Makar to Makar, the weekly cultural show from Scotland’s National Poet Jackie Kay, will come to a close with a final episode in the main series this evening. The series, which has been running since May, brings together established talent and emerging voices in an hour-long mix of poetry, music, and conversation with Jackie Kay and a range of talented guests.

Conceived in the early days of the national lockdown, Makar to Makar was intended to provide people stuck at home with some cultural relief, while at the same time providing poets with paid work at a time when the venues they might otherwise have performed in were closed.

The 14 episodes to date have featured contributions from guests including poet Don Paterson, folk singer Peggy Seeger, crime writer Val McDermid, and others, as well as musical performances from regular guests Suzanne Bonnar, Claire Brown and Katherine Philpott.

The final episode will feature contributions from special guest Liz Lochhead, who was Kay’s predecessor as Scotland’s Makar, bringing the series title full circle. The episode will appear on the National Theatre of Scotland’s Youtube channel and Facebook page from 7pm.

Jackie Kay said

“Working on Makar to Makar has been an absolute joy. During our massive fourteen week run, we've had a stunning array of guests on. It's been fascinating to find out how everyone is coping with Covid and to rediscover the huge role that poetry and song play in our lives. I would say poets are essential workers too.

“We wanted the programme to bring a new form of entertainment from our living room to our audience's living room in the "zoom room". It's been extraordinary finding a new form and working with that. I've also loved working with my very small team, with Colin Waters, Denise Else and Winnie Brook Young and it has given me focus and faith in these very hard times. Working on Makar to Makar brought back to mind Brecht: in the dark times/Will there also be singing?/ Yes, there will also be singing./About the dark times.”

While this marks the last episode in the current series of Makar to Makar, later this month Jackie Kay will host a special crossover edition of the show as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s digital programme, leading a discussion with American Poet Laureate Joy Harjo on 20 August.

All episodes of Makar to Makar will continue to be hosted on the National Theatre of Scotland’s Youtube channel, and can be viewed here.