Africa Writes is the Royal African Society’s annual literature festival. Celebrating its 5th year, Africa Writes 2016 will bring together over 50 authors, poets, publishers and experts for a stimulating and exciting three days! Every year we showcase established and emerging talent from the African continent and its diaspora in what is now the UK’s biggest celebration of contemporary African writing taking place over an exciting summer weekend. The festival features book launches, readings, author appearances, panel discussions, youth and children’s workshops, and other activities.
Image Credit: The Goddess Complex by Diriye Osman (Aquatic Arabesque).
Sex, Love & Poetry
Friday 1 July
18.30 – 20.00, £10 /£8/ £7
Join us for an evening of readings and uncensored conversation on sex, love and desire spanning the sexuality spectrum and the African Diaspora experience. With daring work that challenges hetero-normative depictions of love, our guest poets and writers will explore intimacy and romance without taboos or restrictions. Whether you’re straight or queer, trans, black or white – if you’re an adult and curious, this event is for you! With Caleb Femi, Rachel Long, Adam Lowe and SA Smythe. Hosted by Bisi Alimi.
Nawal El Saadawi for features. Photograph by Felix Clay.
On Being A Woman Writer: Nawal El Saadawi in conversation
Saturday 2 July
18.30 – 20.00, £10 /£8/ £7
The internationally renowned writer, novelist, psychiatrist and fighter for women’s rights was born in 1931, in a village outside Cairo, and wrote her first novel at the age of 13. Her many books have been translated into over forty languages and include titles such asWoman at Point Zero and Women and Sex, which was banned in Egypt for almost two decades. She reflects on the question of gender and the challenges posed for women within traditional and religious societies.
Image and copyright: Immigrant play, Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor
The Immigrant
Sunday 3 July
17.30-19.30 £8 /£6/ £5
The Immigrant is a provocative play that explores what the world would look like if Africa was the most powerful continent in the world. Set in 2116, Oliver, a Brit seeking asylum in the African Union is in detention, where he pleads his case to Usman, an African border official, who isn’t fond of immigrants. What ensues is a battle of words and stories neither is truly prepared for. Sometimes what we think of as our truths are also our lies.
