Rab's 'Life Sentence' in poetry at DG One

Our new poetry season brings you none other than Rab Wilson, winner of the McCash prize for Scots poetry this year. Part of Poetry Prizewinners and their Craft, Rab will be at DG One in Dumfries on Friday 17 July. Rab's a rightly popular and entertaining performer of his own work – this will be a treat, and a chance to catch the living legacy in modern Scotland of the poetry of Robert Burns.

‘Poetry Prizewinners and their Craft’ aims to bring high quality poets to the region, and encourages audiences to enter into discussion with them, creating a rare opportunity to ask questions about sources of inspiration, drafting, form and meaning. It’s a way in for readers new to poetry, as well as regular readers and writers.

Rab Wilson’s event, which takes place at DG One at 7.30pm, will also be a launch for his new collection, ‘Life Sentence’. Tickets are available from DG One on 01387 243550.

Rab is writing some of the finest and most innovative contemporary Scottish poetry, above all because it is inspired by life, as Rab Wilson highlights in the title poem, ‘Fir life is whit we are sentenced to’.

In this new collection Rab investigates Scottish ancient legends, conflicts throughout history, and contemporary political issues; is inspired by a cultural exchange visit to Ireland; and, presents a powerful sequence containing nine sonnets entitled "Quake", based on the themes and ideas suggested to him by earthquakes. Like Burns before him, Rab writes in traditional south-west Scots, and also in standard English.

So you know where to find us

DGAA is shuffling through archive boxes and well, boxes this week, in preparation for moving to the Midsteeple in central Dumfries.

We're very excited about the opportunity to create a physical arts and culture hub for Dumfries, and look forward to welcoming you into the Midsteeple to find out what's on.

The first floor of the Midsteeple will become an exhibition space, sometimes a small performance space (could be well suited to readings!), and opens on Sat 11 July with a special Homecoming exhibition: Around the World with Robert Burns.

The Midsteeple has been made fully accessible, and will also be housing the Dumfries and Galloway Coalition of Disabled People, staffed by John Dowson and Claire Charkow.