most loved festivals this year. At Belladrum Tartan Heart festival, Hamish MacDonald is curating and hosting the Verb Garden, which features poets such as Stephen Watt, Julie McNeil, and Kevin Graham. Over at Kelburn Garden Party, Iona Lee is hosting several poetry and poetry/music stages across the weekend, so stay tuned to the daily programmes for more info.