Scots Makar

Scots Makar The Scots Makar is the national poetial office for Scotland, a ceremonial and cultural position intended to promote Scottish literature, language, and poetic practice. The modern revival of the office formalises a historic tradition of court poets and bards associated with Scottish monarchs and institutions, linking contemporary practice to figures and texts across medieval, early modern, and modern Scottish history. The office engages with literary organisations, political institutions, and public audiences to commission, advocate, and produce poetry.

History of the Office

The office has antecedents in medieval and early modern positions such as the royal poets attached to the courts of David I of Scotland, Robert the Bruce, James I of Scotland, and James VI and I. The term "makar" derives from Scots vocabulary used by writers like William Dunbar, Robert Henryson, and Gavin Douglas in the late medieval period, and it was employed in anthologies and chronicles alongside references to the courtly and civic roles of poets. During the eighteent and nineteenth centuries figures such as Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Hugh MacDiarmid shaped a modern national poetry while debates around language—between Lallans and Scots language varieties, as well as Scottish Gaelic revivalists—reframed makaric authority. The institutional revival began in the late twentieth century through bodies such as the Scottish Arts Council and the Scottish Parliament cultural policy discussions that culminated in a formal appointment system in the early 2000s. The inaugural modern holder was named amid arts advocacy from organisations including Creative Scotland and civic initiatives led by city councils such as Glasgow City Council and Edinburgh City Council.

Appointment and Tenure

The contemporary appointment is made by the First Minister of Scotland on the recommendation of cultural advisers and panels drawn from institutions including Creative Scotland, the Royal Society of Literature, and universities like University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow. Selections have reflected intersections between established reputations and public engagement records; past panels have included figures from National Library of Scotland, Scottish Poetry Library, and arts journalists from outlets such as The Scotsman and The Herald (Glasgow). Tenures typically run for three to five years, balancing a ceremonial remit with commissions and outreach commitments; holders have sometimes negotiated extensions or early conclusions in dialogue with ministers and sponsoring organisations such as National Theatre of Scotland and festival bodies like the Edinburgh International Festival and Scottish International Storytelling Festival. The appointment process has provoked public debate visible in media outlets including BBC Scotland, Channel 4, and cultural magazines such as The List and Poetry Review.

Role and Duties

The Makar produces original poetry for state occasions, commemorations, and national campaigns, contributing verses for events connected to institutions such as Holyrood, Scottish Parliament Building, and civic commemorations involving National War Memorial (Edinburgh) and heritage bodies like Historic Environment Scotland. The role includes public engagement through readings, workshops and residencies at universities such as University of St Andrews and cultural centres like Scottish Storytelling Centre, partnering with organisations including Schools Poetry Association and arts festivals including StAnza Poetry Festival. Holders have worked with broadcasters (BBC Radio Scotland, STV), publishers (Canongate Books, Polygon Books, Faber and Faber), and charities such as Citizens Advice Scotland on thematic commissions addressing topics linked to institutions like NHS Scotland and civic campaigns by local authorities. Advocates in the role liaise with literary networks—Scottish PEN, Society of Authors, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland—to foster translation, editions, and archives preserved in repositories such as the National Library of Scotland and university special collections.

Notable Makars and Works

The modern line includes prominent figures whose oeuvres intersect with national and international literary currents. The first modern appointee, Edwin Morgan, produced notable commissions that engaged with translation and internationalism, reflecting associations with publishers and institutions including Faber and Faber and University of Glasgow. Succeeding holders such as Liz Lochhead brought theatrical and civic energy rooted in collaborations with Royal Lyceum Theatre, Citizens Theatre, and Scottish broadcasting. Carol Ann Duffy, though more associated with the United Kingdom Poet Laureate office, influenced perceptions of laureateship alongside Scottish holders and cross-border literary networks including Manchester Metropolitan University and University of Dundee. Other distinguished Scottish poets connected with the makaric tradition include Hugh MacDiarmid, Norman MacCaig, Sorley MacLean, Iain Crichton Smith, Tom Leonard, Alasdair Gray, Jackie Kay, Angus Calder, and Ena Lamont Stewart, whose works circulate via presses such as Canongate and festivals like Aye Write! and Dundee Literary Festival.

Cultural and Political Impact

The office functions at the intersection of literature and civic identity, informing debates about language policy, cultural funding, and national commemoration involving bodies like Scottish Government cultural portfolios, Scottish Parliament committees, and civic campaigns by councils across Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. Makars have been visible in discussions around Scots language recognition, bilingual publishing with Gaelic Media Service partners, and educational initiatives adopted by institutions such as Education Scotland and Creative Scotland-supported schools programmes. Their public poems have been read at commemorations for events like Remembrance Sunday services and civic openings involving the National Museum of Scotland. Critical responses from academics at University of Aberdeen, University of St Andrews, and critics writing for The Guardian and The Times have interrogated the office’s role in nation-building, cultural diplomacy, and literary canon formation. As symbolic and practical figures, Makars continue to shape Scotland’s literary visibility at home and abroad through collaborations with international festivals, translation networks, and cultural diplomacy involving missions to locations such as Paris, Berlin, New York City, and Toronto.

Category:Scottish literature