Performance Poet & Teaching Artist
Lessons learned in poetry last a lifetime
Anita Govan
Production History
"History doesn't repeat it self it rhymes" - Mark Twain
Anita has produced and co-founded many productions, events & organizations. From grassroots to community events, theatre, poetry, and multimedia showcases. Funded and unfunded. Spawning and supporting many artist & artistic movements in Edinburgh & Beyond.
1993-1994
Anita co-created, ran and funded Artistic Upstarts with Kresanna Aigner. A multimedia showcase for Scottish artists born or based in Scotland. Running a program of more than 22 acts in one night, from diverse disciplines such as Vishal arts, Club art, Music, Theatre and Dance. With notable acts such as Shooglenifty and Martyn Bennet performing. Receiving press attention and later receiving Scottish Art Council funding. Many of the artists involved went on to form or be involved in the Bongo club in New Street. Where Anita went on to help set up the Cutting-room studio
Artistic Upstarts
2000-2004
dates
"Kickstarting an interest in poetry not seen since Hugh McDiarmid and Dylan Thomas" (Scotland on Sunday). BigWord (Scotland) was produced and run by Anita and Jem Rolls. Introduced by the late Gavin Wallace at Scottish Arts Council. It was the first poetry club dedicated to performance poetry in Scotland. It produced regular biweekly (Edinburgh) and monthly (Glasgow) shows and dedicated workshops, including a tour and Scotlands First Poetry Slam events. Anita left to pursue other producing and artistic interests including the first BBC Slams and the Scottish Youth Poetry Slam.
Scottish Youth
Poetry Slams
BigWord & Slams
2004-2018
Anita's original concept and idea, She took the idea to Rachel Jury (Confab) in 2004. Together they producing and developed the project formally as the Intercity Schools Slam project with different local councils and funding pots with Anita as the primary Teaching Artist and poet. Aimed at Young people between S1-S3 struggling with school. There long term goal of running it as a National Slam Project for Schools across Scotland was realised in 2016 & 2018 with funding from Creative Scotland and other funding organisations with Confab leading the project.
Present 2021
Anita new venture is Camena LTD cofounded in 2021 with John Stoddart. It is boutique training and development company for business offering the very highest standards of innovation, performance and integrity.
