Glasgow is a city with a rich tradition of literature and creative writing, often born out of the working-class culture of the city. Thanks to this tradition, there is still a thriving writing scene in the city today.
Those who want to learn how to write poetry or get involved in creative writing in the city have plenty of options. In this guide, we explore poetry classes in Glasgow as well as educational establishments that support the poetry scene.
Glasgow is even one of the cities to have a Laureate. The Poet Laureate holds a position and responsibility to promote and celebrate poetry within the city. The Poet Laureate is typically a distinguished poet appointed to create, perform, and participate in various literary and cultural events on behalf of the city. The role often involves engaging with the local community, encouraging literary activities, and representing the city's artistic and cultural identity through poetry.
Glasgow Poets
Before getting into some of the organisations that can help aspiring poets, let’s look at some of the Glaswegian poets and people with ties to the city.
Edwin Morgan (1920-2010)
Edwin Morgan was a prolific and influential poet who served as Glasgow's first Poet Laureate. He was known for his experimentation with various forms and his engagement with contemporary issues. His work often touched on themes of love, technology, and social change.
A mean wind wanders through the backcourt trash.
Glasgow Sonnet I – Edwin Morgan
Hackles on puddles rise, old mattresses
puff briefly and subside. Play-fortresses
of brick and bric-a-brac spill out some ash.
Four storeys have no windows left to smash,
but in the fifth a chipped sill buttresses
mother and daughter the last mistresses
of that black block condemned to stand, not crash.
Around them the cracks deepen, the rats crawl.
The kettle whimpers on a crazy hob.
Roses of mould grow from ceiling to wall.
The man lies late since he has lost his job,
smokes on one elbow, letting his coughs fall
thinly into an air too poor to rob.
Don Paterson (1963-present)
Don Paterson is a contemporary Scottish poet from Glasgow. He has won numerous awards for his poetry, including the T.S. Eliot Prize. Paterson's poetry is known for its musicality, depth of thought, and exploration of themes like love, loss, and philosophy.
Liz Lochhead (1947-present)
Liz Lochhead is a renowned poet and playwright from Glasgow. She has a distinct voice that combines Scots language and English. Her poetry often tackles feminist themes, family relationships, and social issues.
Tom Leonard (1944-2018)
Tom Leonard was a poet, writer, and linguist. He was known for his use of the Glaswegian dialect in his poetry, which aimed to capture the authentic voice of the city's residents. His work often explored class, language, and politics.
Aonghas MacNeacail (1942-present)
Aonghas MacNeacail is a Gaelic poet from Glasgow. He has written poetry in both Gaelic and English, exploring themes of identity, language, and the landscape of the Scottish Highlands.
Jim Carruth (1963-present)
Jim Carruth is a contemporary poet who served as Glasgow's Poet Laureate from 2014 to 2016. He is known for his reflective and meditative poetry that often focuses on rural life and the natural world.
These poets have contributed to the culture of Glasgow and have made significant contributions to Scottish and international poetry. Their work reflects the city's diverse culture, history, and the distinct voices that have emerged from its streets.
Learning Poetry in Glasgow
There are organisations that are set up to support poets and aspiring poets in Glasgow, often these are communities of likeminded individuals who get together to share ideas and provide each other with feedback.
Inn Deep Poetry
One great community for those interested in poetry in Glasgow is “Inn Deep” where there has been a poetry event that takes place every Tuesday, with eight poets taking part in spoken word performances.
It is held at the Inn Deep, a historic and interesting pub in Glasgow, and is hosted by poet Sam Small.
According to their site:
Growing success meant in 2015 Inn Deep Poetry went bi-monthly, now in 2019 we will be holding a spoken word event every Tuesday. Each night has a total of eight poets, with a mix of exciting new voice and experienced wordsmiths.
If you would like a slot you can sign up using the Facebook page. Doors open at 19:30 every Tuesday!
Glasgow Writing Group
There is another weekly group that people can get involved in. Glasgow Writing Group meets at St George’s Tron Church, 163 Buchanan Street, Glasgow. G1 2JX on a Thursday.
The group is not always based around poetry: “The group sets a schedule of topics, themes and visits and encourages visiting members to participate. The group also take part in and sometimes organise spoken word events.”
This can be a good place to build experience and meet other creative writers in Glasgow, with a friendly atmosphere.
Universities
Glasgow has four main universities, and this means a huge number of potential courses for people to study.
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow supports those who are looking to learn all forms of creative writing and even has an MLitt programme for postgraduates.
You don’t have to be in education currently to benefit from the brilliant tuition at the University of Glasgow, either. Some poetry classes Glasgow’s top university offer are aimed at those who are simply interested in the area of creative writing.
Their introductory course to creative writing (paid) is great for taking the first steps into poetry:
Do you love fiction, poems or real-life stories and would love to write one yourself? Are you buzzing with ideas but nervous and unsure where to start? Would you benefit from some guidance and encouragement on how to write?
Join this playful and supportive practical course to learn the foundational skills central to four main types of creative writing: poetry, short story, novel and creative non-fiction. This course offers anyone new to creative writing a chance try these forms out with encouragement, support and guidance.
University of Strathclyde
Another brilliant option is the University of Strathclyde, which has a number of different courses that support creative writers.
In fact, the University of Strathclyde has one of the top reputations for learning poetry in the UK. It is ranked 3rd for English (Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023) and 2nd for Creative Writing (Complete University Guide 2023). Many of the other options require travel to London or Manchester to learn poetry.
For those who are still in education and looking to move into creative writing, the BA in English and Creative Writing is an exceptional option. Units include “Writing Short Fiction and Poetry” though the course involves writing in a lot of different formats and styles, helping to create well-rounded writers.
The university also offers online courses to “inspire you, motivate you to write and put you in the virtual company of other writers.”
The classes can be studied at any time, meaning they are good evening classes and allow you to take things at your own pace.
They offer three types of class:
Kindling: creative writing for beginners
Feeding the Flame: creative writing for writers
Inferno: novel writing
For some of the younger aspiring poets out there, there is a course at the City of Glasgow College called HNC Creative Industries: Professional Writing Skills. This can also lead to further education and building creative writing skills.
Superprof: An Option For Poetry Classes Online
Whether you are looking for poetry lessons in Leeds, Birmingham, London, or anywhere else in the UK, Superprof can be a brilliant solution.
There are hundreds of tutors working on the platform, allowing you to choose a flexible time for your lessons, and even choose between in-person and online lessons based on your own preference.
There are many options for poetry groups in Glasgow as well as traditional education, but the world is moving more towards online learning methods. Superprof allows people to learn at their own pace and get the one-to-one attention they may need.
Many Superprof tutors provide a free first lesson, which means that you can see if you click with the learning style. On top of that, there are a lot of Glasgow-based tutors who will allow you to choose between meeting in-person or doing your poetry classes online.
Conclusion
Glasgow is a cultural hotspot in Scotland, and there are many different organisations to support learning poetry. In the UK, cities like London and Manchester are very well-known for literature, and Glasgow is another that supports writers, even having its own Poet Laureate for the job.
If you’re interested in learning poetry in Glasgow there are traditional lessons as well as online lessons and even degrees at top universities, all of which can help you to grow as a writer. At Superprof, you can book a free first lesson with a creative writing or poetry tutor to work out whether this may be the best way forward for your writing.
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