with Gerda Stevenson

January 30th 7.15 for 7.30pm

Multi talented Gerda Stevenson is a writer/actor/director/singer/songwriter and recipient of far more awards and accolades to mention, including a BAFTA, as well as nominations for the MG Alba Trad Music Awards Scots Singer of the Year, and the Critics Awards for Theatre, Scotland – we could go on and on and on.....Reviews for her work include comments like “One of the most beautiful books ever published in Scotland” – The National – and “Fabulous. A ground-breaker of a book” – Jackie Kay on QUINES in the Observer. So what an enormous privilege for The Bakehouse to host her as our Burns Night Guest!  Expect poems, songs and the requisite seasoning of The Bard as befits the occasion.

Gerda will be followed by our traditional Fickle Tupperware Bowl of Fate, a little less fickle than usual featuring the first 10 poets who have applied to read.

If you would like to join our audience, let me know soonest on  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We will send you the relevant link nearer the time.

Booking is essential, as places are limited.

A BOOK WEEK SCOTLAND GIFT TO SCOTTISH CARE HOMES

The Bakehouse Community Arts and Saraband Books have collaborated on a film specifically designed to entertain Care Home residents across Scotland during Book Week November 16th – 22nd and beyond.

The Bakehouse Community Arts’ film is called “A Letter to my Younger Self” - a feast of poetry and songs residents might have enjoyed when younger. Singer and performer Tony Bonning is joined by Scottish-based writers Tom Pow and Gerda Stevenson, with celebrity performers actor Annette Badland and Gyles Brandreth reading poems loved by older family or friends.

Saturday February 29th  7.00 for 7.30 

The Galloway Launch of their joint pamphlet BEARINGS, the first publication from The Poets’ Republic Press.

Joy is in an exciting place, re-inventing herself as a poet in her own ‘write’ after a long lifetime editing the iconic Chapman magazine. She has an Honorary Doctorate from Edinburgh University and, last year, joined the ranks of Saltire Society’s Outstanding Women of Scotland. Joy partners popular local poet Katy Ewing, winner of the Wigtown Poetry Competition’s Dumfries and Galloway Fresh Voice Award 2018 bringing together two diversely talented Scottish voices in a Galloway Launch of their wonderful joint pamphlet.

‘Katy’s work has a beguiling and deceptive simplicity  ...  poems of thoughtful understated beauty’. 

‘Joy’s poetry combines insight with wonderful lyricism’. Hugh McMillan

Followed by our popular Bakehouse open spots

The Fickle Tupperware Bowl of Fate 

Tickets £5.00

Saturday February 1st  7.00 for 7.30

The Bakehouse presents Rab Wilson and a’ that...

The Bakehouse is honoured to host Rab Wilson - one of Scotland's top poets as our Burns Night guest. Rab has authored a number of celebrated poetry collections, worked with artist Calum Colvin on a book of responses to Burns and in 2017 was made Scots Scriever (Writer in Residence) at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, Ayr.  So Rab knows his stuff about Rabbie to whom his tam o' shanter will be riotously tipped along with sharing other personal amazements from his own highly acclaimed work. Rab has also promised to bring along his guitar to add to the evening’s entertainments. Should be a great night out.

‘poetry to rival the best published in Scotland, or written by a Scot, in the past 30 years’. Scotland on Sunday

Followed by our sensational Bakehouse Floor spots The Fickle Tupperware Bowl of Fate 

Bring a poem/a song/pipes (small or large) - performances either suitable or wholly unsuitable for the occasion.

Let’s kick off this new decade with a firework display of poetic brilliance.

Tickets £10.00 includes a hot toddy and haggis nibbles

To book ring 01557 814175 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Borders and Walls

A Book Week Scotland Event.

