Fife poetry festival hailed as a ‘huge success’

StAnza 2020 launched with an opening night gala extravaganza which featured a selection of headline poets, including Jen Hadfield, Anthony Anaxagorou and Anna Crowe, reading and performing, intertwined with film and art as well as music from Alannah Moar.

The evening was opened by StAnza’s special guest, Scottish crime writer Val McDermid, who spoke affectionately about her relationship with poetry.

Among the highlights of this year’s programme was the StAnza lecture, ‘Mother, Mother Ocean’ given by Matthew Caley on modernist women’s poetics and the sea.

StAnza concluded on Sunday after five days of over 100 events including performances, readings, music, drama, talks, workshops and a masterclass, open mic events, films, exhibitions and installations involving over 120 artists and thousands of visitors in St Andrews.

Festival director Eleanor Livingstone said: “We’ve enjoyed a wonderful five days celebrating poetry with an incredible line-up of poets. It’s always sad when the festival closes for another year but we couldn’t be happier with the success of StAnza 2020 which has exceeded all expectations.

“We are indebted to everyone, from poets, artists, volunteers, funders and partners and of course the many visitors who have all helped make the festival such an exceptional event.”