Stirling's Makar prepares to bow out of role with special celebration

Stirling’s Makar is preparing to bow out in poetic style with a special event after reaching the end of her tenure in the role.

For the last four years Laura Fyfe has celebrated Stirling’s people, places and history - through poetry and in writing workshops.

She has gathered ideas and projected them online and onto the Wallace Monument, worked with many locals and creatives to encourage people’s confidence in their own writing, and provided safe, welcoming platforms upon which to share their words.

At the end of the year, Laura concludes her term as Makar and, in celebration, she welcomes former Makar Anita Govan, to read poetry and discuss the literary scene in Stirling, past, present and future, at an event this Friday, November 15.

The Stirling’s libraries and archives team are inviting Stirling folk to “come along and join us at Central Library as we celebrate ‘Stirling’s Makar’”.

A spokesperson for the team said: “Anyone who has met or worked with Laura will know what an asset she has been to Stirling for the duration of her appointment.

“We will hear Laura read from her newest poetry collection and the event will include a star performance from Anita Govan.”

Laura said: “It’s particularly special to be on stage with Anita. An inspiring poet, performer - and person! - she was very much my Makar, unfailingly generous in her support and she did fantastic things for the Stirling spoken word scene when I was just starting out.”

A teacher who describes herself as a “lapsed parachutist”, Laura Fyfe “suffers from a chronic low boredom threshold” and “writes poetry out of compulsion, stories for fun and novels for the challenge”.

Laura’s poetry has been published in literary magazines including Butcher’s Dog, Poetry Scotland and Gutter, and has been shortlisted in competitions such as the Bridport and Plaza.

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She lives in Stirlingshire, facilitates writing workshops and communities across Scotland, and supports writers worldwide.

Anita Govan is a neurodiverse spoken word poet, performer, and teaching artist based in Edinburgh. Across her almost 30-year creative practice and career, Anita has appeared on TV and radio with her work featured by STV, BBC Radio Scotland, and BBC Radio 7. She was Stirling Makar from 2012 to 2015, Poet-in-Residence for UNESCO in 2023, and Poet-in-Residence at ITAC3 in 2016.

Anita has performed her poetry around the world at festivals including the Amnesty International Refugee Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Glastonbury, Wigtown Book Festival, and StAnza. She has performed at the Nuyorican in New York, USA, London Soho Theatre in London, UK, and Loose Moose Theatre in Calgary, Canada.

The free event takes place on Friday, November 15, from 7pm-8pm (doors open 6:30pm) in Central Library, Stirling. To book a space contact Central Library by calling 01786 237760, or email centrallibrary@stirling.gov.uk.