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.
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 15 of Stravaig titled Travels in Euramerasia 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 are currently editing the film. You can watch the short film and make a donation to support the final stages of completing 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.
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.
16 essays on the work of Kenneth White, edited by Gavin Bowd, Charles Forsdick and Norman Bissell.
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…
Book now for the Online Talk Geopoetics – Expressing the Fundamental Geology this Wednesday 2 October at https://bit.ly/Geology_and_Geopoetics! This talk by Prof Patrick Corbett and poetry reading by Dr Alyson Hallett is a joint session Read more…
This event will bring together diverse disciplines to explore the impact of geology on creative observation, articulation, expression and outreach. Inspiration includes landscape, the subsurface, geological processes, deep time and the Anthropocene. In-person presentations and 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.