In partnership with Edwin Morgan Trust, StAnza – Scotland’s International Poetry Festival – held an open-call for poets-in-residence for the 2023 festival.  Two positions were available: 1) The Open Award – open to poets who are Scottish by birth or current residence; 2) The Translation Award – open to poets writing in a language other than English. The aim of the residencies is to support and promote marginalised voices in poetry.

The poets selected for the residencies were Ilisha Thiru Purcell and Nazaret Ranea. They created a body of work that responded to the 2025 festival theme – How We Feel – with consideration of Edwin Morgan’s legacy, which they presented at a special Poetry Cafe event at StAnza on Sunday 16 March.

About the StAnza Poets in Residence

Ilisha Thiru Purcell is an award-winning Sri Lankan-Scottish poet. Her work has appeared in publications such as Bi+ Lines Anthology, Butcher’s Dog, and Third Space Anthology. Ilisha’s debut poetry pamphlet What She Said is published by Verve Press.

Nazaret Ranea is an emerging poet currently based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Nazaret’s work has been included in numerous anthologies and literary journals  (Acumen, Poetry Scotland, Leith Writings…), and her publications can be found around the world.

Nazaret Ranea

Ilisha Thiru Purcell