BBC Scotland has named its first poet in residence.
The Edinburgh-based poet Rachel McCrum, originally from Northern Ireland, will be taking up the position until December.
Ms McCrum said: "It was one of those lovely broad briefs where I read it as a chance – with all the resources of the BBC and the Scottish Poetry Library as well – to explore poetry around Scotland and explore ways of looking at poetry in Scotland."
Her goal for the three-month post is to use it to examine ideas of community, "whether they're local communities, communities of interest, the poetry community, the arts community."
She will be working with BBC Radio Scotland Religion and Ethics department to explore the immigrant and refugee community in Scotland, as well as with The Janice Forsyth Show and even with football communities with BBC Scotland Sport. She will also be helping deliver poetry workshops to primary and secondary pupils in schools.
Ms McCrum, 33, is best known for her involvement in the spoken word poetry scene in the capital. She helps run the Inky Fingers open mic nights at the Forest Cafe and she is a member of performance poetry promoters Rally & Broad alongside fellow poet Jenny Lindsay. She will be paid £4000 for the three-month residence.
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