Year: 2019

From Page to Stage

Children in colourful bird and uniform costumes perform on stage, with a painted ocean backdrop and shiny props on a wooden floor.

On Universal Children’s Day, Wednesday 20 November 2019, over 200 children strutted the boards of the Central Bank Auditorium in the NGC Children’s Bocas Lit Fest’s Page to Stage event. Stars of TT theatre: Penelope Spencer, Cecelia Salazar and comedian Louris Lee Sing have been working over the last three months to bring young thespians […]

Not Another Christmas Market

Event poster for “Not Another Christmas Market” by The Writers' Centre; event details include date, time, location, and £20 admission. Bold festive graphics and text are displayed on the poster.

Join us on the cusp of December at The Writers Centre, for Not Another Christmas Market!, a Christmas market with a difference! On Saturday, November 30th, 2019, 10 am – 4 pm, 14 Alcazar Street will come alive to seasonal cheer, as we proudly feature our handpicked lineup of favourite local crafters, makers, and creatives! […]

2019 Johnson and Amoy Achong Prize Winner Travels to UK for Arvon Writing Intensive

A group of people of different ages and backgrounds smile and pose together indoors for a group selfie.

Sharma Taylor was awarded the inaugural Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize (JAAWP) at the NGC Bocas Lit Fest 2019. Her submission was in the literary genre of Fiction. Upon receiving the award, Sharma expressed gratitude to the prize donor, Dr. Kongsheik Achong Low. Taylor noted how valuable such a partnership with the Bocas […]

The 10th OCM Bocas Prize opens for entries

One Caribbean Media Limited logo with social media icons and text stating partnership with the NGC Bocas Lit Fest. Hashtags and 2019 are also displayed.

The 2020 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, the region’s most coveted literary award, is now open for entries. Sponsored by One Caribbean Media, the prize, now in its tenth year, also marks the tenth anniversary of the NGC Bocas Lit Fest! The cross-genre prize offers a cash award of US$10,000 for the overall winner […]

The Book Fair at CARIFESTA XIV

CARIFESTA XIV Trinidad & Tobago logo with abstract colourful figure, event dates 16th-25th August 2019, and tagline “Connect • Share • Invest.”.

Amongst the various art forms taking centre stage at CARIFESTA XIV, the biggest celebration of Caribbean arts and culture, 16-24 August, will be a free, diverse literary programme curated and executed by the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, Trinidad and Tobago’s annual literary festival. At the heart of the literary programme are daily open mic sessions […]

Free writing workshops at CARIFESTA XIV

A speech bubble with the words “WRITERS WANTED” in bold black text; “#bocascarifesta2019” appears in the bottom right corner.

New and aspiring writers are invited to take advantage of ten free workshops led by award-winning and acclaimed Caribbean writers at CARIFESTA XIV. The sustenance of a strong literary tradition relies heavily on the ongoing investment in actual reader and writer development. As part of the literary programme curated by the NGC Bocas Lit Fest […]

They Called Him Kitch

Man with a beard and moustache wearing a black hat and denim jacket stands indoors near a glass door, looking at the camera.

Anthony Joseph launched his biographical novel “Kitch” with a stellar performance at the 2018 NGC Bocas Lit Fest. This August, the UK-based, TT writer and performance poet returns to deliver the literary headliner for CARIFESTA XIV. In an expanded presentation of that memorable production, Joseph will read from his critically acclaimed fictionalised biography on Sunday […]

The 2020 Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize Opens

Two people stand together on stage; the man hands an award to the smiling woman. A Literary Festival banner is visible in the background.

The much-anticipated 2020 Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize is open for submissions in the non-fiction genre. This is the second round of the pan-Caribbean developmental award for emerging writers. The Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize, managed by The Bocas Lit Fest in Trinidad and Tobago and Arvon in the UK, is […]

TT first time author wins CODE Burt Award

A woman with long, dark curly hair, wearing a sleeveless, light blue striped top, smiles at the camera. The NGC Bocas Lit Fest logo appears in the lower left corner.

Trinidadian Jeanelle Frontin has been named winner of this year’s CODE Burt Award for Caribbean Young Adult Literature. Frontin, a debut author, received the first prize of $10,000 CAD for her self-published book The Unmarked Girl at a special event for students on the second day of the 2019 NGC Bocas Lit Fest (May 1-5) […]

Border Crossings at the 2019 NGC Bocas Lit Fest

Woman with curly hair wearing a blue scarf and maroon coat smiles whilst standing in front of a stone wall.

A special programme of events at the 2019 NGC Bocas Lit Fest, presented in partnership with the British Council How does literature break through the social barriers that separate nations and cultures? In a time of renewed and urgent international anxiety about borders, immigration, refugees, and national sovereignty — all of which affect Caribbean nations […]

Book launches at the 2019 NGC Bocas Lit Fest

Book cover with the text “Breanne Mc Ivor Where There Are Monsters” over a dark, cloudy seascape with waves and a distant light on the horizon.

