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The 2012 NGC Bocas Lit Fest-26 to 29 April 2012, Trinidad and Tobago

The 2012 NGC Bocas Lit Fest programme overflows with readings, discussions, performances, workshops, and more — over eighty events in all. Highlights include:

• The announcement of the 2012 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, a major regional award recognising Caribbean writers of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction.

• The announcement of a new annual award to support an emerging Caribbean writer in completing a manuscript and making connections in the international publishing world.

• The televised OCM Bocas Debate. This annual high-level discussion of burning public-interest topics will address the legacies of Independence over four mornings on TV6’s Morning Edition programme.

• The first annual NGC Bocas Lecture: the Big Idea, delivered by distinguished geneticist Professor Steve Jones on the provocative topic “How Different Are Human Races and Should We Care?”

• The world premiere of The Old Yard: Carnival Portraits from Trinidad, written for strings, winds, and percussion by Adam Walters and inspired by traditional characters such as the Moko Jumbie and Dame Lorraine.

• Screenings of films based on Caribbean novels and poems — see how our literature translates to the big screen.

• The launch of the Caribbean Literature Action Group, a new partnership between the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, the British Council, and Commonwealth Writers, aimed at supporting the development of Caribbean writing and publishing.

• A Pigeon Point Bocas Lit Lime in Tobago, in March, to open the 2012 Festival.

Plus readings by celebrated Caribbean authors, discussion panels, workshops, performance poetry and open mic sessions, film screenings, music, a full programme of events for children, and more.

The Melville Poetry Festival

When: Friday October 14th and Saturday October 15th 2011

The first Melville Poetry Festival Showcase is happening this Friday and Saturday, with an exciting line up of poets writing in all languages set to read and perform their work.

Over 30 poets will be gathering for the festival, with readings, panel discussions, exhibitions, book launches and music taking place at different venues in 7th Street and 4th Avenue. Poets participating include Angifi Dladla, Keorapetse Kgositsile, Robert Berold, Kobus Moolman, Arja Salafranca, Ike Muila, Uhuru Waga Phalafala, the Botsotso Jesters, Toast Coetzer, Loftus Marais, Charl-Pierre Naudé, Johann Lodewyk Marais and Rene Bohnen.

The festival kicks off on Friday 14th October at 9.30am at the old Koffie Huis in 4th Avenue with the Jozi Spoken Word poetry writing and performance workshop where poets young and old can hone their skills under the guidance of established poets and writing teachers.

On Saturday book launches by Dye Hard Press and Deep South Publishing start the day, before the festival’s official opening at 1.30pm with Ron Smerczak, Yoliswa Mogale, and the Botsotso Jesters. In a creative collaboration entitled ‘Digkyk/Eyepoems’, Naudé, Peter Fincham and Hans Pienaar will mount an exhibition of images integrated with poetry, while a theatre projection called ‘Angels and Stones’ will be narrated by Lionel Murcott.

Panel discussions include a talk on the influence of Wopko Jensma (‘The Ghost of Wopko Jensma’) and one called ‘Into Poetry: How to Get Young People to Enjoy Wordplay’, facilitated by Pamela Nichols from the Wits Writing Centre.

Readings and exhibitions carry on throughout the afternoon, with the day wrapping up with a music festival (Andries Bezuidenhout , Planet Lindela Jazz Trio, Riku Latti & Les Javen, and Lithal Li) which will also be used to showcase up-and-coming slam poets.

“The festival offers a great opportunity to listen and engage with South African poets writing in all languages – and for poets to meet and talk to each other, which doesn’t always happen,” says Alan Finlay, a poet who will also be reading at the event. “I think the panel on Wopko Jensma raises a question about the spirit of South African poetry that’s worth exploring.”

Allan Kolski-Horwitz, a Botsotso Jester who, together with the Wits Writing Centre, has run Jozi Spoken Word for several years, feels that the idea of intimate readings at cafés and shops in Melville is a unique one. “The blending of students and local residents with a wide range of poets should make for a very stimulating exchange,” he says.

“The plan is to hold a national festival next year, and then to grow it from there – and already several sponsors have shown an interest,” explains Eleanor Koning, one of the organizers of the festival. “That’s why we’re calling this festival a ‘showcase’ – we want to build on it in the future, inviting more poets from around the country and even internationally to take part.”

“We also need to develop real public festivals – a festival where everyone is welcome and heard and we can together develop our new multicultural, multi-faceted literature,” adds Nichols. “We hope the workshop on Friday will contribute to developing the new South African poetry and we believe that Melville with its bookshops and coffee shops and restaurants and wandering poets is the perfect place to incubate a new and creative literary culture.”

Books will be on sale at the venues. Come support South African poetry, or just browse around, catching snippets of poems and song, while visiting the local book and coffee shops that line the streets.

Entrance to all readings, panel discussions and the Friday poetry workshop is free. The slam event and music in the evening costs R15 for students and R30 for adults. To see the full programme for the event, visit The Melville Poetry Facebook Page.

For more information:

For more information on the festival, please speak to Eleanor Koning on 082 386 4688 or e-mail her at eleanor(at)melvilla.co.za

To participate in the Jozi Spoken Word poetry workshop, please contact Pamela Nichols at Pamela.Nichols(at)wits.ac.za

The Bocas Lit Fest:The Trinidad and Tobago Literary Festival

When:
Thursday 28 April to Sunday 1 May, 2011, with readings, performances, workshops, and discussions all through the day. Plus events every weekend during April.

Where:
Trinidad and Tobago, at the southern end of the Caribbean.
Main venues: National Library and Old Fire Station, downtown Port of Spain

April weekend events: • Mayaro/Rio Claro • Scarborough, Tobago • San Fernando • Chaguanas • Arima • Toco/Sangre Grande • Cedros/Point Fortin • Penal • Princes Town

Why:
to celebrate the Caribbean’s literary achievements in a festive atmosphere
to broaden our cultural capital into an area in which we have already excelled, and to which
many aspire
to foster interest in reading and writing
to help demystify books and improve literacy
to help sustain the book industry, which supports this
to expand our idea of literature by including performance poetry and rapso
to exploit and enhance our presence on the world stage
to launch an annual prize for literature (http://www.bocaslitfest.com/ocm-bocas-prize.html)

http://www.bocaslitfest.com/

WALE Festival 2011

WALE, the Wits Arts and Literature Experience, begins on the 11th May 2011. The festival showcases not only Wits University’s artistic and literary talent, but also presents works and ideas from greater Johannesburg and farther afield.

This year’s festival is titled “WALE 4.0: Over the Edge”. The lineup includes a full-length work by South African choreographer Athena Mazerakis and Helen Iskander’s visual theatre production, Planet B. The festival features workshops, arts and theatre performances, screenings, exhibitions and seminars and a host of other activities all open to the public:

The Wits Arts & Literature Experience (WALE) kicks off on May 11th 2011 – once again delivering an engaging, accessible arts programme to all Gautengers.

Highlights of WALE 4.0 include the premiere of a new full length work by leading South African choreographer and Wits Artist-in-Residence, Athena Mazerakis as well as the visual theatre production, “Planet B” directed by Helen Iskander. A spectacular opening parade, world-class music and literature, cutting-edge dance and theatre, film screenings, exhibitions, seminars, and workshops are also part of taking WALE 4.0 “Over The Edge” in 2011.

More to follow on the WALE event on this site shortly. In the meantime, please check out the WALE festival website.

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