The shortlist for the 2019 Caine Prize for African Writing has been announced, featuring stories that tackle “the ordinary in an extraordinary manner” and celebrate the diversity of the African short-story writing tradition for the twentieth edition of the Prize….
Our Bodies Speak Poetry, our first headline event, is set to be an exciting evening filled with awe-inspiring storytelling, and a poetical exploration into our relationship with the (physical, political, and fantastical) body. The evening will open with a dance…
In March 2019 Africa Writes festival co-producers, Caitlin Pearson and Marcelle Akita, travelled to Rwanda and Kenya on a scoping trip funded by British Council to connect with literature professionals. This trip was especially important for this year’s festival programme,…
A Snapshot of Margaret Busby’s Illustrious Career Born in Accra to parents of Bajan, Trinidadian and Dominican origin, and educated in London University, Margaret Busby’s legacy certainly transcends borders. In the 1960s, became Britain’s youngest and first black female book…
The AFREADA x Africa Writes Competition is back! As we prepare for #AfricaWrites2019 we are excited to announce that the Africa Writes x AFREADA competition has returned for the third year running! As part of this year’s programme, we will…
In the run up to #AfricaWrites2019 we will be discussing the art of proverbs, Igbo proverbs in particular. In Igbo society, as in many African societies, proverbs play a key role in cultural expression and figurative communication. Chigozie Obioma’s…
The Africa Writes: Young Voices programme seeks to open up the world of African and diaspora literature to young people in schools and inspire them to write and perform their own poetry. Guided by poets and facilitators from the Africa…
Africa Writes is back this summer with an exciting programme showcasing the best new writing from the continent and the diaspora, Friday 5th July to Sunday 7th July at the British Library. As well as a vibrant day time programme…
Conserving culture and pushing boundaries in Somaliland: Hargeysa International Book Fair 2018 Republished with the kind permission of Africa in Words. Go through the gates of the Xaranta Dhaqanka, the Hargeysa Cultural Centre in Somaliland’s capital, and you’ll encounter a courtyard…
The Africa Writes 2018 Podcast Series is here! Re-live the highlights of the festival on our Mixcloud to catch some of your favourite panel discussions, book launches, round-tables and workshops, and our Young Voices programme. If you missed the festival…