The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre
for Creative Arts (CCA), in partnership with eThekwini Municipality, will host
the 23rd Time of the Writer International Festival Virtual Edition from March 19
to 25, 2020.
The physical edition of the festival, that
was due to start on March 16, had to be cancelled on the morning of opening
night in view of the current corona pandemic. Almost immediately the team and
the writers decided to take the festival to a digital space.
(Right: Haska
Shyyan)
Writers
The festival is proud to announce the
writers that will participate during Time of the Writer 2020 Virtual edition
are:
-Forgiveness advocate, author and public
speaker Candice Mama (SA)
-Comic-book and Hindi film aficionado
Ebrahim Essa (Durban SA)
-Journalist and award-winning author Fred
Khumalo (SA)
-Writer and poet Haska Shyyan (Ukraine)
-Fiction and non-fiction writer Kirsten
Miller (Durban SA)
-Children’s book writer Lebohang Masango (SA)
(Left: Refiloe
Moahloli)
-Children’s book writer Refiloe Moahloli (SA)
-Novelist Nozizwe Cynthia Jele (SA)
-Rwandan-born Namibian novelist, short
story writer, essayist, columnist, poet and photographer Remy Ngambije (Namibia)
-Sociologist and writer Shafinaaz Hassim (SA)
-Literary critic, novelist, short story
writer and playwright Siphiwo Mahala (SA)
-American political theorist and writer Dr
Tiffany Willoughby-Herard (USA)
-One City, One book winner Zanele Dlamini (SA)
-Novelist and poet Rodney Roskruge (Durban –
SA)
Curator Siphindile Hlongwa is now excited
about this change of the festival: “In response to the cancellation of the
physical version of the festival, we are still able to give access to a wide
audience as we are going to engage literature lovers while taking advantage of
technology.”
(Right: Siphiwo Mahala)
Programming:
The online programme promises to become a
thought-provoking week of Twitter Q&A’s, live Instagram interviews, watch
parties, virtual book launches, tips & tricks video’s and live readings for
children. Time of the Writer features a diverse gathering of leading novelists,
social commentators, activists, playwrights and short story writers.
The online facilitators are Michelle
Constant, Karabo Kgoleng, Musa Hlatshwayo and Nancy Richards. To catch all the
action, tune into the Instagram, Twitter and Facebook pages of the festival.
Time of the Writer is one of the largest
and longest-running literature festivals in Africa. Over the years, it has
hosted a wide variety of internationally-acclaimed thought leaders such as
Zakes Mda and NoViolet Bulawayo, from all over the world, with the main focus
on Africa.
In 2017, the City of Durban was awarded the
first African UNESCO City of Literature and at the fore is Time of the Writer.
Time of The Writer promotes South African and African writers in the current
cultural climate that sees literature as part of a bigger social process around
nation building and social cohesion within South Africa and our continent. This
festival has – and continues – to encourage debates and dialogue around all
forms of the spoken and written word as part of the Centre for Creative Arts’
agenda to celebrate contemporary culture and histories, both local and
international.
The festival is made possible by the
support from eThekwini Municipality, National Department of Arts and Culture,
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture.
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