Van Winkle appointed artistic director at StAnza Poetry Festival

Ryan Van Winkle has been announced as StAnza Poetry Festival’s new artistic director and will be responsible for delivering strategic thinking as well as creative vision, while maintaining StAnza’s international reputation.

A poet, editor and live artist, Van Winkle is well-known for devising and delivering workshops across the world. As a member of Highlight Arts, the new artistic director has organised festivals and translation workshops in Syria, Pakistan and Iraq, leading him to co-edit two anthologies, This Room is Waiting: Poems from Iraq and Scotland (Freight Books) and A Change in the Light: An Anthology of Contemporary Translation New Poems from Glasgow and Lahore (Sang-e-Meel Publications).

He is also the author of two poetry collections, Tomorrow, We Will Live Here (Salt Publishing) and The Good Dark (Penned in the Margins), as well as a poetry performer and a podcast host. 

The first reader in residence at the Scottish Poetry Library, Van Winkle is the current writer in residence at the University of Edinburgh and the schools writer in residence for the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Citizen project.

Peggy Hughes, co-chair of the StAnza Poetry Festival, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Ryan as the new artistic director of StAnza. His vision and energy combined with his extensive experience within the poetry sector and across events are the ideal combination for leading the festival into this next chapter. We know StAnza is in very capable hands and can’t wait to see how Ryan develops the festival to continue inspiring and delighting our audience."

Van Winkle added: "It’s an honour to be a part of this renowned festival, and I can’t wait to collaborate with talented poets, artists and the StAnza team to create unforgettable poetic experiences."