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Date: 22 October 2010

DADA books will be facilitating a creative writing / reading workshop in partnership with Farafina Books and Children And The Environment CATE and with support from The Committee For Relevant Art (CORA) and NewsCafe.

Planned for Friday the 22nd of October, the workshop will begin at 9.00am with a creative writing class for school children (Age range: 8-12 years) facilitated by Ayodele Arigbabu, Publisher of DADA books.

The creative writing class will touch on elements of characterization, points of view, plotting and other facets of the creative writing process.

A reading session would be subsequently co-ordinated by Sola Alamutu, author of CATE Saves The Ikopi Rainforest, drawing from her book and from The Land of Kalamandahoo a childrens’ adventure story by Ruby Igwe, to illustrate points touched on during the creative writing class. Finally, Ruby Igwe would address the participants on how she approaches the creative writing process.

This workshop is being held as part of Farafina’s Literacy Week and as a pre-event to the 12th Lagos Book & Art Festival (which holds) from 11th - 14th November.

EVENT: Creative Writing and Reading Workshop
DATE: Friday 22nd October 2010
TIME:9:00am - 1:00pm
VENUE: News Cafe, The Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki, Lagos.

Deadline: 5 March 2011

BETWEEN THE LINES WRITING CONTEST

What is the BTL writing contest?

Between the Lines invites young aspiring writers from Arabic speaking countries in the Middle East and North Africa between the ages of 16-19 to the University of Iowa to spend two weeks honing their creative writing skills and interacting with American students of the same age range. The international students will be accompanied by adult chaperones. The summer session of Between the Lines (BTL) will take place July 10-25, 2011. During the two-week BTL program, students will take classes in English with their American counterparts. They will also participate in writing workshop (in Arabic) with BTL faculty. Chaperones will enroll in a week-long Iowa Summer Writing Festival course (in English) that will also include American teachers.

Who can apply?

Students:

 Must be between the ages of 16 and 19 as of July 10, 2011.
 Must be Proficient in Arabic and English (reading, writing, and speaking).

The ideal candidates should be able to:

 Demonstrate an interest in and ability to write creatively (prose and/or poetry in both Arabic and English)
 Fully engage their imaginations in a variety of class settings
 Confidently work alongside other BTL students in Arabic-language classes as well as American students in English-language classes Each applicant must provide the following:  7-8 pages of prose and/or poetry written in Arabic  7-8 pages of prose and/or poetry written in English  A one-paragraph personal statement (in English) describing why they are interested in participating in BTL.  Copies of passport information pages valid at least 6 months after the program ends.

Chaperones:

 Must be between the ages of 25 and 40 as of July 10, 2011
 Must be Proficient in Arabic and English (reading, writing, and speaking)
 Must be Reliable, mature, and willing and able to take on the dual responsibilities of their own program and the overall duties of overseeing the students.

The ideal candidate should be:

 A teacher who is interested in creative writing and has not had a previous exposure to the U.S.
 Willing to assist BTL faculty and IWP staff with projects related to promoting creative writing and the teaching of creative writing in the Middle East
 Able to serve as Arabic-speaking liaison between the BTL students and English-speaking students and staff at the University of Iowa
 Able to fully participate in a formal English language program on creative writing teaching methods
 Able to Demonstrate experience working with young people, particularly teens. Each applicant must provide the following:
 A resume/CV (in English)  A brief statement of purpose describing his/her goals for the program and how his/her participation can benefit the program (in English).  Copies of passport information pages valid at least 6 months after the program ends (if available).

How do I apply?

 Applications to be submitted electronically at amarouayechei@state.gov
 Deadline to submit applications is March 5th, 2011. Due to large number of applicants, we will only reply to those short-listed for first stage interviews.

Finalists:

 Will be invited for an interview at the embassy
 Must bring a

Deadline: 25 February 2011

Department: FACULTY OF HUMANITIES – SCHOOL OF LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE STUDIES

Position: Senior Lecturer / Lecturer - Creative Writing

Description:

The School of Literature and Language Studies is seeking to employ a Senior Lecturer/Lecturer in Creative Writing. The successful candidate, in the first instance, will coordinate, administer and teach aspects of the Honours Degree in Creative Writing and will be involved in the Masters workshop. Candidates should be committed to excellence in teaching, research, and postgraduate supervision. Given the nature of these degrees, which entail creative writing in an array of genres as well as scholarly reflection, applicants should be experienced in the academic analysis of writing, as well as be practitioners. Preference will be given to applicants with experience in teaching writing and critique at a tertiary level. If appointed, he/she will also be expected to become involved in University events relating to the public life of literature.

Requirements: PhD in Literature, Writing, Journalism or a cognate discipline although candidates with a Masters in a relevant degree plus a significant record of published work will be considered.

Closing Date: 2011/02/25

For more information, contact:

Prof Gerrit Olivier
Telephone: 011 717 4567
Email: Gerrit.Olivier@wits.ac.za

To apply:

Submit a letter of application, a full curriculum vitae, certified copies of qualifications and identity document as well as the names and contact details (including e-mail) of three referees to Mrs Pumla Ngcobo, Humanities Human Resources Office, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Private Bag 3, WITS, 2050

E-mail: Pumla.Ngcobo@wits.ac.za

Deadline: 13 May 2011

OBJECTIVE

The Creative Writing Residency is open to writers of all stripes and any nationality. Jointly organised by the National University of Singapore’s University Scholars Programme (NUS USP) and The Arts House (TAH), the Creative Writing Residency 2011 aims to:

a) provide time, opportunity and environment for the Resident to complete a written work in the English language of substantial length and content;
b) provide mentorship for students and potential writers in Singapore, and stimulate new writing from them through public programmes organised by the Resident.

The completed work can be fiction or non-fiction, cover any topic, and may be in one of the following forms:

(i) prose;
(ii) verse;
(iii) stage play;
(iv) radio play; or
(v) screenplay,
or any other written form, subject to approval.

The completed work must be in the written medium, which can either be published (in print or electronic media) or performed. The work must be of a standard ready for publication and for a public reading/lecture by the end of the Residency, or shortly thereafter.

The Residency will last from August 2011 to July 2012. The successful applicant will be given a monthly stipend of SGD3,500, time, and lodging for one year to create a new work. A bonus of SGD3,000, subject to performance appraisal, will be paid out at the end of the Residency.

WHO MAY APPLY

The programme invites applicants of any nationality. Applicants must:

a) Be a published writer;
b) Not be enrolled as a full time student in an undergraduate or graduate programme or fully employed by any organisation at the time of appointment of the Residency.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Selection for the Residency will be based on:

a) artistic achievement and potential of the applicant;
b) the strength of his/her proposal for activities during the Residency to conduct public programmes involving students and potential writers; and
c) interview performance (for shortlisted candidates only)

APPLICATION PROCEDURES Application form is available from www.usp.nus.edu.sg/happenings/2011/creative_writing_residency.html or www.theartshouse.com.sg/residency2011.html

Submit one copy of the form together with:

a) Curriculum vitae (with two references; photo optional)
b) six copies of a representative body of work to display accomplishment and commitment to a literary career;
c) a proposal for the Residency outlining his/her plans, paying special attention to plans for generating interaction and discussion among students and young writers in Singapore.

Applicants should submit works published no earlier than 2000. Applicants with works published earlier than 2000 may also apply. However, it must be noted that this Residency aims to nurture young writers and all things being equal, preference will be given to writers in earlier stages of their careers.

