John J. Coutts

John J. Coutts (born 1934) is a Scottish poet, preacher, and broadcaster. He served as the Poet in Residence at Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum from 2015 to 2021.

Early life and education Coutts was born in 1934 in Clydebank, Scotland.

Career Coutts pursued his career in Nigeria and England.

Coutts has translated sections of The Complete Works of Alexander Pushkin in English (Milner and Co, 1999), including the epic poem Poltava and various lyrical pieces.

His theatrical works include Shakespeare in Stirling, a play that imagines William Shakespeare visiting Scotland.

Coutts has contributed to BBC Radio Scotland's Thought for the Day program. In 2015, he published his autobiography, Was That Me? Memories of a Long Spent Youth. He organized the monthly Poetry Roundabout at the museum, an open event where participants can present their own poetry or share their favorite poems, until 2021.