The StAnza poetry festival at St Andrews went ahead this week, from 6-10 March, despite suffering a severe setback only weeks ago when its main festival hub, the Byre theatre, was forced to close. As the festival blog says: “The setback of the Byre’s closure has triggered such an outpouring of goodwill and support for StAnza. We’re riding high on the crest of that, heading straight towards what we’re sure will be our best festival ever, and pleased to announce the final line-up of replacement venues now in place. Check out the updated programme online here for full details, or view our flyer/poster listing the new venues for all the events which had to be moved. Some of them are old favourites and others wonderful new discoveries.”

The new festival hub is the Supper Room at the Town Hall, pictured. Highlights on a huge festival bill include US headliner, Mark Doty, leading poets from Canada, Scotland’s  Robin Robertson, a focus on Welsh poetry led by the National Poet of Wales, Gillian Clarke, and a spoken word/performance poetry line-up headed by John Hegley and  talented Luke Wright.