All manuscripts should be typewritten. Any handwritten work will be disqualified. Submit only copies and not the original. If the submission is a copy of an excerpt from a published source, the submission must include copies of the following:

• Title page showing title of work and name of author
• A page showing name of publisher and year of publication
• Contents page

REQUIREMENTS

a) The Resident must take up residency at Cinnamon College, the USP residential college at NUS, and work on site (i.e. Cinnamon College and The Arts House).
b) The Resident will be provided with the following support at Cinnamon College.
c) The Resident is to submit progress reports each quarter, and the second and fourth quarter reports are to include samples of writing completed during the Residency. Continuation of the Residency will be subject to review of the progress reports.
d) The Resident is required to make significant progress on a written work (agreed upon by the selection committee and Supervisors), which should be of a standard ready for publication in print or electronic media and a public reading/lecture by the end of the Residency.
e) Should the work be published following the completion of the Residency, the Resident must acknowledge the work as having been created during the NUS USP and TAH Creative Writing Residency.
f) The Resident is to conduct public programmes involving students and potential writers at both NUS USP and TAH during the Residency, generating interaction and critical discussion among students and potential writing talents in Singapore and stimulating new writing from them.
g) The Resident will mentor a maximum of six students during the course of Residency and will conduct weekly workshops at Cinnamon College at NUS, open to all students.
h) The Resident will mentor six potential writing talents at The Arts House. Both mentorships and workshops will result in a deliverable outcome, for instance, in the form of two simple publications (one at the half-year mark, the second at the end of Residency period) by the mentored students and writing talents.

CLOSING DATE

Application form and all supporting materials should be postmarked no later than 13 May 2011, and addressed to:

Professor John Richardson
Director
University Scholars Programme
Level 6 General Office
10 Kent Ridge Crescent
Singapore 119260

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

If the Resident is a foreign candidate, he/she will be under the employ of NUS USP subject to his/her satisfaction of any pre-employment obligations as may be required by NUS USP, including without limitation his/her obtaining a valid work pass to work in Singapore. The Residency will cover the airfare both ways.

Coordinators of the Creative Writing Residency reserve the right not to disclose reasons for approving or rejecting an application. Late, illegible and incomplete applications will not be accepted.

ENQUIRIES

For more information, please contact: enquiries@toph.com.sg or visit www.theartshouse.com.sg/residency2011.html uspbox13@nus.edu.sg or visit www.usp.nus.edu.sg/happenings/2011/creative_writing_residency.html

Download the application form here >>

Date: 19 February 2011

LSE Space for Thought Literary Festival creative writing workshop

Time: 12-1pm
Venue: Alumni Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Lauri Kubuitsile

Lauri Kubuitsile will speak about the publishing climate in Southern Africa (in particular Botswana and South Africa) and how it’s different from the UK. She’ll also talk about writing across genres including television writing, writing for children, writing short stories and writing for adults.

Lauri Kubuitsile is a full time writer in Botswana. She has thirteen published books including those for children, young adults and adults, and her short stories have appeared in publications on four continents. She has written two television series for Botswana Television: Morwalela and Re Bina Mmogo II . Her writing prizes include the Golden Baobab Literary Prize (USA) -the junior category in 2009 and the senior category in 2010, the BTA/AngloPlatinum Short Story Contest (South Africa- 2007) and the Botswana Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture’s Orange Botswerere Prize for Creative Writing (2007). She was chosen as a writer in residence in El Gouna Egypt for the month of May 2010. She writes a weekly column called It’s All Write about books and writing in the Botswana national newspaper The Voice and she blogs at Thoughts from Botswana.

Registration

This event is free and open to all, but pre-registration is required. Pre-registration will be possible via this webpage from Monday 31 January.

From time to time there are changes to event details so we strongly recommend that if you plan to attend this event you check back on this listing on the day of the event.

CPD

This event has been certified for CPD purposes by the Continuing Professional Development Certification Service. It is the responsibility of delegates to register their details with a LSE event steward at the event in order to obtain a CPD certificate of attendance. If a delegate fails to register their details at the event, it will not prove possible to issue a certificate. Certificates of attendance will be emailed out within 10 working days of the event.

If you are planning to attend this event and would like details on how to get here and what time to arrive, please refer to Coming to an event at LSE

Deadline: 31 January 2011

(Note: 2010 fellows included Ret'sepile Makamane from Lesotho/ South Africa)

The Charles Pick Fellowship is dedicated to the memory of the distinguished publisher and literary agent, Charles Pick, whose career began in 1933 and continued until shortly before his death in January 2000. He encouraged young writers at the start of their careers with introductions to other writers and offered practical and financial help.

The Fellowship seeks to continue this spirit of encouragement by giving support to the work of a new and, as yet, unpublished writer of fictional or non-fictional prose. Its purpose is to give promising writers time to devote to the development of his/her talents. The Fellowship will be for six months, starting on 1 October. The award is £10,000.

Terms and Conditions

Applicants for the Fellowship must be writers of fictional or non-fictional prose in English who have not yet published a book (please note that for the purposes of this Fellowship non-fiction prose includes, for example, biography, memoir and travel writing, but not critical or historical monographs based on academic research). The Fellowship would be for the purposes of completing a major work. Applicants can be writers of any age and any nationality.

(Please visit the UK Border Agency Website at: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf27pbstempworker in order to ensure that you are able to score the requisite number of points in order to apply for entry clearance. This only applies to individuals subject to a certificate of sponsorship currently living outside the UK.)

The successful candidate will be selected by a distinguished panel of writers. There will be no interviews, and candidates will be judged on the quality and promise of their writing, the project they describe, and the strength of their referee's report.

The Fellow will be a member of the School of Literature and Creative Writing and will be required to reside at the University of East Anglia for the period of the Fellowship. Accommodation will be provided on campus and is paid for by the Fellowship Award. Shared office space and computer facilities will be made available for the Fellow in the School.

During the residential period, the Fellow will be required to submit written work to a nominated mentor and take part in Creative Writing Research Seminars. No teaching duties attach to the Fellowship.

Completed application forms should be submitted together with a typescript of an original unpublished piece of fiction or non-fiction of not more than 2500 words (please include word count on first page), written in English. This must be a sample of the project the applicant would undertake if awarded the Fellowship. The typescript should be a hard copy, printed as a singlesided, double-spaced document.

Please do not staple or otherwise bind the sheets of your typescript together. Handwritten work, fax or email applications will not be accepted. All submissions must be accompanied by a completed application form and reference (see below). Do not include any additional documentation or materials. Work submitted cannot be returned to applicants.

Applications should be posted to:

Fellowship Administrator
The Charles Pick Fellowship
School of Literature and Creative Writing
University of East Anglia
Norwich, NR4 7TJ
United Kingdom

Deadline: All applications must be received by 31 January 2011

Late or incomplete applications will not be considered

Reference

All applicants must provide a reference from an editor, agent or accredited teacher of creative writing. The reference, on the official reference form, must be sent by the referee directly to The Charles Pick Fellowship at the above address. Please note that any application without a reference will not be considered, nor will any application be considered if the reference arrives after the deadline.

Links:

* 2011 Information, Terms and Conditions
Please note: if the successful applicant is currently living outside the UK and requiring certificate of sponsorship, he or she will need to meet the UK Border Agency's requirements. Please visit the UK Border Agency website in order to ensure that you are able to score the requisite number of points in order to apply for entry clearance.
* 2011 Application Form (MS Word 2011 Application Form(PDF)
* 2011 Reference Form (MS Word) 2011 Reference Form (PDF)
* Read news from former Charles Pick Fellows
* Email the Fellowship Administrator

Deadline: 11 May 2011

The workshop is a component of Fidelity’s corporate Social Responsibility, through which the bank continues to push for a better society. Participants are expected to read and discuss a wide range of fiction as well as complete short writing exercises. Entries open on Monday 18 April 2011 to Wednesday 11 May 2011. Participation in the workshop is limited to those who apply and are accepted. A public symposium featuring readings and panel discussions will be held on the last day of the workshop.

To apply, send an e-mail to: Creative.writing@fidelitybankplc.com. Your e-mail should bear the title – “Workshop Application”.

