(All pics supplied)
Poetry Africa makes the practicalities and publishing of poetry possible
Business and marketing are not always top priorities for poets, and while they should not take precedence over creativity, business sense and commercial knowledge can make poetry both a passion and a profitable and sustainable pursuit. Not every businessperson can be a poet, but every poet can acquire basic business skills to ensure that their poetry is a financial blessing and not a curse.
Poetry Africa, presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, aims to spotlight the importance of business and marketing in poetry during its festival happening from October 3 to 12 in Durban and Johannesburg.
Siphindile Hlongwa, the curator of the Poetry Africa festival, says: “The fundamentals of arts administration and some basic marketing and publicity tools could make it so much easier for poets to reach a wider audience. It is with this in mind that the festival will be hosting several discussions and master classes on the final day of the festival.”
On Saturday, October 12, a panel discussing the basics of publishing poetry will be hosted by Ismail Mahomed, the director for the Centre for Creative Arts. Founders of local publishers, vangile gantsho of imphepo press and Michelle Betty of Dryad Press will be joined by Allan Horwitz of Botsotso Publishers and Dr Phindile Dlamini of UKZN Press. They will share the essentials of publishing poetry, including submission tips and information on understanding the industry. This will be a valuable opportunity to gain insights from leading voices in African publishing.
In the afternoon, the Seabrooke’s Theatre will host Perfect Pitch, a session where pre-selected poets and organisers will pitch their unique visions and projects. Audiences will be encouraged to engage with innovative ideas and explore potential collaborations while selected individuals will pitch their work to festival curators. Festival organisers from Abuja, Belgium, Italy, and Lagos will be present. They include Claudio Pozzani from Italy, who created the Genoa International Poetry Festival in 1995 and co-founded the European platform Versopolis, which now includes 30 festivals. Emma Ofosua, the director of the annual All African Women Poetry Festival, a four-day conference that hosts six to ten poets from six African countries and the diaspora, Bash Amuneni, the general manager of the Abuja Literary Society, and Efe Paul Azino from the Lagos Poetry Festival will be present.
Siphiwe Nzima from Lesotho and South African, Siphindile Hlongwa, will
add local flair. Hosted by Musa Hlatshwayo, the artistic and creative director
of Mhayise Productions, an internationally-acclaimed performing arts production
company based in KwaZulu-Natal, this platform may be the beginning of
remarkable things for many poets and performers.
There will be three masterclasses on various aspects of administration, marketing, and monetising on Saturday afternoon.
The first, a masterclass on the mysteries of intellectual property and monetising creative work on digital platforms, will be presented by publicist, music manager, and founder of Music Exchange, Martin Myers.
Participants will learn key strategies for protecting their creative assets and leveraging online opportunities to generate revenue. The session is essential for poets and artists looking to navigate the digital landscape effectively.
Ismail Mahomed, Karabo Legoabe, and Philile Njikija will present a comprehensive masterclass on arts administration. Attendees of this class will acquire essential skills in proposal writing, reporting, and managing arts projects. The session is designed primarily for those looking to enhance their administrative expertise in the arts sector but will be invaluable to any artist who engages with funding bodies and other creative institutions.
The day is not all work and no fun, though. Poetry will take a leap from the page to the screen at the screening of poetry films by Claudio Pozzani, Mbali Malimela, and Siphokazi Jonas. Audiences will be afforded the opportunity to engage in discussion with the poets as they explore the intersection of film and poetry and delve into the creative processes behind the works.
(Right: Sindiswa Zulu)
The day will also see the launch of several poetry collections. Ongezwa Mbele hosts the launch at Unirite Kit n Coffee of new poetry collections by Kyle Allan and Sindiswa Zulu. Audiences will hear excerpts from their work and gain insights into their creative processes. At an event hosted by Quaz Roodt, editor of poetrypotion.com, Siphokazi Jonas will celebrate the release of her debut anthology, Weeping Becomes a River, of which Gabeba Baderoon said, “I was breathless after reading this collection. It is exquisite, courageous, energising, boundary-scaling, mesmerising, and moving.” She will be accompanied by Nkateko Masinga, who was shortlisted for the Evaristo Prize for African Poetry earlier this year. Masinga will read from her latest book, Daughter Wound, which was the book of the week at the London Review Bookshop in its first week of release in April this year. In addition to sharing their work, the poets will explore the themes in their new books and discuss their publishing journeys.
If anyone has any energy after this exciting programme, they can expend it at the closing event of the programme, the Slam Jam Finale, which promises to round out this educational and instructive day and the festival in style.
To stay up to date on all the news about the festival, follow Poetry Africa on Facebook and Instagram (@poetryafrica) or visit https://poetryafrica.ukzn.ac.za/ to see the full festival programme.
About Poetry Africa
Poetry Africa is an annual international poetry festival
curated and presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at
the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban each year during October. The
festival features Spoken Word & Publish Poets in performances and dynamic
engagements which includes panel discussions, campus and school visits, poetry
exchanges, book launches, open mic sessions and a slam jam competition. The
festival provides a vital platform for celebration and critical reflection
about the contribution of poets in the movement for social change both
nationally and internationally. At the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the Poetry
Africa festival supports academic scholarship in contemporary poetry. The
festival is a dynamic player in the cultural economy of the broader eThekwini;
and plays a vital role in advancing the city’s status as a UNESCO City of
Literature.
NB: For more information on the Centre for Creative Arts, click on the logo advert to the right of this article.