In the last few years a whole new generation of Caribbean writers have been making their debut, published in the USA, Britain and in the Caribbean. At this year’s annual national literary festival, the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, the diversity and richness of Caribbean writing through the voices of new and established authors will be […]

Final Three for the CODE Burt Award

Three women are shown in individual portrait photos, each smiling. Their names, Jeanelle Frontin, Tamika Gibson, and Diana McCaulay, are written below their respective images.

CODE and the Bocas Lit Fest have announced the finalists for the 6th CODE Burt Award for Caribbean Young Adult Literature which recognizes excellent, engaging and culturally-relevant books in English for youth aged 12-18, written by Caribbean authors. The international jury, chaired by publisher Ian Randle and administered by The Bocas Lit Fest, has selected […]

The 2019 OCM Bocas Prize Shortlist

Three book covers: “Doe Songs” with a colourful illustration, “Theory” with abstract shapes, and “High Mas” featuring a blue-toned photo of a person.

Books by three writers from Trinidad and Tobago have made the shortlist for the 2019 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, sponsored by One Caribbean Media. This is the first time in the history of the prize, first awarded in 2011, that writers from a single Caribbean country have won all three genre categories, forming […]

National Slam poets named

The word “FINALS” appears in bold, gradient grey capital letters on a plain white background.

Fifteen performance poets have advanced to the final round of the 2019 First Citizens National Poetry Slam (FCNPS), dubbed the ‘microphone throne’.   On Sunday 5 May, they will take on defending national champion Deneka Thomas at NAPA in the closing event of the 9th NGC Bocas Lit Fest. It is the third consecutive year that […]

Honouring Ian Randle for his service to Caribbean literature

A man wearing glasses and a flat cap sits on a bench beside a walkway lined with plants and buildings, looking at the camera.

 The 2019 Bocas Henry Swanzy Award is to be presented to IAN RANDLE O.D., B.A. (Hons); MSc, LL.D. (Hon), Chairman of Ian Randle Publishers Limited, the 26-year old company which he founded in 1990 as the Caribbean’s first commercial scholarly publishing company. Since 1990, Ian Randle Publishers has published dozens of titles by Caribbean and […]

Announcing the 2019 OCM Bocas Prize longlist

A collage of nine Caribbean book covers featuring colourful artwork, portraits, and bold text, each showcasing different titles and authors in various styles.

Nine books by writers from four Caribbean countries have been announced on the longlist for the 2019 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, sponsored by One Caribbean Media. Widely recognised as the leading literary award for Caribbean writers, the Prize recognises books in three genre categories — poetry, fiction, and literary non-fiction — published by […]

The CODE Burt Award Shortlist

A circular logo reads “CODE Burt Award for Caribbean Young Adult Literature” with blue wave patterns in the centre and background.

CODE and The Bocas Lit Fest are proud to announce the shortlist for the 6th CODE Burt Award for Caribbean Young Adult Literature, which recognises talent and helps develop the careers of authors writing for 12-18 year old Caribbean readers. The international jury, administered by The Bocas Lit Fest, has selected a shortlist of 6 […]

2019 Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize shortlist announced

A black-and-white split image shows a woman in profile on the left and a man wearing glasses and a bow tie on the right.

The Bocas Lit Fest has announced the 2019 shortlist for the Caribbean’s only prize for emerging writers. From a longlist of nine writers, previously named in January, the judges have selected three to contend for the 2019 Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize. They are: Heather Barker (Barbados) Subraj Singh (Guyana) Sharma Taylor (Jamaica) […]

Slam Semis are coming!

Dark banner with silhouettes of a bird, frog, hummingbird, parrot, and snake behind the text: “First Citizens National Poetry Slam 2019 SEMI-FINALISTS” and sponsor logos at the bottom.

The first of two semi-final shows of the biggest spoken word competition in the Caribbean takes place this Sunday, March 24, with the second booked for Sunday, March 31. In each show 20 poets will vie for the judges’ favour at the Central Bank Auditorium from 6 PM. As excitement mounts in anticipation of the […]

VOLUNTEER WITH US!

Text on a blackboard reads “We need volunteers,” with “volunteers” highlighted in green.

The NGC Bocas Lit Fest is Wednesday 1 – Sunday 5 May 2019, and we’re looking for volunteers to help manage our festival events. There are many perks to being a Bocas volunteer. Our Festival Volunteer badge gives you access to back stage and to our Green Room, and the chance to network with others […]

2019 Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize longlist announced

A black-and-white split image shows a woman in profile on the left and a man wearing glasses and a bow tie on the right.

The Bocas Lit Fest has announced the 2019 longlist for the Caribbean’s only prize for emerging writers. Nine writers have been longlisted for the 2019 Johnson and Amoy Achong Caribbean Writers Prize, dedicated to the advancement of emerging Caribbean voices. A total of 37 writers from eight Caribbean countries submitted entries for the 2019 prize. […]