The body of the e-mail should contain the following:
1. Your name
2. Your address
3. A few sentences about yourself (not more than 50 words)
4. A writing sample of between 200 – 1000 words

Please note that the workshop is purely meant for fiction writers. Any entry that does not fall into this category will be automatically rejected. Acceptance will be based on quality of the entry. The entry must be pasted or written in the body of the e-mail. Do NOT send any attachments. Applications with attachments will be automatically disqualified. If accepted, you will be notified by June 10, 2011.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: Creative.writing@fidelitybankplc.com

For submissions: Creative.writing@fidelitybankplc.com

Website: http://www.fidelitybankplc.com/

Between the Lines: July 11-25, 2011

For the fourth year in a row, the International Writing Program, in cooperation with the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio (IYWS), will host the Between the Lines (BTL) program. Twelve young writers from Arabic-speaking countries, aged 16-19, will be invited to the University of Iowa, where they will participate in writing workshops, visit local sights, and deepen their understanding of the United States through interactions with fellow students and the community. Workshops will be led by teachers who are respected writers in their own right.

Accommodations are in Currier Hall, a dormitory within easy walking distance of the Writers’ Workshop, the International Writing Program, and other UI sites. Boys and girls reside in separate areas under the supervision of adult chaperones.

Participating students will have their travel, room/board, and most cultural expenses covered.

BTL is sponsored through grant funds provided by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US State Department.

The Curriculum

Workshops

Just about every writing program offers some variation of the workshop; it is the only way a writer can get direct feedback from his or her readers. Workshopping is not writing by committee. Instead, constructive criticism helps a writer to see his/her work through the eyes of good readers. The text for this class is the writing that students generate. Workshop inevitably precipitates in-depth, thoughtful meditations on what it is that writers do. Instructors ensure that workshops present a supportive environment. In BTL, students participate in two workshops: one in Arabic and one in English. In the English-language workshop, students will learn alongside their American peers.

More Daily Activities

Structure is a writer’s best friend. Each day begins with Morning Reports, a chance to make sure everyone is up to speed, to announce readings, and to cover logistics. The Studio occasionally hosts speakers during this meeting.

* Every morning students get together to write as a group. Instructors will introduce favorite writing exercises.
* Evening activities include visits and readings with established writers and trips to interesting places around Iowa City. There is at least one featured literary activity each night.

Iowa City, Iowa

With a literary pedigree rivaling that of Chicago and New York, Iowa City is home to the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the Nonfiction Writing Program, as well as the International Writing Program, the Playwrights’ Workshop, the Iowa Summer Writing Festival, and the Center for the Book. That’s quite a resume for a town of 60,000. To see how much Iowa City values its writers, all you need to do is stroll down its main street, Iowa Avenue, and look at the Literary Walk, a series of bronze relief panels that honor 49 writers with ties to Iowa, including Kurt Vonnegut, Flannery O’Connor, and Rita Dove. This is a busy, picturesque college town with several coffee houses, movie theaters, a mall, and shops to visit. It should come as no surprise that in 2008, the United Nations Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) named Iowa City the world’s third City of Literature, joining Edinburgh, Scotland, and Melbourne, Australia.

Visiting writers will give informal talks and presentations about the craft of writing and the writing life. Staff will organize outings to local attractions, plays and concerts. The Writers’ Workshop and Prairie Lights Bookstore offer their own reading series, which provide alternate readings several times a week.

Housing

The Residence Hall

Participants live in Currier Residence Hall. Stately, newly-renovated, but traditional, Currier is located on a tree-lined street near the heart of the University’s campus. Some of its amenities include courtyard, several lounges, laundry rooms, vending machines, a pool table and game room, a grand piano, and – most importantly – a spacious new computer lab. The residence hall and its surroundings are well lit. Currier’s doors are locked each night and university security officers make regular rounds of each floor. Each student room can be locked from the inside. A Residence Hall Coordinator is available 24 hours a day.

Chaperones and Counselors

Students are escorted to and from a designated city by adult chaperones who are fluent in both Arabic and English. These chaperones act as Arabic-speaking liaisons between the students and the BTL and IYWS staff. They also work with the IWP on BTL-related projects, and attend an Iowa Summer Writing Festival class of their choice.

During the session, adult, university-trained counselors live on each floor. They are there to listen to students’ concerns, solve problems that may arise, and help ensure the safety of every BTL and IYWS student. They are also writers themselves, and can give writing advice and foster a strong sense of creative community.

Rules

In order to ensure a safe and enjoyable living experience, there are a number of rules that all BTL participants must follow. Some of these rules are:

1. Smoking and/or the use of alcohol or other illegal substances is strictly prohibited.
2. Nightly room checks and morning roll call are mandatory.
3. Students must be on their hall by 10:30 pm.

In order to participate in BTL, all participants, as well as a parent or guardian, must sign forms indicating that the participants have read the rules and will agree to live by them during the residency.

Chicago, Illinois

BTL participants will spend July 23-25 in Chicago, where they will have a chance to apply some of what they’ve learned during their time in Iowa City. One of the great American cities, Chicago has a wealth of cultural and artistic resources to explore, and never more than in the summer, when fairs and festivals occur almost every weekend. Students will participate in at least one writing workshop while there.

Questions and Answers

Who teaches the classes?

Workshop leaders are professional writers; their work is published in literary magazines and many have books published or under contract. They are also experienced teachers, both at the high school and college level. They are selected based on their knowledge, teaching ability, and enthusiasm. IYWS instructors are required to hold, or to be within one year of completing, master’s degrees in fine arts, which is the degree required to teach creative writing at the collegiate level in the United States.

Is college credit given for participating in BTL?

BTL does not offer college credit for any of the classes.

How are students admitted?

Embassies in Middle East countries are responsible for providing the International Writing Program with a pool of qualified applicants. Each applicant must provide the following:

* 7-8 pages of prose and/or poetry written in Arabic
* 7-8 pages of prose and/or poetry written in English
* A one-paragraph personal statement (in English) describing why they are interested in participating in BTL.

International Writing Program staff and BTL faculty will review the writing samples and personal statements and then choose 12 students from the pool of all qualified applicants.

For more information on BTL, contact:

Kecia Lynn, BTL Coordinator
International Writing Program
Shambaugh House
430 N. Clinton
Iowa City, IA 52245
319-384-3296
kecia-lynn@uiowa.edu

Specific call for applicants from the US Embassy in Algeria can be found here, and from the US Embassy in Libya here.

Deadline: 1 March 2011

North Carolina A&T State University Creative Writing Program 2011

The Sonia Sanchez and Amiri Baraka Prize in Poetry

Submission period opens: February 1, 2011. Postmark deadline: March 1, 2011 (packets must be received in-house no later than March 4.)

The Creative Writing Program @ North Carolina A&T State University announces its 2011
Sonia Sanchez and Amiri Baraka Prize in Poetry

We inaugurate this competition on the anniversary of the A&T Four Greensboro sit-in Movement and the onset of Black History Month. We seek to celebrate the courageous legacy of African-American literary achievement by honoring the legacies of two literary giants. Their literary works and personal life energies have been spent in service to the upliftment of black people worldwide and to the struggle for freedom, justice and equality for all oppressed peoples. Their scholarship. activism and poetry have reminded the world about the sacredness of human dignity and the need to preserve it. We are looking for poetry that seeks to honor the spirit of this tradition.

Poetry entries: (No more than 50 lines per poem, up to 3 poems per submission, any style.) Competition will be judge by a committee of poets and writers. (should the entries not be up to our standards, we reserve the right to withhold the prize in a given year.) The winner receives
$250 and publication on the NC A&T web site. Applicants must write in English. This competition is open to African-American writers only. Please send 4 sets of unpublished poems to the address below.

