Over twelve consecutive days during the festivities of Christmas, we’ll celebrate Caribbean literature on our social media with “12 Days of Reading”! At the top of the current international agenda are the extreme perils of climate change, and the Caribbean archipelago is particularly endangered by the increasing pace of global warming. In 12 Days of
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
You’ve been asking! You’ve been waiting! And here it is! #plottwist WE HEAD TO THE SOUTHLAND! Date: October 9 Time: 7pm — Doors open at 6 pm Cost: $200 PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE Go to ticket page IN PERSON Paper Based Bookshop (cash only) The Hotel Normandie, St. Ann’s & The Naparima Bowl Office (cash only)
The region’s most coveted literary award, the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, is now open for entries. Sponsored by One Caribbean Media in Trinidad and Tobago, the prize has been awarded annually since 2011. It includes a cash award of US$10,000 for the overall winner, and US$3,000 each for two genre category winners. The
As Trinidad and Tobago marks its 60th anniversary of Independence, the NGC Bocas Lit Fest joins in commemorating the historic milestone with a special online programme of literary and performance events. This month-long programme will run from Independence Day on 31 August to Republic Day on 24 September — a “Season of Independence” that brings
Just in time for the upcoming celebrations of Trinidad and Tobago’s 60th anniversary of Independence, a new podcast series from the NGC Bocas Lit Fest explores the country’s rich literary heritage. Launched on Friday 15 July, the 100 Caribbean Books That Made Us podcast explores how iconic, classic books of past decades have influenced and
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.
