The Scottish Centre for Geopoetics was established in Edinburgh on Burns Night in 1995 by Tony McManus and others and is affiliated to the International Institute of Geopoetics founded by Kenneth White in 1989.
The geopoetic project is not one more contribution to the cultural variety show, nor is it a literary school, nor is it concerned with poetry as an art of intimacy. It is a major movement involving the very foundations of human life on earth.
– Inaugural text of the International Institute of Geopoetics.
The world premiere of our feature documentary film Expressing the Earth will take place on Saturday 20 September at Sea Change Film Festival on the Isle of Tiree. It will be followed by a Q&A with its Director Glenda Rome and its Producer Norman Bissell.
Glenda Rome won Best Director at the Stratford on Avon Film Festival in August where it was also shortlisted for Best Documentary Film. It has also been selected for the New Renaissance Film Festival in London from 25-28 September where it’s one of two shortlisted Best Documentary Films: https://nrff.co.uk/nominations. It has also been selected for the Docuworld Film Festival from 3-5 October in London.
The film was crowdfunded by the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics based on the Isle of Luing in Argyll and was sponsored by RSK environmental consultancy, the Geological Association and Edinburgh Geological Society. It was also supported by the Culture Heritage and Arts Assembly, Argyll and Isles (CHARTS).
It explores geopoetics as the creative expression of the Earth through the eyes of painters, geologists, a slate mosaic sculptor, a dancer/choreographer, a musician/composer and an island author in stunning locations on the west and east coasts of Scotland. In doing so its beautiful cinematography also reveals the captivating poetry of the Scottish writer and thinker Kenneth White who was born in Glasgow, grew up in Fairlie in Ayrshire and lived much of his life in France.
Director Glenda Rome said, ‘I’ve made lots of short films but this is my first feature documentary film and it’s wonderful that it’s been so well received by four different film festivals. I’m really looking forward to going to Tiree for its world premiere and thereafter to its screening all over Scotland and beyond.’
Producer Norman Bissell said, ‘ It’s very fitting that our film is being premiered on another Argyll island since much of it was shot here on the slate Isle of Luing where the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics has its base. I believe that it will inspire those who watch it to a greater understanding of geopoetics which offers society as a whole a better way of living on the planet.’
Kenneth White speaking at the Sorbonne in 2019.
Kenneth White, the Scottish poet-thinker-teacher who originated the theory-practice of geopoetics, died on 11 August 2023. His work inspired people all over the world and will continue to do so. The Scottish Centre for Geopoetics in conjunction with the Universities of Glasgow, Aberdeen and Heriot Watt organised a two day celebration of his life and work in June 2024 in Glasgow. A lovely short film in French and English with him and Marie-Claude in it was made in 2022 and you can watch it here.
A comprehensive new Kenneth White website has been created by Régis Poulet, President of the International Institute of Geopoetics, and it’s well worth viewing at https://kennethwhite.fr/en/. A fascinating short video about it is also a must to watch at https://bit.ly/KWhiteVideo.
The Scottish Centre for Geopoetics is a network of individuals who share a common interest in developing an understanding of geopoetics as the creative expression of the Earth and applying it in their lives. We organise talks, discussions, day and weekend events, conferences and courses, including field work in interesting places, which are designed to extend our knowledge and experience of geopoetics.
We have members in England, Wales, Ireland, USA, France, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Canada and Australia as well as throughout Scotland and we welcome new members from all over the world.
We issue regular Newsletters and mailings with news of events which relate to the geopoetic field. We also have a Facebook discussion group for members. Our activities include field days and weekends which combine talks and discussions with guided walks.
Geopoetics Day, 2018 – Stravaiging along the Water of Leith to Leith Parish Church Hall
You can join us and become a member by using the membership application form on our membership page. You can also come along to any of our events and browse our online publication Stravaig which includes essays, poetry, photographs and artwork of high quality.
Our issue 16 of Stravaig titled Expressing the Earth: 30 Years is available HERE.
Due to Covid-19 regulations, in 2021 and 2022 we held a series of Virtual Geopoetics Conversations on Zoom which attracted large audiences, stimulated discussion and further increased our membership. These have continued since and you can watch them on this YouTube playlist here
We also made a short film to publicise our crowdfunder to make a full length documentary film about geopoetics. We exceeded our target funding and you can watch the short film and make a donation to support the distribution of the film at the Crowdfunding page here.
The Scottish Centre has its own publishing imprint, Alba Editions, which has published a short introduction to geopoetics by Kenneth White called Geopoetics: place, culture, world and Grounding a World, essays on the work of Kenneth White, edited by Gavin Bowd, Charles Forsdick and Norman Bissell. It also distributes Coast to Coast, a book of interviews with Kenneth White. Its latest book is Living on an Island Expressing the Earth by Norman Bissell.
These books can be bought online at the shop below.
The top photograph taken by Norman Bissell is of Fladda lighthouse, Belnahua, and Mull, looking west from the Isle of Luing.
In this booklet, Kenneth White presents in succinct form the concept he developed over thirty years.
A memoir about leaving Glasgow to live on the Isle of Luing and an account of the growth of the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics and of those writers, artists and scientists who have contributed to it.
A breakthrough analysis of geopoetics and the work of Kenneth White.
The celebration of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics will continue throughout 2025 and as part of that we would like to produce an issue of Stravaig which will Read more
Please join us in Edinburgh on Saturday 25 January at 2 pm in celebrating 30 years since the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics was founded on Burns Night in 1995! Find out how Edinburgh writer, Read more
Norman Bissell will discuss his new book Living on an Island Expressing the Earth about his journey from Glasgow to the Isle of Luing, his involvement in geopoetics over many years and his views of Read more
The Scottish Centre for Geopoetics is a membership organisation which relies on members’ subscriptions to fund its activities which are carried out by volunteers. Its purpose is to raise awareness of geopoetics as a crucial way to approach and respond creatively to the natural world of which we are part.
Complete the form to receive more information about the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics and/or to join us.