Please include the following per entry:

• Four typed copies of unpublished manuscript (author's name must not appear on manuscript.)
• One cover sheet with name, address, telephone, email, line count and titles of poems.
• $15 reading fee in check or money order, per submission, made payable to NCAT/CWP-Poetry Prize.

Please mail your submission to:

Creative Writing Program-Poetry Prize, NC A&T State University, 1601 E. Market St., Greensboro, NC 27411.

Dr. Anjail Rashida Ahmad, Director of the Creative Writing Program, NC A&T State University, 1601 E. Market St., Greensboro, NC 27411, Tel: 336.334.7771, ext. 2370, E-mail: arahmad@ncat.edu

Deadline: 1 - 4 December 2010

When: Wednesday, December 01
Repeat: 2 days Until Dec 04 2010

Event description

Lola Kenya Screen Critical Writing and Creative Documentary Film Workshops
Lola Kenya Screen, PCEA Enchoro Emuny Church compound, Ngong Hills town, 22 km from Nairobi CBD

Presented in the framework of the pan African Cinetoile African mobile cinema network, these workshops that bring together 30 children and youth from Nairobi and its environs shall also mark five years since the founding of Lola Kenya Screen as an audiovisual media festival, skill-development mentorship programme and market for children and youth in eastern Africa in October 2005.

Guest speakers include The Creative Writing workshop shall be conducted by Ogova Ondego using ComMattersKenya's 2010 definitive guide on writing, How to Write on 1001 Subjects!

The Creative Writing workshop shall be conducted by Ogova Ondego using ComMattersKenya's 2010 definitive guide on writing, How to Write on 1001 Subjects!

Lola Kenya Screen appeals for support from other well wishers in helping shape the destiny of Kenya, Africa and the world through mentoring children and youth. Any organisation or individual in any part of the world interested in sharing our vision and responsibilities to the present and future generations of young people in any way may contact the Directorate of Lola Kenya Screen through director@lolakenyascreen.org, cell 254 733 703374, 254 722 486531, 254 752 745423 or tel 254 20 315258, 254 20 2213318.

Event Contacts

director@lolakenyascreen.org
0733 703374, 254 722 486531, 254 752 745423
http://www.lolakenyascreen.org/

Dates: 22 - 26 July 21011

REDSEA-ONLINE Cultural Foundation, in collaboration with other Somaliland cultural organizations, is eager to announce the Fourth Hargeysa International Book Fair (HIBF) which will take place from 22 to 26 July 2011 in Hargeysa.

HIBF is the main cultural event in Somaliland and one of the largest public celebrations of books in East Africa. Every July, HIBF brings writers, poets, artists and thinkers from Somaliland and from all over the world to share and discuss their art and literary productions with the audience. The main aim of the festival is to promote a culture of reading and writing in the country, by producing and publishing high quality Somali literature and translating international classical literature, (including fiction, poetry and drama) into Somali. We aim to enable young people to access a range of cultural heritages; our intention is to stimulate the revival of all forms of art and human expression, including painting, poetry reciting, story-telling, drama composition and of course, writing. The Book Fair is linked to its sister London's Somali Week Festival which takes place in 22-26 October.

HIBF targets not only to young audience, but to a wider sectors of the society, and it aims to help foster cultural understanding, tolerance, democracy, and an appreciation of the diversity of Somali culture and literature. In the past few years, our festivals raised the profile of reading and writing and also the integration in Somaliland of youth from different regions around the country. The main aim of the book fair in fact is to promote critically thinking culture and creative writing, to facilitate the habit of reading, to display books, from both local and writers abroad, to encourage members in the public to browse, read, engage with authors, be inspired to young people, and wider society.

Each year a theme, associated with and relevant to the issues surrounding youth and citizenship, is selected. The overall cultural programme this year will revolve around the theme of “Collective Memory.” Somaliland will be celebrating its 20 years of independence and hence the theme will touch upon events and processes that have shaped Somalilanders’ collective memories of the country. Our aim is to reflect on but also contribute to the creation of a national collective memory, through the arts. The project, this year, aims to produce its own culturally rooted literature on this theme by publishing different books, and to write a monologue drama on Somaliland's recent history: Topics such as the peace negotiation process, de-militarization, democracy and the growth of political parties, will be touched upon. Furthermore, the diversity of individual’s experiences of the new nation-state will also be captured through discussions, testimonies and different artistic genres, thus contributing to the creation of a collective memory.

The theme: Collective Memory

Contemporary usage of the term collective memory is traceable to Emile Durkheim (1858 – 1917) and to his student Maurice Halbwachs (1877 – 1945). Distinct from individual memory, collective memory is shared, passed on and also constructed by a group or modern society to shape their national identity. Parts of the collective memory for a nation can be represented in a physical monument, commemorative symbols, rituals, story-telling or media production, including literary creating, fiction and non fiction production, oral poetry and so on. Both “history” and “collective memory” are publicly available social facts. The difference is, while the classical history is something “dead” and confined to the past, the collective memory is something “alive” and it can be viewed as real or current history hidden in the people’s memories, experiences, testimonies, and human stories. Whilst history can explain the actors and times (who and when) of an event, it cannot capture the original emotion caused by the event. Preserving and archiving collective memory will afford people an opportunity to revisit the event and prolong its presence. We want people of different ages, different backgrounds, writers, thinkers and youth to focus on a common and shared collective memory that creates the foundation of the nation and of a national identity.

The format

The basic idea of the Book Fair is to celebrate and promote the culture of reading and writing, to create a platform where authors and other artists meet their readers and the general audience. We intend to create and facilitate an atmosphere of dialogue where ideas circulate and constructive and educational debates take place. There will be book launching events, readers clubs work presentations, meeting with authors, creative writing lessons, joyful and relaxing moments with Somali lyricists, video-screening, and poetry reciting. There will also be other parallel cultural events, covering other art genres, such as a photo exhibition and an art exhibit showcasing talented young painters in Somaliland. The overall programme will be carefully crafted to stimulate and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds.

CORE EVENTS

• A high profile debate and discussion forum, organized and attended also by young people, is one of the main events of the book fair. These series of debates cut across generations, and each year youth delegations from different regions across the country gather to create a unique forum through which audience and authors meet to exchange thoughts and opinions.

• Another highlight of the cultural program is the presentation of the yearly Sheeko iyo Shaahid literary award, reserved for young short story writers. Whilst this competition is aimed at young people, we have opened it to anyone under the age of 40. We believe some older writers never had the opportunity to develop their literary skills, as the country was at war for 15 years. This year we expect even more participation, based on the trends set in the past three years. Books containing the winning stories of the past years have been published and the event has been created and followed by many young people. The 4th edition of the under-40s short story writers will be launched and an award will be presented to the authors of last year’s Sheeko iyo Shaahid competition. Volume three of the series, comprising the winning stories from last year’s competition, will be distributed to the participants of the 2011 competition, the winners of the previous competitions and all the participants of the 2010 competition.

• HIBF-2011 will introduce the “moving library” tour, which will commence a week prior to the Festival. A bus carrying books and representatives of 9 regional Readers Clubs will tour all major cities in the country prior to the festival (members of these clubs work throughout the year presenting books to local communities). In every city there will be an event in which the readers clubs and the other youth organizations will promote the books, and encourage participants and local citizens to embrace reading as a hobby. There will be “darandoorri” (reading together) sessions in which selected national and international renowned literature will be read by young people e.g., some members of the readers clubs will read excerpts of George Orwell's “Animal Farm” translated by late Mohamed Yusuf Arten and re-published by Ponte Invisibile as well as other books by authors participating on the tour. Books will be distributed to the cities and villages along the routes of this tour, and lyrical composition, specifically commissioned for event, will be performed in every city. After the tour, the regional youth and readers clubs representatives will go to Hargeysa, and showcase their work at the book fair. They will also be asked to make their work relevant to the theme of collective memory.

