English Literature students and teachers will soon have access to a digital course that focuses on Caribbean poetry and features local poets and literary experts. All interested schools and teachers can find out more and register to be a part of the Write Away! Poetry Series here. Write Away! (Year Two) will roll out to
When Life Gives You Mangoes, by Jamaican Kereen Getten, has won the first-ever Bocas Lit Fest Children’s Book Prize, 2021. Getten, who grew up in Jamaica and now lives in the UK, has previously written short stories for multiple publications including Notts Review and Adhoc Fiction, and was nominated for Best Short Fiction 2018. Her
Jumpstart Christmas with a Friends of Bocas Gift Card for your family and friends. You can also treat yourself, as for a limited time only, you can take 15% off the subscription tier of your choice. In the spirit of giving, your gift(s) will also support our important work and literary community. There really is
Unstitching silence: Fiction and poetry by Caribbean writers on gender-based violence Presented by the WHO and the UN as a global public health crisis, gender-based violence (GBV) is particularly pervasive in Anglophone Caribbean countries, which have some of the highest rates of reported rape and femicide in the world. Homophobic and transphobic violence is also
Seeking out new literary talent and supporting budding writers has been high on the Bocas Lit Fest’s agenda from the start. As 2021 draws to a close, we are delighted to announce two new Bocas Emerging Writers Fellowships, to be awarded simultaneously in 2022 to early-career Caribbean-based writers in English. Each fellowship includes a cash
We were thrilled to see young writer David Ryan featured in the Trinidad and Tobago Newsday newspaper on Sunday 31 October! David’s story “A Familiar Prison” placed first in the five-to-eight age category of the 2021 NGC Children’s Bocas Lit Fest Dragonzilla Short Story Writing Challenge. In the article, he shares how he turned his
Kereen Getten, Carol Mitchell and Janet Morrison are now contenders for our first Bocas Lit Fest Children’s Book Prize! The winning author will receive a cash prize of US$1,000 from the Unit Trust Corporation (UTC). The prize judges — Joan Osborne, storyteller and retired deputy executive director at NALIS; Olive Senior, writer and Poet Laureate
Our first special event just for Friends of Bocas Lit Fest is here! We’re thrilled that our first Salon will feature none other than lawyer-turned-author Celeste Mohammed. On Sunday, October 24th 2021, join us for an intimate digital get-together as she shares details of her debut collection, Pleasantview, and answers all your questions about writing
We have a new spoken word King! Five-time finalist Derron Sandy has copped his first Grand Slam win in the First Citizens National Poetry Slam 2021, taking the $50,000 grand prize! Two-time defending champion, Alexandra Stewart, placed second, and Michael Logie placed third. The Grand Slam, sponsored since 2013 by First Citizens, aired on TTT
Six writers from across the Caribbean have been longlisted for the inaugural Bocas Children’s Book Prize, with tales that bring magic, folklore, and real historical events to life for the region’s young readers. The prize, sponsored by the Unit Trust Corporation (UTC), is the first of its kind, recognising Caribbean books for young independent readers
A debut novel described by the judges as “rollicking, enjoyable, and at times incredibly moving” has been named the outstanding Caribbean book of the past year. Pleasantview, the first book by Trinidad and Tobago’s Celeste Mohammed, is the winner of the overall 2022 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, which comes with a cash award
After eleven years of offering lively, innovative events and programmes for young readers, the NGC Children’s Bocas Lit Fest has launched an exciting new resource — Bocas Storytime, a dedicated YouTube channel for viewers aged 12 and under. Bocas Storytime promises a diverse range of videos available on demand — read-alouds, animations, storytelling, and fun
To invoke C.L.R. James is to excite thought and vision, enliven ambition, and inspire change. Historian, author, revolutionary, luminary — James’s influence extends to spheres of social, historical, and political theory and practice. And he will be in the spotlight at the 2022 NGC Bocas Lit Fest, Four Days to Change the World. “James’s work
The NGC Bocas Lit Fest’s 2022 festival guide is now available as a free download! You’ll find all the details you need about our Four Days to Change the World in one convenient PDF: the full schedule of events, bios of all our 2022 authors and speakers, plus information about our children’s festival, the winners
If you have a particular question or query, please email info@bocaslitfest.com, or call us at (868) 222-7099 – if we don’t answer, please leave a message and we’ll get right back to you.
