Tag: Edinburgh Makar

Hannah Lavery nominated to be Edinburgh’s next Makar

Award-winning poet, playwright and performer Hannah Lavery has been nominated to become the Scottish Capital’s next poet laureate.

A report to the City of Edinburgh Council’s Culture and Communities Committee next week (Tuesday 14 September) recommends Hannah as the next writer to be inaugurated as the sixth Edinburgh Makar.

If agreed, Hannah will take over the honorary role from Alan Spence later this year at a special reception hosted by the Lord Provost within the City Chambers.

Born and raised in the Capital, Hannah is a highly respected poet and playwright whose work has been published widely. Hannah’s poem, “Scotland, You’re no mine” was selected by Roseanne Watt as one of the Best Scottish Poems of 2019, her poetry film, Thirteen Fragments featured as part of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Curious Festival this year and she it will feature as part of a longer work for Push the Boat Out Festival in Edinburgh, this October.

Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Culture and Communities Vice Convener, said: “Hannah Lavery is the sixth in an illustrious line of writers who have filled this important role in Edinburgh, the original City of Literature.

“Hannah is a fantastic choice, an accomplished and highly-regarded writer whose work inspires and generates important conversations, and I’m sure she’ll take the role in fascinating new directions.

“The Council continues to show its commitment to the celebration of writers and literature which enhance the capital’s international reputation, including establishing the post of the Edinburgh Makar, a Scots word celebrating the role of the writer as a skilled crafter of words and images.

“I’m truly delighted that Hannah has been nominated as the Capital’s next Makar. She of course follows the brilliant Alan Spence, who has been an impressive advocate and ambassador for Edinburgh and for poetry, and whose interest in international dialogue and exchange has undoubtedly enhanced the city’s global reputation.

“It has been a pleasure to experience Alan’s perspective of the Capital and we would like to thank him for the dedication and insight that he has brought to the role.

Hannah Lavery, said: “I am thrilled to be nominated and to be given the opportunity to build upon the work of Alan Spence and previous Makars.

“Edinburgh is in my bones – to be nominated as her Makar is an absolute honour and privilege”.

The Edinburgh Makar is a civic post instituted in 2002 by the City of Edinburgh Council. The writer is selected and nominated by representatives of the Scottish Poetry Library, Scottish PEN, The Saltire Society, Edinburgh City of Literature Trust and the Council.

Poet Alan’s set to become Edinburgh Makar

 

Alan Spence has been nominated to become the Edinburgh’s next poet laureate … and whisper it, but he was born in Glesca! A report to Tuesday’s Culture and Communities Committee next week recommends Alan as the next writer to be inaugurated as the Edinburgh Makar. Continue reading Poet Alan’s set to become Edinburgh Makar

City schoolkids tweet their streets

“My street is unique, old – an antique!”

StVincent

School pupils from all corners of the Capital have created a mini-map of Edinburgh with a series of tweets about the city’s streets.

The ‘Tweet Your Street’ project, being announced tomorow (Monday 1 June) at the Central Library, sees the launch of an online map where children have started ‘pinning’ poetic tweets about where they live. A selection of tweets will also be on public display within the children’s area of the library.

The map is a result of a series of poetry workshops with P3-S1 pupils from across the Capital and the Edinburgh Makar Christine De Luca.

From the apple trees in Hope Terrace and the cobbles of St Vincent Street, to the cats that stroll along Easter Drylaw Place and the excitement of hearing the jingle of an ice cream van, the map of tweets reveals the essence of living in Edinburgh as a child.

“Walking past running cats

Lovely gardens outside flats

Everyone is full of grace

On Easter Drylaw Place”

(Age 12, Forthview Primary School)

Councillor Richard Lewis, Culture and Sport Convener, said: “These snippets of poetry provide a sweet and honest view of Edinburgh’s communities in the eyes of its youngest residents. In Edinburgh we have a long and proud interest in literature and poetry and it is great to see our pupils’ own writing talent thanks to this project.

“The memories of the street you grow up on stay with you. ‘Tweet Your Street’ captures these memories in a way that will hopefully spark other pupils and residents to view their own communities in a new light and maybe even tweet about it. The Edinburgh Makar Christine De Luca and these pupils have produced a brand new way of mapping Edinburgh and getting students interested in poetry.”

Christine De Luca became the Scottish Capital’s poet in residence, the Edinburgh Makar, and promotes Scottish writing and the Capital’s status as a UNESCO City of Literature locally and around the world. She was appointed as the city’s version of ‘Poet Laureate’ in 2014, and initiated ‘Tweet Your Street’.

Edinburgh Makar Christine De Luca said: “This has been a fun project to do. I’ve really enjoyed working with a group of committed, enthusiastic teachers. Writing a very short poem which captures something about your street isn’t easy, but reading the children’s poems proves it’s possible. Do read them and pass on the link to family and friends. The Central Library has been a great partner.”

All tweets will be available to view online at the Edinburgh Makar website from 11:30am tomorrow.  Here’s a flavour of what to expect:

“In Craigour Loan

The people mingle

To the ice cream van’s jingle

They chat, giggle and play

Every sunny day”

(Age 8 Craigour Park Primary)

“My street is unique

Old – an antique –

It’s Newhouses Road

If you drive in

You have to drive back

You see

It’s a

Cul-de-sac”

(Age 9, St. George’s School for Girls)