• Short courses: writing and photography. Due to a lack of adequate training available to young journalists and the new members of the reading clubs we intend to organise short writing courses for those struggling with the language. Our aim is engage a small group of 18 young writers and reporters (1 member from each of the Reading clubs, 5 from Somaliland press and the 12 winners of the Sheeko iyo Shaahid) to provide language, grammar and creative writing workshops. As our idea is to promote different forms of arts among the young people, and to create artistic skills, we identified this year the necessity to promote also skill in photography. Thus, an intensive photography course for 7-10 young people will be also be organized before the book fair. The course attendees will volunteer as photographers of the book fair.

• Book launching. A number of new books published specifically within this year's book festival will be launched and world-renowned authors will be invited. We will also invite and encourage the launch of other new books authored by local writers. Over four days sessions, books will be on display and people will have an opportunity to read, review and purchase books from the publishers/books sellers/authors who may want to take their literary production in the book fair. The books launched throughout the festival will touch on various aspects relating to the theme of collective memory. Exploring experiences both within Somaliland and across the Diaspora, the books will investigate a range of topics including historic events, socio-economic changes, citizenship, identity and modernity and tradition. The programme of the events will include all books that will be launched during the HIBF. If you know about a book suitable to be launched or you are author of one, please contact to the organizers before 1 April 2011 so I can be included into the programme.

• Video screenings. Last year’s video documentation will be screened. The video shows how young people in Somaliland think on about the theme of citizenship. They explained with their own words and definitions.

SPECIAL EVENTS

• Opening and closing events with music and poetry reciting. To enhance the books fair's festive and educational atmosphere, poets and lyricists will be invited to entertain the audience in a great festive yet educational event on the opening and closing days. There will be a stage event both in opening and closing day.

• Commemorating Madar: a young and talented painter. Madar Osman was young artist and a teacher, who only last year demonstrated a unique talent. Unfortunately Madar died in a car accident soon after the Hargeysa International Book Fair and Mooge Festival of 2010. This year we will showcase his art production and some of his most interesting works will be displayed during the book fair.

• The Science Awareness Day. The Science Awareness Day is significantly important to Somaliland's development in the long terms. Somaliland needs to move shift its emphasis on manufacturing nation rather than the notion of relying on other nations' gift aids. With the motto "Science for Sustainable Development', the Day hopes to mobilise the energy and resources of the diaspora community to effectively contribute to development of Somaliland.

• Photo exhibition: Somaliland faces. Professional photographers and photojournalists will be invited to display their photographs of the people and the land.

PRE AND POST LITERARY PRODUCTION

A number of books will be published and/or translated into Somali before the Hargeysa International Book Fair, and they will be delivered to Hargeysa in time in order to be launched during the book fair. These include books specifically related to the theme of the year and commissioned by the organizers (see in the programme of events the list of books being published this year).

After the book fair, several materials will be published, including:

o Proceedings book on the Book Fair, including all the papers presented
o Educational material for the Creative Writing course.
o Volume four of Sheeko iyo Shaahid winning stories collection. This competition is a flagship asset for our cultural program, and is intended to inspire the youth to get involved in critical thinking and in composing, storytelling, preserving and participating in Somali culture and arts.
o Audio-visual: A DVD Documentary Film containing the Moving Library Tour, the drama and lyrics produced for the reading promotion, and the major events of the HIBF-2011.

All materials produced during and for the Book Fair, including the documentary film and printed literature, will be presented in our sister Somali Week Festival 2011 in October and then in several other European countries including Denmark (November 2011), The Netherlands (December 2011) and January 2012 (Italy).

Guest of honour country

As in the past years, HIBF will host a guest country by inviting writers and publishers of that country. Literature from and on that country will be displayed during the book fair. For this year’s festival, we are exploring the best option among a set of guest honour countries.

Keynote speakers, guest authors and artists

HIBF-2011 will feature prominent national and international authors, artists and speakers, including Somaliland based authors, diaspora based authors as well as internationally celebrated authors who will present their literature. The invited keynote speakers will be announced soon. In the meantime, the organizers invite all authors and publishers who may want to present their literature to contact them before 1 April 2011. Please send your inquiry to jama@redsea-online.com.

Venue: Guriga Shaqaalaha, Hargeysa, Somaliland.

Event dates: July 22 - 26, 2011

Event hours: 09:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M.

Deadline: 30 September 2010

THE NIGERIAN ACADEMY OF LETTERS (NAL) in collaboration with NIGERIAN LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS (NLNG), are planning a Creating Writing Workshop for budding writers. This is scheduled to take place at Ibadan from Monday, November 8 to Friday 12, 2010. Participants are expected to arrive on Sunday, November 7 and depart on Saturday, November 13, 2010

Intending participants must have a flair for writing and must have been published in a creative outlet or must have unpublished samples of creative materials.

Each application must be accompanied with comprehensive curriculum vitae, which should include the mobile phone (GSM) number(s).

Requirements for the different sub-genres of writing are as follows:

For Poetry - Three (3) samples are to be forwarded

For prose fiction - A composition of not more than 5, 000 words is required, if meant to be a full-length novel, then the writer should indicate, as clearly as possible, the extent and development of the plot.

For Short Stories - Three (3) pages of text, typed double-spaced, should be adequate.

For Drama - A short dramatic sketch of not more than three (3) pages should be forwarded.

All applications, addressed to: The Secretary, Creative Writing Empowerment Grant (CWEG), c/o NAL Secretary, Faculty of Arts University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State . Should be in not later than September 30, 2010.

Successful applicants will be entitled to the following:

- Roundtrip transport allowance to and from workshop venue

- Hotel accommodation for the duration of the workshop

- Lunch and per diem for the period of workshop.

This workshop will be run by distinguished resource persons, established writers and experienced publishers/consultants.

Race-Talk is looking for writers for next week to talk about racism and sexism as it relates to slavery/human trafficking. For inquiries or submissions, e-mail bell.875@osu.edu.

General Submission Guidelines

Race-Talk is always looking for contributors with expertise with:

Native American, Women, European, African-American, South Asian, East Asian, African, Middle Eastern, Latino, South American, Canadian, Southeast Asian and Globalization/Racism issues.

Submitting Articles to Race-Talk

Race-Talk welcomes queries. A good Race-Talk article offers background and context to ongoing national and world issues, a challenge to the mainstream media perspective, or an important story that hasn’t been told elsewhere. Subject matter includes how race and gender affect politics, culture, the arts, and social issues, with a focus on quality writing.

Before you submit anything to Race-Talk, be sure you are familiar with our approach. Pay particular attention to writing quality and content. Articles for Race-Talk should be written in language simple enough to be comprehensible to a high school student, with enough research and insight to be interesting to a PhD. Assume that you’re talking to knowledgeable readers; don’t be didactic. Avoid excessive identifiers for well-known figures or familiar debates. We encourage writers to grapple with big ideas, but they must be conveyed with wit and style, avoiding clichés, jargon, artspeak, journalese, and academese.

First, you must register to Race-Talk.org. You will be labeled as a “subscriber.” Please send brief query email proposing your article (250 words or less) here. Also, include your relevant experience to the topic. Make sure the subject line says “Submission.” Please do not send us submissions via snail mail. Please do not contact the Kirwan Institute by telephone for submissions.

If we accept your submission your user name status will be changed to “author” and you will be allowed to post your submission. We may edit for grammar and spelling; headline and include a photo – if not provided.

Written pieces usually run between 500 and 1500 words, though some longer articles may be accepted.

Submitting art and creative writing to the Culture Section

Race-Talk’s culture section covers artists and cultural issues overlooked by the mainstream press, whom of which discuss issues of race, ethnicity and equality through art and creative writing. The section provides readers with cultural inspiration and showcases the individuals who make culture happen. Writing is sharp, stylish and alive with wit. It should be interesting to art practitioners and enthusiasts, but accessible to the merely curious.

