23rd Poetry Africa

23_Poetry_Africa_Website07 - 12 Oct
Poetry Festival

The annual Poetry Africa Festival, hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts (CCA), takes place in Durban from 7 to 12 October 2019. Celebrating its 23rd edition, the festival features a host of local and international poets, at various venues and schools around Durban, with opening night and the following two performances at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.  Thereafter the event moves to alternative venues.

The six-day programme features interactions and engagements with poets through campus and school visits, poetry exchanges, book launches and evening performances at venues across Durban. Once again, the festival includes the ever popular Durban Slam Jam Competition, an open mic session and the festival finale at the BAT Centre.

“Celebrating diversity, the festival includes local South African and international poets from Egypt, the USA, Spain, Ukraine, Mauritius and Nigeria,” says curator, Siphindile Hlongwa of the CCA. ‘This year we continue to celebrate women poets and cast our focus towards fiery female poetic voices that use their art to mitigate the gender-based abuse and violence that continues to plague the country.’’

Sixteen poets are in the line-up for the festival: Guillem Gavalda (Spain), Joel Francois (USA), Nadra Mabrouk (Egypt), Umar Timol (Mauritius), Iryna Starovoyt (Ukraine), Efe Paul Azino (Nigeria), Titilope Sounga(Nigeria), Tobi Abiodun (Nigeria), Bash’ Amuneni (Nigeria), Yomi Sode (Britain), Luleka Mhlanzi (South Africa), Jolyn Phillips (South Africa), Busiswe Mahlangu (South Africa), Shashi Simelane (aka The Black Sash) (South Africa), Muriel Mokgathi-Mvubu (aka MoAfrika ‘a Mokgathi) (South Africa) and finally we are truly honoured to host the legendary, award-winning poet, South African poet laureate and activist Mongane Wally Serote.

The full programme for Poetry Africa can be viewed on the website http://poetryafrica.ukzn.ac.za/. Tickets are R60 for adults and R40 for pensioners and students and can be purchased through Computicket.