Poet & Teaching artist
Anita Govan
is a neurodiverse spoken word poet and performer based in Edinburgh.
Anita Govan is a neurodiverse spoken word poet, performer, and teaching artist based in Edinburgh. She curates and hosts Lost in Leith presents: Spoken Word & Music, a monthly event showcasing creative talent from across Scotland.
Across her almost 30-year creative practice and career, Anita has appeared on TV and radio with her work featured by STV, BBC Radio Scotland, and BBC Radio 7. She was Stirling Makar from 2012 to 2015, Poet-in-Residence for UNESCO in 2023, and Poet-in-Residence at ITAC3 in 2016.
Anita has performed her poetry around the world at festivals including the Amnesty International Refugee Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Glastonbury, Wigtown Book Festival, and StAnza. She has performed at the Nuyorican in New York, USA, London Soho Theatre in London, UK, and Loose Moose Theatre in Calgary, Canada.
Anita is also a teaching artist who sees poetry as an exciting and powerful tool for people of all ages and backgrounds to find their voice and develop their own creative practice. She has taught across Scotland and developed found poems with communities and clients at business conferences, seminars, and community events. Anita is currently listed on the Scottish Book Trust’s Live Literature List offering services in facilitation for workshops and courses, and poetry commissions at live events.
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You can reach out to Anita to work together using the form on her contact page.