Subjects/topics covered include: independent and underground film, video, books, music, zines, websites, e-zines, dance, art, photography, performance art, theatre. Is it art? If you have to ask, it probably is. We like work that has a political edge, a cheeky sense of humor—or both. If you have your artwork digitally we can create a digital art exhibit. Keep in mind that our audience is national and stories and issues covered in the section should be timely.

First, you must register to Race-Talk.org. You will be labeled as a “subscriber.” Please send brief query email proposing your creative piece (250 words or less) to our Culture Editor. Also, include your relevant experience to the topic. Make sure the subject line says “Culture Section Submission.” Please do not send us submissions via snail mail. Please do not contact the Kirwan Institute by telephone for submissions.

If we accept your submission your user name status will be changed to “author” and you will be allowed to post your submission. We may edit for grammar and spelling; headline and include a photo – if not provided.

International call for submissions: creative writing in non-native languages contexts

This is an opportunity for scholars working in the field to develop an account of those theories, strategies, and practices informing their work.

Essays which investigate intersections between artistic, theoretical, and cultural practices are particularly welcomed.

If you be interested in contributing to this project, please email dan_disney@hotmail.com – subject heading ‘Creative Writing (L2)’ – outlining your proposed submission.

Dr. Dan Disney
Department of English Literature
Sogang University, Seoul (Korea)

More information at the APWP website here.

Deadline: 27 April 2011

The fifth edition of the creative writing workshop organized by Farafina Trust, is scheduled to hold between June 23 to July 2 2011 in Lagos. Award-winning writer and Farafina author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will be teaching alongside Kenyan writer, Binyavanga Wainaina. The workshop, sponsored by Nigerian Breweries Plc, will take the form of a class. Participants will learn a lot as they will be assigned a wide range of reading exercises, as well as daily writing exercises. The workshop aims at improving the craft of Nigerian writers and encouraging published and unpublished writers by bringing different perspectives to the art of storytelling. Participation is limited only to those who apply and are accepted.

To apply, send an e-mail to Udonandu2010@gmail.com. Your e-mail subject should read ‘Workshop Application.’ The body of the e-mail should contain the following:

1. Your Name

2. Your address

3. A few sentences about yourself

4. A writing sample of between 200 and 800 words. The sample must be either fiction or non-fiction.

All material must be pasted or written in the body of the e-mail. Please Do NOT include any attachments in your e-mail. Applications with attachments will be automatically disqualified. Deadline for submissions is April 27 2011. Successful applicants will be notified by June 15 2011. Accommodation in Lagos will be provided for all accepted applicants who are able to attend for the ten-day duration of the workshop. A literary evening of readings, open to the public, will be held at the end of the workshop on July 2, 2011.

Deadline: open

Rationale

Fahamu’s Pambazuka Press will be publishing a Queer African Reader [working title] in June 2011, in response to the increasing homophobia and transphobia across the continent which aims to silence the voices of African Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people.

The Queer African Reader seeks to make a timely intervention by bringing together a collection of writings, analysis and artistic works that engage with the struggle for LGBTI liberation and inform sexual orientation and gender variance. The book seeks primarily to engage an African audience and will focus on intersectionality while including experiences from a variety of contexts including rural communities, from exile, from conflict and post-conflict situations as well as diverse religious and cultural contexts. The book seeks to explore issues ranging from: identity, tactics for activism, international solidarity, homophobia and global politics, the feminist movement and LGBTI rights, religion and culture, reconciling the personal with the political.

Methodology

We are using an alternative framework for the book based on a participatory model in which we seek prospective contributors and the broad queer activist community to discuss possible topics to be included that will push analysis and thinking within this distinct and diverse movement across the continent. Through collective, participatory discussion from the queer African community, to the extent that we were able to access the community with limited resources (we will mostly use multi-media platforms such as a wiki, email, listserves, social networking sites and discussion forums to spark contribution), we will identify themes with potential topics within each and put out a call for abstracts to potential collaborators.

Significantly we will hold a two week writers' retreat once abstracts and first draft contributions have been selected so that ten African LGBTI leaders, thinkers and activists can use the space to reflect, share their ideas and writing, peer review each other’s work, have access to sources and resources provided by prominent academics. The writing retreat will be fully sponsored and contributors will be provided an honorarium for their writing, which will enable them to take the time away from their activities to put together a critically reflective piece.

Along with the critical analysis from the continent contributed from ten African activists, the book will include personal stories, creative writing, poetry, photography and other art forms from the African LGBTI community. In addition, we will select five pieces of reflective work from the African Diaspora.

Objectives

To amplify African LGBTI voices.
To strengthen analysis on issues related to African LGBTI rights.
To strengthen African LGBTI activism through the development and exploration of themes of relevance.
Enhanced writing skills, knowledge and access to learning for LGBTI activists.
Contribute to the documentation and historic archiving of African LGBTI life experiences, thinking and positions.
Outcome

A strengthened LGBTI movement able to articulate its frame in an African context and through African experiences.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS - QUEER AFRICAN READER

Project Consultant: Sokari Ekine
Proposed Editors: Sokari Ekine, Hakima Abbas

We are writing to invite you to participate in the publication of an African LGBTI / Queer Reader [The Reader] to be published by Pambazuka Press in June 2011. The Reader is being published in response to the increasing homophobia and transphobia across the continent which aims to silence the voices of African Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex people.

The African LGBTI / Queer Reader [Working Title] seeks to make a timely intervention by bringing together a collection of writings and artistic works that engage with the struggle for LGBTI liberation and inform sexual orientation and gender variance. The book seeks to engage with primarily an African audience focusing on intersectionality and will include experiences from rural communities, post-conflict situations, religious experience as well that of immigration and displacement.

We are proposing an alternative framework for the book based on a participatory model in which we ask prospective contributors and the broad queer activist community to discuss possible topics to be included that will push analysis and thinking within this distinct and diverse movement across the continent writing from the standpoint of both personal stories and experiences as activists. We feel this is important because of the multi layered issues which exist historically, regionally and politically with regards to sexual orientation and gender variance in Africa as well as the overall struggle for African liberation.

We hope to facilitate the writing of key African LGBTI leaders, activists and thinkers by providing a two week retreat where activists can create the space to reflect, share their ideas and writing, peer review each other’s work, have access to sources and resources provided by prominent academics and the institution. The writing retreat will be fully sponsored and contributors will be provided an honorarium for their writing which will enable them to take the time away from their activities to provide a critically reflective piece.

Submissions can be any of the following: essays, personal stories, poems, art work, photography, short stories.

Possible Topics - not including personal stories, poems, stories

We have identified eight themes which are listed below with a brief summary of each. We are suggesting each of you think about the theme[s] that interest you and suggest specific topics on which you could write or would like to see addressed.

1. WHAT’S IN A LETTER:
We repeatedly use the terms lesbian, gay, bi-sexual transgender and intersex but what do these mean in your own experience, your own community and country? How limiting or inclusive are these labels? Are they appropriate and do they reflect your own experiences? Does the identity cause more problems than the behavior? Does gender variance provide a more appropriate entry point for discussion in Africa given silence around all sexualities? How do we organize across definitions? Why should we?

2. RESISTING OPPRESSION - TOWARDS LIBERATION:
What kind of strategies have been used or could be taken up to resist / challenge queer oppression? Should the struggle for LGBTI Rights be framed within a Western construct which sees Rights as instruments and legislation or should the struggle for rights be constructed within a framework of movement building around which the oppressed organise? How has the reliance on the NGO Industrial complex supported or hindered movement building? If the latter, what possible alternatives are there to organising and fund raising? How can we move towards more collaborative and collective ways of working which support movement building? What kind of strategies have been used or could be taken up to resist / challenge criminalisation and homophobia including that coming from religious institutions and the media?

