A new creative space for writing
The Writers Centre is the new home of the Bocas Lit Fest and the 2 Cents Movement. It is a unique space for writers offering literary programmes year around. Situated at 14 Alcazar Street in St Clair, this space affirms Port of Spain’s growing reputation as the literary capital of the Anglophone Caribbean. The Writers […]
Raise the Bar: Exhibition Slam, Sunday 30 September
Raise The Bar (RTB) is the National Secondary School Youth Poetry Festival where the greatest student voices are showcased. This Sunday 30th September, the BIGGEST spoken word groups in the country battle for bragging rights as the Raise The Bar Exhibition Slam Champion and a grand prize of$5000. For more information or to reserve your tickets, call or […]
OCM Bocas Prize open for submissions
The OCM Bocas Prize recognises the best books published annually by writers from the Caribbean. The overall winner of the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature receives an award of US$10,000 and the two other category winners each receives US$3,000, sponsored by One Caribbean Media. First, panels of distinguished judges select the best book in […]
New prize open for submissions
THE JOHNSON AND AMOY ACHONG CARIBBEAN WRITERS PRIZE, a new literary prize announced at the 2018 NGC Bocas Lit Fest, is now open for submissions. The prize is named after Johnson and Amoy Achong and commemorates their lives as loyal and hardworking citizens of this country whose children have continued to contribute to the building […]
UK Launch of ‘Thicker Than Water’
London friends! Join us on July 19th at 6:30 PM for the UK Launch of Thicker than Water, a new anthology of Caribbean writing published by our very own Peekash Press. Can’t make it to London? Tune in via our Facebook page for the live stream! Five celebrated British-Caribbean writers will be reading the work of […]
The votes are in!
The overall winner of the 2018 People’s Choice T&T Book of the Year, as chosen by the voting public, is Soulspection: A Collection of Poetry, by Michelle Borel. The other books in the final voting round were (in alphabetical order by title): 21 Powerful P’s to Success, by Nichola Harvey Don’t Go Mango Picking, by D.H. Gibbs Everyone […]
Call for submissions: The CODE Burt Award for Caribbean YA Lit
Do you have a great novel, creative non-fiction, or graphic novel for youth ages 12 to 18? The CODE Burt Award for Caribbean Young Adult Literature is now open for submissions! 2019 is the sixth year for this YA Lit award. To date, over 37,000 copies of award-winning YA novels have been distributed throughout the […]
#bocas2018 Youth Blog: Uncovering Race
by Ashlee Burnett, #bocas2018 Youth Blogger Facts are often hard-hitting. They make swallowing the truth bruise your throat because of how harsh they are. We still welcome them, even though pain exists. Knowing the facts feels like a cool and soothing breeze on the wound. At the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, you will know truth. […]
#bocas2018 Youth Blog: How to Leave the NGC Bocas Lit Fest Uninspired
by Apphia Barton, #bocas2018 Youth Blogger You do not. You cannot. Abort mission. “You’re home, you’re in the right place, these are your people, this is your tribe” The festival’s energy is palpable. As you enter the festival village from the entrance at Hart Street, pass the security guards, through the metal detectors and automatic […]
#bocas2018 Youth Blog: One-on-One with Alex Wheatle
by Joziann Lewis, #bocas2018 Youth Blogger When you hear the name Alex Wheatle, what comes to mind? Prior to the one-on-one seminar which I was fortunate to have attended, I would have said, and only said, “An award winning, Jamaican, black author.” Now, while that statement is definitely true, it’s lacking something. Something that defines […]
2018 Grand Slam Winner
Deneka Thomas is the new champion of the First Citizens National Poetry Slam and the winner of fifty thousand dollars, courtesy title sponsor First Citizens. The big-ticket event of the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, the Slam finals brought down the curtains on the national annual literary festival on Sunday evening at the National Academy for […]
#bocas2018 Youth Vlog: Interview with Imam Baksh
Welcome to our #bocas2018 post-festival coverage! Here’s a vlog from one of our 2018 NGC Bocas Lit Fest Youth Bloggers, Saajid Hosein. He’s interviewing Guyanese writer Imam Baskh, winner of the 2018 CODE Burt Award for Caribbean Young Adult Literature. Here’s what Saajid said about this interview: “When I was asked to interview Guyanese author […]
T&T’s Jennifer Rahim wins OCM Bocas Prize
Curfew Chronicles, a collection of linked short stories by writer Jennifer Rahim of Trinidad and Tobago, has been named the winner of the 2018 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, the most prestigious international award for Caribbean writing. Evelyn O’Callaghan, chair of the fiction judges of the prize, made the announcement at a ceremony on […]
Culture at the festival!
