Join us from Sep-Dec 2026 for another round of our Writers of Colour writing group!
Writers of Colour Poetry Writing Group returns with poet and former Edinburgh Makar, Hannah Lavery.
This course is for Black writers and writers of colour based in Scotland.
All SBWN events will adhere to our Safer Spaces Policy. You can learn more about our policy here.
About the course
The course is fully hybrid, with all workshops being conducted in person and online simultaneously.
This course has a suggested donation of £40 – £80 (£10-£20 per workshop x4).
Please only book 1 ticket per workshop – do not book an online ticket and an in-person ticket for the same date. In-person participants will also be sent Zoom links in case unable to join online.
Dates and times:
Second Thursday of the month:
- September 10th, 12:00pm – 1:30pm
- October 8th, 12:00pm – 1:30pm
- November 12th, 12:00pm – 1:30pm
- December 10th, 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Venue info
Our in-person venue is the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh.
2 Hope Park Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9NW (Google maps link)
Access + essentials
Before participating in the workshops, please note the following:
- Please register for all sessions – we are aiming for a cohort of writers.
- This course is for writers of colour based in Scotland, 18+ years, at all levels of writing.
- Registering for this course means you agree to our Safer Spaces Policy.
- This course has a suggested donation of £40 – £80 (£10 – £20 per workshop x 4). Donations help cover some of our costs, but you can donate a lower amount or register for free if on a low income. No questions asked.
- Travel, data and carer/childcare bursaries available – please complete this form after each workshop.
- All sessions are hybrid: in-person and over Zoom with 15 participants.
- Sessions include a comfort break. You may mute your mic, switch off video, fidget, or take a break any time.
- Live captions and transcripts provided by Otter.
- Please add your access requirements during registration.
Cancellations
If you have registered for a workshop but are unable to attend, please let us know ASAP so we can offer it to another person on the waitlist. Thank you!
Questions? Email scottishbpocwriters@gmail.com.
About Hannah
Hannah Lavery is an award‑winning poet, playwright, performer and experienced workshop facilitator. She served as Edinburgh Makar from 2021 to 2024 and is an Honorary Fellow of the Association of Scottish Literature. Her poetry has been widely published, and her poem Scotland, you’re no mine was selected by Roseanne Watt as one of the Best Scottish Poems 2019.
Her autobiographical play The Drift toured Scotland as part of the National Theatre of Scotland’s 2019 season. In 2020, she was named one of the Scottish Voices for BBC Writers’ Room, won a Peggy Ramsay/Channel 4 bursary, and received a Creative Edinburgh Award for her work with the Writers of Colour group and Fringe of Colour.
Her highly acclaimed play Lament for Sheku Bayoh, which she directed, was produced in collaboration with the Royal Lyceum Theatre, the National Theatre of Scotland and the Edinburgh International Festival. Hannah is a former Imaginate Accelerator Artist and a former Associate Artist with the National Theatre of Scotland.
Her debut poetry collection Blood, Salt, Spring was published in 2022 and shortlisted for the Saltire Award. It was followed by Unwritten Woman in 2024. Her forthcoming collection, Everything Everyday, will be published by Polygon in May 2026.