3. PINK COLONIALISM AND WESTERN MISSIONARIES:
What are the problematics of internationalising campaigns and how do we work with allies in the West? How do we overcome donor dependence as a movement? Do the donors and bilaterals save us from ourselves? How do we measure victory e.g. in Malawi and Uganda?

3. A CHANGING WORLD: SOUTH AFRICA AND THE BRICS:
Does South Africa have a particular role to play in supporting queer liberation in Africa? Does the shift in global power create opportunity or threat for African queer liberation? What other geo-political factors determine the course for queer liberation?

5. AFRICAN QUEER LIBERATION AND CLASS STRUGGLE:
What are the intersections between the broader social justice movement in Africa and the movement for queer liberation? Why should one care about the other?

6. ARE GAY MEN FEMINISTS?
What political frames are useful in our movement building? While LBT activists have tended towards feminism does it exclude GT men? How do we address patriarchy and sexism in our movements and personal relationships even among women-identified folks? Why do many straight identified African feminists resist taking on queer issues as a feminist issue in Africa?

7. GOD AND QUEER – INCOMPATIBLE OR INSEPERABLE IN AFRICA
Does the movement have to come from a secular space? Given that many African queer folks identify as religious how do we overcome fundamentalism? The US right wing church are using Africa as a battleground for queer bashing – why is this effective? What of countries with majority Muslim populations or Islamic law for queer liberation?

8. RECONCILING THE PERSONAL WITH THE POLITICAL:
What particular role has been / can be played by those engaged in activism through the creative arts? What has been / is the personal cost to working as social justice activists often working in relative isolation and in hostile environments? How can we better balance our lives as social justice activists with that of social people and the need to care for ourselves?

Dates: 14 - 19 March 2011

Twenty-one prominent writers from a dozen different countries, will converge on Durban for a thought-provoking week of literary dialogue and exchange of ideas at the Time of the Writer international writers festival from 14 to 19 March. Hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts (University of Kwa-Zulu Natal) and with principal funding from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, this 14th edition of the festival, presents a packed programme of both day and evening activities. 'Freedom of Expression' will feature as an underlying thread within the festival and audiences can expect to hear the opinions of leading writers on creative processes which inform their writing as well as on the enabling or constraining forces of political, social and environmental contexts within which they write.

The festival's Opening Night Keynote Address will be delivered by the recently retired Constitutional Court judge, esteemed writer and cultural activist, Justice Albie Sachs. The award-winning author of a number of books, including Soft Vengeance of a Freedom Fighter and Justice in South Africa, Sachs was instrumental in the process of writing the constitution of South Africa and is therefore eminently qualified to speak on the festival theme of Freedom of Expression.

Evening Activities

Following the opening night at which all writers present brief introductions, double-bill readings and panel discussions will take place nightly at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, preceded by book launches and live music.

Tuesday 15 March will feature British-born American Raj Patel food activist and author of internationally-acclaimed Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System, and his most recent offering, The Value of Nothing. Patel has been active in South African affairs and was a visiting scholar at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2009. Joining him in a discussion entitled Ugly/ Beautiful, Stuffed and Starved will be South African leading cultural commentator and author of the award-winning Ugly/Beautiful: African and Diaspora Aesthetics, Sarah Nuttall, with her reflections on contemporary society.

Also shining a spotlight on contemporary South Africa on the same night is author and journalist Lauren Beukes, whose novel Zoo City, has been described as "intelligent and witty urban writing for the 21st century." Popular Durban-based author of The Lotus People (which won the 2001 Sanlam Literary Award for an unpublished novel), Aziz Hassim, joins Beukes in a discussion entitled Life in the Inner City.

Leading intellectual and award-winning writer Njabulo Ndebele, author of 'Fools' and other Stories, The Cry of Winnie Mandela and others, will, together with provocative post-colonial thinker and academic Achille Mbembe, tackle the heady topic of A Promise Delivered or a Nation Betrayed: Literature as South Africa’s Conscience. Cameroon- born Mbembe is a profound voice in contesting clichéd Western perspectives of Africa.

Ndebele and Mbembe appear on Wednesday 16 March, the same evening that a foregrounding of African culture will take place in the presentations by Petina Gappah (Zimbabwe) and Ellen Banda-Aaku (Zambia). Gappah’s debut collection of heartfelt short stories, An Elegy for Easterly poignantly describe the strained everyday living of Zimbabwe's people, and this award-winning book has already been translated into six languages. Primarily a children’s writer, Ellen Banda-Aaku’s first novel, Patchwork - an emotive tale of a young girl's journey towards coming to terms with her identity - won the 2010 Penguin Prize for African writing.

French writer Marie Darrieussecq’s best selling debut novel Truismes (Pig Tales) - a postmodern tale about the gradual transformation of a woman into a sow - explores the human state in the most bizarre and fantastical of ways. Matching her for a session titled 'Painting the Psyche' on Thursday 17 March is award-winning artist Ondjaki from Angola, whose evocative work as a poet, documentarian, prose-writer and actor posits him a versatile talent.

Writing from the currently tumultuous context of Egypt, Sahar El Mougy, in a feminist perspective, articulates the conflict between the values of the west and traditional gender roles in the Middle East. In a hot topic session (Thursday), El Mougy will pair up with Durban-born Azad Essa in a discussion entitled Writing Revolution to unpack the role of writers in the scenarios unfolding across the region. Currently working for Al-Jazeera in Qatar, Essa’s provocative 2010 book Zuma's Bastard, offers a fresh perspective around South African race politics and religion.

Two highly accomplished immigrants who have made their mark on the UK literary scene and world-wide, will take to the stage on Friday 18th March. Originally from the Caribbean island of St.Kitts and author of numerous award-winning books, Caryl Phillips, whose extensive writing oeuvre ranges from non-fiction and fiction to theatre, radio and television documentaries teams up with prolific Nigerian novelist and playwright, Biyi Bandele, in unpacking Roots and Routes.

Also on 18 March the genre of the 'crime thrillers' brings together Sifiso Mzobe and Diale Tlholwe, in a panel titled Muti Noir. Exploring the life of a young car hijacker in KwaMashu, Mzobe's Young Blood offers a glimpse into the emotional landscape of someone deemed by society, a 'criminal'. Recipient of the 2010 South African Literary Award and described by South African established thriller-writer, Deon Meyer as "superb", Tlholwe's Ancient Rites, within the frame of a detective story, navigates the contrasting worlds of the real and the spirit; the urban and the rural.

Prolific Senegalese writer Boubacar Boris Diop and German writer and filmmaker Torsten Schulz will discuss The Pen as a Weapon against War on the closing night of the Time of the Writer. Diop’s work of fiction, Murambi, the Book of Bones, deals powerfully with the issue of memory around the Rwandan genocide, while Schulz’s novel Boxhagener Square, which won numerous awards and was made into a film, is set in the context of post-war Germany.

Chris van Wyk and Etienne van Heerden will culminate this year’s festival with a discussion on Re-Inventing Memory Through Literature. Van Wyk has an extraordinary knack for telling heartwarming stories of often comical personal experiences against the backdrop of critical periods in South African history. Van Heerden, with his work published in over sixty anthologies in South Africa and overseas, together with an acclaimed string of novels, poetry and essays, is one of the huge icons within Afrikaans literature.

Tickets are R25 for the evening sessions, R10 for students on presentation of a student card. Tickets can be booked through Computicket Tel: 083 915 8000 or 011 340 8000, or purchased at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from 18h30.

Day Activities

A broad range of day activities in the form of free seminars, workshops, including a full-day Publishing Forum on 17 March, book launches, school visits, and a prison writing programme, take place to promote a culture of reading, writing and creative expression and broaden access to the participating writers.