Trinidad and Tobago’s traditional art forms are centre stage at the 5-day 2018 NGC Bocas Lit Fest, registering an intensified investment in local cultural arts. Key partnerships with the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, and the Port of Spain City Corporation Downtown Carnival Committee, as well as the National Carnival Commission, have […]
Drama at the festival
The Suffrage of Elvira and The Black Jacobins get dramatic treatment at the NGC Bocas Lit Fest! VS Naipaul’s classic political satire Suffrage of Elvira was published 60 years ago this year. The famous author’s second novel is set in colonial Trinidad as the people of Elvira get ready to vote. It’s a wonderful comedy that […]
A unique celebration in film
CineLit is an innovative hybrid of film and literature and one of the highlights of the eight annual NGC Bocas Lit Fest. Thirty-one films from over 22 countries, including 17 films in Spanish and Portuguese, all subtitled, and ranging from award-winning feature films based on the work of some of Latin America’s greatest writers, to […]
Bocas Hits the Streets!
THE NGC BOCAS LIT FEST may be a literary festival but it is not a bookish event. It’s a celebration of words and ideas in whatever form they appear, including calypso, Extempo, spoken word, drama, Midnight Robbertalk, even, which may explain why thousands of people enjoy it year after year. Evening festival events take place […]
Ole Mas Competition: Register by Friday 20 April
Words meet costumes and performance in T&T’s traditional protest masquerade. Click here to register your band to take part in our second annual Ole Mas Competition. Theme: I-Land — exploring satirical perspectives on island culture, landscape, politics and more! Registration Fee: $100 In partnership with the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts.
The Port of Spain Chocolate Walking Tour
Books and chocolate. Rum and chocolate. Dreams and chocolate. A specially conceived tour for NGC Bocas Lit Fest patrons starts with viewing documents in the Heritage Library collection to comprehend the complex history of cocoa in Trinidad and Tobago, followed by a proprietary cocoa drink made with fresh cocoa and dark rum, and news about […]
The FC National Poetry Slam: Grand Slam Tickets are out!
It’s the year’s biggest night of poetry, as T&T’s top performance poets vie for the championship and the first prize of TT$50,000. Come and root for your favourites! Sunday 29 April, 6pm, National Academy for Performing Arts Tickets are $200, available from the NAPA box office and Francis Fashions outlets nationwide.
Announcing the 2018 OCM Bocas Prize shortlist
Books by writers from Jamaica and T&T have been named to the shortlist of the 2018 OCM Bocas Prize, the Caribbean’s top literary award, sponsored by One Caribbean Media, parent company of the Express and TV6 and radio network. For the first time in the eight-year history of the prize, the shortlist consists of just […]
The 2018 CODE Burt Award Finalists
CODE and NGC Bocas Lit Fest are thrilled to announce the finalists for the 5th annual CODE Burt Award for Caribbean Young Adult Literature. This year’s finalists were selected from over 30 submissions of both published books and unpublished manuscripts from around the Caribbean. In alphabetical order by title, the 2018 finalists are: A Dark […]
Announcing the 2018 OCM Bocas Prize longlist
Six books by writers from five Caribbean countries have been announced on the longlist for the 2018 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, sponsored by One Caribbean Media. Considered the leading literary award for Caribbean writers, the Prize recognises books in three genre categories — poetry, fiction, and literary non-fiction — published by Caribbean authors […]
Poets Battle for Big Prize
Two former champions, multiple former finalists and a range of new voices all have their sights on over $80,000 in prizes to be won in the 2018 First Citizens National Poetry Slam. Tickets are on sale at Francis Fashions outlets nationwide, $100 OR call the Committee at 319-4749 for details and ticket info. Out […]
Call for applications: join our team as a youth blogger!
Calling all youth bloggers 25 and under – we’d love to have you in the front row for the 2018 NGC Bocas Lit Fest. Join our team this year for behind-the-scenes access to festival events; VIP blogger badges; official merchandise and more! To apply, send us a 500 word or less letter of interest, to […]
Raise the Bar
Students of St George’s College emerged as the first winners of Raise the Bar, the newly launched 2018 secondary schools spoken word competition. Seven secondary school teams from across Trinidad and Tobago competed in the championship, with San Fernando Central Secondary coming in a close second place and Bishop Anstey High, Port of Spain in […]
Call for applications: Essentials of Book-to-film Adaptations Workshop
From books to film: Calling all writers, screenwriters, playwrights, producers and directors! The British Council, working in partnership with the Bocas Lit Fest and the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS), is pleased to announce and invite applications for a book-to-film adaptation workshop aimed at writers, screenwriters, playwrights, directors, producers seriously interested in the […]