27th Poetry Africa Festival 2023

Poetry Africa is an annual international poetry festival curated and presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of Kwazulu-Natal in Durban each year during October. The festival features Spoken Word & Publish Poets in performances and dynamic engagements which includes panel discussions, campus and school visits, poetry exchanges, book launches, open mic sessions and the ever popular slam jam competition. The 27th edition of the Poetry Africa festival will extend performances to Johannesburg and Bloemfontein.

The festival provides a vital platform for the celebration and critical reflection about the contribution of poets in the movement for social change both nationally and internationally. At the University of KwaZulu-Natal the Poetry Africa festival supports academic scholarship in contemporary poetry. The Poetry Africa festival is also a dynamic player in the cultural economy of the broader Ethekwini; and plays a vital role in advancing the city’s status as a UNESCO City of Literature.

The theme for the 27th edition of Poetry Africa is VOTE4POETRY: MORE THAN WORDS. For centuries, the Praise Poet (Imbongi) has been a word-bearer of truth. Poetry Africa will celebrate contemporary poets whose voices offer new directions and inspiring leadership for contemporary issues nationally and internationally. Poetry Africa provides a platform for poets whose creativity inspires critical thinking, re-imagination and the reclaiming of a more optimistic future.

Click here for the programme and more information on the participating poets.