South Africa, July 2022: Hear My Voice opens the call for South African poets to apply to be part of their 4-day long poetry retreat in Cape Town, taking place from 31 August 2022 to 4 September 2022. Through facilitated writing and sharing sessions, hikes, meditations, performances and pivotal industry related conversations, the retreat is set to provide poets with a conducive environment for construct and clarity of thought.
After hosting successful and impactful retreats in Mpumalanga and Gauteng earlier this year, the non-profit organisation is excited to introduce it’s Cape Town leg, which will be taking place ahead of this year’s Open Book Festival taking place from the 2nd to the 4th of September 2022.
Of the poets who attend the retreat, some will be selected to form part of the line-up of Hear My Voice’s “Bodies Under Siege” production, showcasing at the Book Festival. This will be the first time the production is showcased in Cape Town and is supported by the Right To Speak initiative, which is a EUNIC funded initiative that highlights spoken word as a way to engage youth voices in Africa and Europe around issues of human rights and social justice.
“Coupled with creating platforms, the retreat aims to facilitate fellowship and conversations amongst poets to expedite growth and improve quality in the work being produced” – Phomolo Sekamotho, Director at Hear My Voice.
The retreat will offer chosen poets the opportunity to create art with like-minded individuals in an environment that prompts thought and empowers poets to produce the work that matters to them.
“The Hear My Voice Poetry Retreat was such a life changing experience. After I struggled to construct a poem for almost 6 months, I was able to write again. I loved the way everything was provided for and how we were free to be ourselves. I was reminded that we are everything around us and that everything around us is us. I was reminded the value of life and ever since that retreat I have never been the same person as I was before, I’m more connected to self and to nature.” – Kwazi Ndlangisa, participant in the Mpumalanga Retreat.
Those who are interested in applying to attend the all-expenses paid retreat can do so by visiting https://forms.gle/q5z5RhkqaoJgck8p6, by 2 August 2022.
“The work that Hear My Voice does in the poetry sector is of such importance and Open Book is excited to finally have the opportunity to partner with them. We’re very much looking forward to welcoming poets to the Open Book stage to perform in “Bodies Under Siege”. – Frankie Murrey, Festival Coordinator of Open Book.
Jefferson Bobs Tshabalala wears the hats of Writer, Performer, and Director. As an entrepreneur, he wears the hats of Founder, Investor and Strategist. As a teacher, he wears the hats of Lecturer, Researcher and Scholar.
Each of these diverse pieces has contributed to his collection of creative output, and under the incisive directorial eye of Chris Djuma, “J.Bobs Live: AmaPiecePieceNyana”, introduces audiences to his poignant reflections and creations in a Theatrical Experience of the finest order.
It will be a unique blend of Township Game Shows, Hip Hop Theatre, Character Poetry, Critical Essays, Dramatic Prose and extracts from Contemporary Plays – all from the pen of Tshabalala.
It will be an unorthodox night of Theatre and Performance, and audiences are invited to bring with them a wondrous mind of exploratory curiosity.
Writer and Performer: J.Bobs Tshabalala.
Director and Dramaturge: Chris Djuma.
DATE: 31 July
VENUE: Leano Restaurantnt
TICKET: R120/ R200
To close off Mental Health Awareness Month, Hadithi ya Africa in partnership with Current State of Poetry and Leano Restaurant brings you African Story Telling on Mental Health.
The theme of the month of July is about creating awareness around mental wellness to help save lives and break the stigma around mental illness. What better way to achieve this than by experiencing stories of those who have personal encounters with mental illness?
The Storytellers for the night are Pule Welch, Katlego Kekana, Vus’umuzi Phakathi, and Kele Miracle, with Hadithi ya Africa co-founder and MD, Thandwefika Tshabalala as the host.
Join us for a night of storytelling, drinks, and the finest African cuisine in town.
DATE: 30 July
VENUE: LEANO Restaurants
TICKET: R200/R250
Featuring Nomashenge Dlamini and Jonathan Lefenya.
DATE: 11 August
VENUE: Leano Restaurant
TICKET: R2OO/ R250
FEATURING: Nomashenge Dlamini, Makhafula Vilakazi, Kori Strange and Billy Langa
DATE: 20 August
VENUE: The Market Theatre Lab
TICKET: R200
An all-thrilling Sesotho production venerating different passages of women’s voyage, their highs, blows and lows through Poetry and Music… Directed by Mbuyiselo Nqodi.
