The Wigtown Poetry Prize, an annual celebration of poets and poems in the country\u2019s three indigenous languages, will this week have its first ever digital launch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The decision follows the success of last year\u2019s online prizegiving ceremony (which was part of the Wigtown Book Festival) in reaching a larger, worldwide audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Audiences will be able to join poet and Wigtown Festival Company Chair Marjorie Lotfi and a host of others for the pre-recorded launch event on Thursday, 25 February, online at 8pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The launch, which is free but ticketed, will be a poetry event in its own right with readings by last year\u2019s judges Roseanne Watt, George T Watt and Anna Frater of their own work. This year\u2019s judges William Letford, Robert Alan Jamieson and Sandy NicDh\u00f2mhnaill Jones will also speak about what they are looking for in a winning entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is hoped there will be widespread interest in the competition, which is now among the best-established in the UK \u2013 attracting over 1,020 entries last year (up 30% on 2019). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marjorie said:<\/strong> \u201cThe competition is thriving with entries and interest coming from a multitude of countries on just about every continent \u2013 and a digital launch is the ideal way to engage as many people in as many places as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe very much hope that at a time when international travel, and all forms of social contact, have been so severely restricted that poetry will help bring us together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The competition has a whole series of categories and is open to poets wherever they live and work \u2013 past winners have been based as far afield as Canada and China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The winner of the Wigtown Prize (which is open to entries in English, Scots and Scottish Gaelic) receives \u00a31,500 and the runner up \u00a3200. There are other categories specifically for Scots and Scottish Gaelic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is also the Alastair Reid Pamphlet Prize, named in memory of one of Scotland\u2019s foremost literary talents and which recognises a pamphlet of work rather than individual poems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And there is the Dumfries and Galloway Fresh Voice Award, for poets living in, or from, the region who have never professionally published a full length collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Wigtown Poetry Prize is organised by the Wigtown Festival Company in association with The Gaelic Books Council, Moniack Mhor Writers Centre, Saltire Society, Scottish Poetry Library, StAnza, Scotland’s International Poetry Festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alison Lang, Director of the Scottish Books Council, said: <\/strong>\u201cOnce again, we are delighted to be supporting this prestigious prize. We are always encouraged by the response from Gaelic poets to the Wigtown Poetry Competition, and we hope that this year the standard of entries will continue to impress the judges.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTha e na urram dhuinn a bhith a\u2019 cumail taic ris an duais a-rithist, agus tha sinn an d\u00f2chas gun t\u00e8id b\u00e0rdachd \u00f9r a sgr\u00ecobhadh am-bliadhna airson t\u00e0lant nam b\u00e0rd G\u00e0idhlig a thaisbeanadh.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sarah Mason, Director of the Saltire Society, said:<\/strong> \u201cThe Saltire Society is pleased to be sponsoring the Wigtown Scots Poetry Competition in 2021. The strength and importance of Scotland\u2019s languages <\/strong>is weel kent <\/strong>and, through awards and projects such as this, the community can ensure they continue to flourish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWigtown Book Festival has worked hard to move to an online platform during these difficult times and the increase in entries to last year’s competition is testament to their commitment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is great to see poet and novelist Robert Alan Jamieson as the Scots poetry judge this year and we are looking forward to seeing what 2021 brings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last year’s digital prizegiving event reached an audience of around 500 with all winners in attendance including Jane Frank, runner up of the Wigtown Prize who is based in Brisbane. Jane has been selected to take part in StAnza 2021 and will be performing on the Poetry Centre Stage on Sunday, 14 March at 4pm. This is a free online event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A winner of one or more categories in this year\u2019s competition will be selected at the discretion of StAnza, Scotland’s International Poetry Festival and Wigtown Festival Company to read at its 2022 event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eleanor Livingstone, Director of StAnza, said:<\/strong><\/a> \u201cIt\u2019s wonderful that the Wigtown Poetry Prize has such worldwide reach. We look forward to another exciting line-up of winners this year, and to showcasing one of them at our 2022 StAnza festival.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Angela Cran, Moniack Mhor <\/strong>Centre Manager,<\/strong> added:<\/strong> \u201cMoniack Mhor looks forward to welcoming the winner of Wigtown Poetry Festival\u2019s 2021 Dumfries & Galloway Fresh Voice Award for a week\u2019s retreat at our writing centre in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland. We aim to support and nurture writers at every stage of their journey and wish all entrants to this – and Wigtown Poetry Festival’s other awards – the best of luck.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Robert said: \u201c<\/strong>The Scots tradition in poetry is ancient and varied, and still very much alive, from what I can glean of it, thanks in part to this kind of event. I\u2019m looking forward to seeing the range that the Wigtown competition gathers in \u2013 I anticipate a bountiful hairst.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sandy added:<\/strong> \u201cIt’s a cause for rejoicing that Gaelic poetry is going from strength to strength – so many talented bards and alluring new poems. A revival of our language and literature. I’m looking forward to reading all your poems!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c ‘S e adhbhar g\u00e0irdeachais gu bheil b\u00e0rdachd G\u00e0idhlig a’ dol bho neart gu neart – t\u00f2rr bh\u00e0ird t\u00e0lantach agus d\u00e0in tarraingeach \u00f9ra. Ath-bhe\u00f2thachadh ar c\u00e0nain is litreachais. Fadachd orm ur leughadh uile!\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Wigtown Poetry Prize is organised by the Wigtown Festival Company. Those entering Wigtown Scottish Gaelic and Wigtown Scots categories can also submit their poems to be considered for the Wigtown Prize free-of-charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The competition is open for entries and details can be found at www.wigtownpoetryprize.com<\/a>. The competition closes on 31 May, with a prizegiving at Wigtown Book Festival in the autumn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n – ENDS –<\/p>\n\n\n\n Notes to editors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n About the Wigtown Poetry Prize<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Founded in 2005, the Wigtown Poetry Prize is one of the UK’s best established writing competitions and a launchpad for many writers’ careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Refreshed and rebranded in 2019, Wigtown Poetry Prize welcomes entries from poets writing in English wherever they may live. Separate categories celebrate the best of Scottish Gaelic and Scots language poetry, a special category acknowledges a rising talent in Dumfries & Galloway, and a pamphlet prize is named in memory of Alastair Reid – local poet and one of Scotland’s foremost literary figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Launch and StAnza event<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The 2021 Prizes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This year\u2019s competition takes place in association with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n About The Gaelic Books Council<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Comhairle nan Leabhraichean (The Gaelic Books Council) is the lead organisation with responsibility for supporting Scottish Gaelic authors and publishers, and for raising the profile and reach of Scottish Gaelic books in Scotland and internationally. Established in 1968, Comhairle nan Leabhraichean is a registered charity and receives support from Creative Scotland and from B\u00f2rd na G\u00e0idhlig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n About The Saltire Society<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Saltire Society seeks to encourage everything that might improve the quality of life in Scotland. It works to preserve all that is best in Scottish traditions and to encourage new developments which can strengthen and enrich the country\u2019s cultural life. It acts as a catalyst, celebrant and commentator through an annual programme of awards, lectures, debates and projects. Founded in 1936 is a non-political independent charity with membership branches throughout Scotland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n About StAnza<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n StAnza’s mission is to celebrate poetry, to bring poetry to audiences and to enable encounters with poetry. The organisation works all year round to deliver poetry events and projects in Scotland and beyond. Its main focus is the annual festival in St Andrews each spring and it is recognised as one of the leading poetry festivals in the UK and Europe. StAnza also actively promotes readings in foreign or minority languages and has featured poets reading in many of the national languages of Europe, as well as in regional languages and dialects. We regularly include Gaelic and Scots language poets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n