More Than A Literary Festival

About Us

Who?

The Bocas Lit Fest is a registered non-profit company incorporated in Trinidad and Tobago. We are a year-round writing and literary arts development organisation, with numerous initiatives forging links and opportunities between writers, readers, publishers and others. We run the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, Trinidad and Tobago’s annual literary festival (named as one of the world’s best literary festivals), and administer major regional writing prizes which provide crucial support for Caribbean writers, including the prestigious OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature and The Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize. We also manage The Writers Centre in St. Clair, a space dedicated to writers and literary programmes in Trinidad and Tobago. 

See our Team page for all of our staff who make this organisation possible.

What?

Founded in 2011, the NGC Bocas Lit Fest is Trinidad and Tobago’s premier annual literary festival: a lively celebration of books, writers, writing, and ideas, with a Caribbean focus and international scope. The Festival brings together readers and writers from Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean, and the wider world for readings, performances, workshops, discussions, film screenings, and more. Most events are free and open to the public.

The Festival also includes a full programme of activities for younger readers, The NGC Children’s Bocas Lit Fest. There is a month-long storytelling caravan around the country on Saturdays throughout the month of April, plus readings, creative writing workshops and performances by children’s authors, alongside the main Festival.

In 2020, our year-round programme of literary events shifted online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and since then we’ve hosted a wide variety of virtual and online events and activities, accessible from anywhere in the world.

When?

The 2024 NGC Bocas Lit Fest will run from 25 to 28 April — our first fully in-person festival in four years! The Bocas Lit Fest continues to hold workshops, readings and children’s programmes throughout the year.

Where?

Trinidad and Tobago, at the southern end of the Caribbean.

Main venue:

Daytime events are mainly at the National Library and Old Fire Station, downtown Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Evening events happen at popular venues all around Port of Spain, including historic sites, bars and performance spots. The virtual Festival is streamed via three platforms: our website, Facebook and Youtube

Why?

  • to celebrate the Caribbean’s literary achievements in a festive atmosphere
  • to broaden our cultural capital into an area in which we have already excelled, and to which many aspire
  • to foster interest in reading and writing
  • to help demystify books and improve literacy
  • to help sustain the book industry
  • to expand our idea of literature by including performance poetry and rapso
  • to exploit and enhance our presence on the world stage
  • to administer annual prizes for Caribbean writers
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