Featuring: Jahrose Jafta, Patience Labane Thandiwe Radebe, Letshego Sefuba, and Lerato Motloung
DATE: 9 August (18:00)
VENUE: Andre Huguenot Theater (Bloemfontein)
TICKET: R90 / R70 (For groups of five)
Written, directed and performed by Torsten Clear Rybka
Music Director: Thebe Mmushi
Choreographer: Ipeleng Lola Thakanyane
With Paul Motlalepule, Bongani Dube and Malatji Velaphi Maphosa
DATE: 3rd of September 19h00
DATE: 4th of September 15h00
VENUE: The South African State Theatre- Malombo Theatre
TICKET: R100
Tickets are available HERE
The second 2022 call for applications for the Hear My Voice Mobility Fund is now open for application till the 31st of August 2022.
The Mobility Fund encourages poets and poetry platforms to apply for their events of digital as well as physical nature, covering part of the participation fee or related travel expenses of South African poets who have been invited to participate in an international or inter-provincial literary festival or related platform.
Hear My Voice is a non-profit organisation based in Tshwane, South Africa, that, since 2016, has supported hundreds of spoken word artists through organising local and international exchange programs, workshops, live spoken word shows, open mics and other literature programs for schools, private companies, government, libraries, festivals and other cultural institutions.
Interested applicants can find the criteria and may apply here: Hear My Voice Mobility Fund Application Form.
Closing Date: 31st August 2022
For any questions relating to the Mobility Fund, please contact:Ishmael Sibiya: [email protected]
Closing Date for entries Friday 30th September 2022
TOUCHING THE WILD
‘Die wildernis in’
The theme this year is TOUCHING THE WILD – DIE WILDERNIS IN. This is an opportunity to consider, through poetry, our roles as custodians of wilderness and creation not to mention the need to nurture a certain inner wildness.
Please see the website www.poetryinmcgregor.co.za for the competition rules and note that no poems over 36 lines will be considered in the OPEN CATEGORY for poets 18 years and older or in the YOUTH CATEGORY for poets 7 – 17 years old.
Entries welcome in English or Afrikaans, to be submitted to [email protected] by 30th September 2022
South African Poets are invited to be part of this amazing opportunity. Stand a chance to win an accumulative prize of R22 000 plus an all-expenses paid international trip to the World Slam Competition in 2023.
South African spoken word poets can win a place at the 2022 Poetry Africa festival that will take place in October
this year by entering Poetry Africa’s monthly poetry competition.
• Poets may only submit one poem per month for the competition.
• Poems may be in any South African language.
• Poems must be submitted as video-poems.
• A poem must not exceed 3 minutes in length.
• Submission must contain the FULL NAME of the poet as well as AGE, GENDER, and LANGUAGE.
• Poetry Africa receives the right to publish or not to publish any of the poems submitted.
A theme will be announced for each month.
• Poetry Africa’s jury will select the month’s winning poem.
• The judges will select one winner from the finalists who will be invited to perform at the Poetry Africa festival in October. The Poetry Africa festival will cover travel, accommodation and per diem costs as well as a performance fee.
• Judging criteria for each month will be:
Video entries can be sent via WhatsApp to:
+27 76 010 9437
• The Jury’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.
Pepper Coast Lit is a literary magazine that seeks to give attention to brave voices. They are on the hunt for poetry from around the world, cutting across any/and every theme and/or style.
Pepper Coast Lit is currently accepting submissions to be reviewed for possible publication. Please read the Submission Guidelines carefully, before submitting work
Pepper Coast Lit accepts submissions from Africans, People of Color, those in the Diaspora, descendants and affiliates of the aforementioned. We have no restrictions on themes, genre, style or form; provided the work is well-written. We accept submissions of only poetry.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Submissions should be sent to: [email protected]
Olúmọ Review seeks amazing poetry – poetry that is bold, poetry that would collide with rocks and grind them to powder, that sparks curiosity, that intrigues the intellect, that kicks in the teeth, that guts the heart, that says something genuine about the world as well as the individual. We celebrate diversity and are open to diverse styles, forms, and kinds of poetry, about any and all subjects.
However, we do not want any work that harms or marginalizes others or is sexist, misogynistic, racist, ageist, ableist, homophobic, transphobic, etc. We also don’t want poems that glorify violence.
We are currently open to only poetry submissions from January 1 through March 31 & July 1 through September. 30. We publish biannually: June & December.
While we wish we could pay each contributor, we are currently unable to do that.
Guidelines: