McLellan Arts Festival

Along with Duncan Chisholm and Hamish Napier, Jim brought Beyond the Swelkie to Celtic Connections in 2022 as a multimedia production which was then toured and returned to Celtic Connections in 2023

His book The Banes o the Turas (Tippermuir Books, 2022) was a poetical translation into Scots of Turas Viaggio by Italian poet Pino Mereu and was shortlisted for Book of the Year at the 2023 Scots Language Awards.  It was premiered at the 2024 Celtic Connections and is now touring Scotland.

Jim was the Makar of the Federation of Writers Scotland in 2021, the Poet in Chief of the Hampden Collection (2019-22) and the Poetry Editor of Nutmeg Magazine (2017-22) and is the current Makar of the Cateran EcoMuseum in East Perthshire and the Angus Glens.

His latest book published by Seahorse Publications - We are Migrant will be launched in Glasgow on the 1st May. The book is a series of poems examining the constant shift of humanity from my Jim’s own Great Grandfather’s journey as a 14 year old boy from Donegal to work on the railway tunnels of Glasgow, to the hellish existence of refugee camps in too many places across the world, to the desperate plight of people fleeing persecution, crossing dangerous waters and war zones, to the highland clearances and much more. The collection includes the poem Tour Package which was Highly Commended in the 2023 McLellan Poetry Prize.

We are delighted that during the second half of the evening, the wonderful poet William Letford will be joining us to present the winning entries of the 2024 International English Competition, and to read a selection of his own captivating work.

William Letford published his first collection of poetry while working as a roofer. Since then, his work has been adapted into film, projected onto buildings, carved into monuments, adapted for the stage, written onto skin, cast out over the radio, and performed by orchestras.
 
He has helped restore a medieval village in the mountains of Northern Italy, taught English in Japan, fished with his bare hands in Indonesia, been invited to perform in Iraq, South Korea, Lebanon, Australia, Germany, India, Palestine, and many more countries.

William (Billy) Letford has published three books, “Dirt”, “Bevel” and his latest book published this year “From Our Own Fire” which is a Telegraph and Observer Book of the Year.

“The pleasure I have gained from William Letford's poems... will, I am confident, stay with me for ever.” - Nicholas Lezard, Guardian

“William Letford is the future of Scottish poetry.” - Mark Buckland, Cargo Publishing

You can read the winning and commended poetry entries from the 2023 Scots Competition here (read the winning and commended poetry entries from the 2023 Main Competition here).

Corrie and Sannox Village Hall 7.30pm: £12