Find the full programme of activities and paticipant biographies on our website www.cca.ukzn.ac.za or contact the Centre for Creative Arts for more information on 031 260 2506/1816.

The 14th Time of the Writer festival is supported by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (principal funder), the Department of Arts and Culture, the City of Durban, the French Institute of South Africa, Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation (HIVOS), National Arts Council, Goethe-Institut of South Africa, Adams Campus Books, Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Deadline: 15 July 2011

What’s this contest all about?

The United Nations has chosen 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent. To celebrate, the Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs is holding a writing contest for young writers aged 13-22.

The contest is open to Nova Scotians of all backgrounds, but entries must express a connection to the culture, heritage, and/or experiences of people of African descent. For example, stories and poems could be set in historical or contemporary African Nova Scotian communities, they could focus on a prominent person of African descent, or they could connect in another way. It’s up to you — be creative!

Who can enter?

Any Canadian citizen or landed immigrant who has lived in Nova Scotia since Oct. 1, 2010, and who is between the ages of 13 and 22 as of the contest closting date – July 15, 2011. The contest is split into two age categories: 13-17 and 18-22.

What do I have to do?

Send us your short story, poem(s) or spoken word lyrics by July 15. Stories can be up to 2,500 words long. You can submit up to five poems or spoken word pieces, to a total maximum length of 1,500 words.

What can I win?

In each age group, we’ll be giving out three prizes:

First place - $500
Second place - $250
Third place - $150

Winners also get to have lunch with Lawrence Hill, author of the acclaimed best seller The Book of Negroes. And they’ll be recognized at an awards ceremony during the African Diaspora Heritage Trail conference, being held September 22-24 in Halifax.

How do I enter?

To enter, download an entry form here and fill it out. You can send your entries by email to ansa_newsletter@gov.ns.ca, and please use the phrase “IYPAD Creative Writing Contest” in the subject line.

You can also send entries by mail or drop them off at our office:

Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs
5670 Spring Garden Road, Suite 604
PO Box 2691 Halifax, NS B3J 1H6

Important formatting rules: Electronic entries must submitted as a Microsoft Word or RTF document, while hard-copy entries must be typed in black ink on plain white paper (8 ½” x 11”). Use a decent-sized, easy-to-read font, such as Times New Roman 12-pt. Fiction entries must be double-spaced, while poetry can be single-spaced.

All entries must have a one-inch margin on all sides, with pages numbered in order in the upper right-hand corner. As well, the title of your manuscript must appear on each page, but DO NOT include your name on the actual manuscript – only on your entry form. That way your entry will be anonymous to the judges.

Also, remember that all entries must be signed, including those submitted by email. If you’re under 18 years old, a parent or guardian needs to sign the form too. You can scan and email, send by fax to 902.424.7189 … just make sure you send a signed form.

When is the deadline?

Emailed and hand-delivered entries must arrive by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, July 15. Mailed entries must be postmarked by July 15. Hard-copy entries will not be returned.

How much does it cost to enter?

We’re glad you asked. The answer is nothing – it’s free!

How does the judging work?

A panel of accomplished Nova Scotian writers, poets and performers will read the entries and select a set of finalists in each age group. These finalists will be sent to our honourary judge, Lawrence Hill, and he’ll choose the winners in each age group. So you could have your work read by one of Canada’s most well-known authors. And you could get to have lunch with him too. (If that sounds kind of intimidating, don’t worry… he’s a really nice guy.)

What important legal details do you need to tell me?

-By entering the contest, you accept that the Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs (ANSA) may contact you to request a photo and/or biographical information for use in promotional materials and announcements relating to the contest.

-You also release and forever discharge the Province of Nova Scotia, the Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs, and their officers, employees and representatives, from all liability for any damages, losses or claims arising from participation in the competition or resulting from the conferral, acceptance or use of the award obtained and for the aforementioned disclosures or uses.

Can you summarize in a convenient list of bullet points?

* The contest is open to all Nova Scotians aged 13-22, as of July 15, 2011.
* Entries must express a connection to the culture, heritage and/or experiences of people of African descent.
* Entries may be short stories (up to 2,500 words) or poems or spoken word lyrics (up to 5 pieces, and a maximum of 1,500 words).
* A signed entry form must accompany all entries.
* An entrant’s name must not appear on the manuscript.
* Entries may be emailed to ansa_newsletter@gov.ns.ca or mailed or hand-delivered to: Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs, 5670 Spring Garden Road Suite 604, PO Box 2691, Halifax NS B3J 1H6.
* Contest deadline is 4:30 p.m. on July 15, 2011. Awards will be presented during the African Diaspora Heritage Trail conference, Sept. 22-24, 2011.
* You could win cash. And hang out with Lawrence Hill! What more do you need? Get writing!

Download contest entry form >>

Contact Information:

For inquiries: ansa_newsletter@gov.ns.ca

For submissions: ansa_newsletter@gov.ns.ca

Website: http://www.gov.ns.ca/ansa

Dates: 11 November - 16 December 2010

The BA Alexandria Center for Hellenistic Studies holds “Creative Writing Workshop” from 11 November to 16 December 2010.

The workshop will focus on identifying, strengthening and solidifying each writer’s unique and individual voice in the genre of their choice.

The instructor will be Catherine Pappas, a lecturer and teacher/mentor in the Creative and Professional Writing Master Program at Western Connecticut State University, USA.

Applicants should submit up to three samples of their original works for review by 22 October 2010 to Catherine Pappas at catherinerpappas@mac.com. The Workshop will be limited to 25 participants.

Deadline: 17 September 2010

14th POETRY AFRICA 2010
International Poetry Festival
4 - 9 October 2010
Schools Poetry Writing Competition

The Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) with principal funding from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, will present the 14th POETRY AFRICA, International Poetry Festival from 4 to 9 October 2010. The evening events will take place from 4 to 8 October at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre (19h30), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, and at the BAT Centre on 9 October. Workshops and seminars will be held in venues across Durban .

Poetry Africa has a long-standing commitment towards nurturing a culture of reading and writing poetry, especially amongst the youth. To this end, the festival runs a schools programme which allows learners to interact with poets as well a schools poetry writing competition. Schools visits bring established poets to schools to share their expertise while the poetry competition affords learners the opportunity to actively participate in this craft.

Learners should please submit poems by Friday, 17 September 2010 for our judges to make the final selection of winners. Entries received after this date will not be accepted.

There is no particular topic for the poems and they can be written in English, Zulu or Afrikaans. Poems must be written neatly or printed if possible. Illegible entries will not be considered. No more than 2 poems per pupil are to be submitted, with a maximum length of one A4 page per poem.

The learners with the best entries will receive complimentary tickets to attend the festival on the evening of Friday, 8 October 2010. An awards ceremony will be held where prizes will be given out, with the Mazisi Kunene Foundation awarding the prizes for the Zulu winners. Winners will also have the opportunity to read their poems. All winning entries will be displayed in the foyer of the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre for patrons to view.

If you are a learner and would like to be involved in this competition, submit your poems, together with your school's name, teacher's name, and your school's telephone number to the Centre for Creative Arts by no later than 17 September 2010. Entries may be e-mailed to cca@ukzn.ac.za, hand-delivered to the Centre, faxed to 031 260 3074 or posted to:

POETRY AFRICA
CENTRE FOR CREATIVE ARTS
UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL
DURBAN
SOUTH AFRICA
4041

Poetry Africa (Centre for Creative Arts, University of KwaZulu-Natal) is funded by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (principal funder), HIVOS, City Of Durban, Arts and Culture Trust, and French Institute of South Africa For more information on the festival or the competition, please contact the Centre for Creative Arts on 031 260 2506 or visit our website: www.cca.ukzn.ac.za