November 23rd
4.30- 6.00 and 7.30-9.00

The issue of Borders couldn’t  be more topical - Brexit and its many implications, Trump's wall, Scotland’s quest for self-government, refugees crossing borders to escape famine, global warming, war or repressive regimes - borders between poems and their translations, borders both physical and emotional and how they make us differentiate between 'us' and 'them' in our daily lives.

Poet and translator George Szirtes’ family fled Hungary in 1956, survivors of concentration and labour camps after the Budapest uprising and arrived in England at the age of eight speaking no English. Transnational poet and academic Professor Bashabi Fraser witnessed the Post Partition struggle of her parents and grandparents after they were displaced by a mindless border ' they had neither desired or drawn’. Join them for a wide ranging discussion and readings on this current and important theme. 

Date: 10.30 - 13:00, Sunday 22nd September
Venue: The Mill on The Fleet, Gatehouse of Fleet, DG7 2HP

Tickets: £10.00 ( lunch available in The Mill Cafe)

Poetry as Memoir

How do you focus in on a moment from your past to capture something of the bigger picture of that time? Or use a treasured object or personal/family photograph to create a poem of startling freshness? In this workshop we’ll explore exercises and techniques to help you locate a memory and shape it into a poem which might well be the start of a longer sequence you’d like to write.

Saturday September 21st @ 7.30

DisComBoBuLiTe

Where Literature, Music, Comedy & Poetry Collide

Magi Gibson is a poet. Her books include Wild Women of a Certain Age, Graffiti in Red Lipstick and Washing Hugh MacDiarmid’s Socks.

‘Yon Magi Gibson is one of my Scottish wummin heros whose poetry is feckin exquisite’.  Jenny Lindsay

She’s married to writer and performer Ian Macpherson.

Ian Macpherson is a writer and performer. His books include The Autobiography of Ireland’s Greatest Living Genius, The Book of Blaise and – from October 2019 – post-postmodern crime anti-thriller SLOOT.

'One of the most creative and intelligent comedians I’ve ever seen’ The Guardian

He’s married to poet Magi Gibson and washes his own socks.

Tickets £5.00

Saturday 24 August : 7.00 for 7.30

Multi-award winning poet and jazz guitarist Don Paterson OBE, Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, winner of the Whitbread/Costa Poetry Prize (2003, 2015) the T S Eliot Prize (1997, 2003), along with a number of other awards including the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize, all three Forward Prizes (1994, 2009, 2010) and a Cholmondeley award  teams up with stellar pianist Steve Hamilton (formerly of jazz quartet Earthworks – ‘one of Europe's most creative and experienced contemporary pianists’) with an eclectic mix of poetry, jazz standards and Celtic originals. A definite ‘must see’. 

Tickets £10.00 (book early to avoid disappointment)

Saturday June 15th  2019 7.00pm for 7.30pm 

Brummie poet Steve is a born story-teller who has entertained audiences from Penzance to Orkney. He has published five collections of poetry.  Expect poems on subjects from the personal right through to the global, with a wild detour via outrageous dreaming.  

'A rising star.' Cheltenham Poetry Festival

'Brilliant. And I hate poetry.' Susan Murray, comedian

'Exceptional.' Louder Than Words festival.

Emma debut collection 'Close' (Offa's Press 2018) followed on from a volume of children's poems- winner of The Rubery Prize in 2017. She’s won both the 'Making Waves' poetry competition (Judge: Luke Wright) and the Shambala Festival poetry slam. Expect performances that are ‘both breathtaking and engaging.’

'Bubbling with wisdom and silliness.'  AF Harrold

'A whirlwind of wit and humour.' Write Out Loud

Come and strut your stuff, poetical, musical or theatrical in our acclaimed Fickle Tupperware Bowl of Fate open micspots.

Tickets £8.00

1-5 May

BIG LIT, now in its ninth year, just gets bigger and bigger! It’s now five bumper days of poetry, launches, prose, talks, film, puppets, history, workshop, buskers, song, installation, exhibition, politics, music and cabaret, and a children’s programme of magical time travel, folk tale and madcappery.