The 11th Poetry Africa International Poetry Festival

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Due to the tremendous success of the previous ten Poetry Africa International Poetry Festivals, it is almost a certainty that the poetry festival scheduled to take place between the 1st and the 6th of October 2007 will be even better than expected. The festival is held in Durban, and is one of the most well attended and supported arts festivals in South Africa.

The chief host of the Poetry Africa International Poetry Festival is the KwaZulu Natal Centre for Creative Arts that receives support from the Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation, the Department of Arts and Culture, the French Institute of South Africa, the Royal Netherlands Embassy, the City of Durban, the Ethekwini Municipality and Stitching Doen. This year, audiences can look forward to the attendance of twenty poets that come to the festival from ten different countries. But, of course, the Poetry Africa International Poetry Festival cannot start without the pre-festival celebrations.

On the 29th of September, at the Durban City Hall, performances will be given at what is known at the Flavours of Durban event. At the Midmar Dam, on the 30th of September, everyone is invited to attending the foot tapping and rhythmic Awesome Africa Music Festival. The actual Poetry Africa International Poetry Festival extravaganza opens on 1 October 2007 at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. Every evening, until the 5th of October, audiences will be spellbound by five poets per evening that use their own unique style to bring their poetry across. Some sing, some talk and some use hypnotic beats and musical undertones. Guests such as Nathalie Handal, Danyel Waro, Stanley Onjezani Kenani, Habib Demba Fall, Ishle, Keamogetsi Joseph Molapong, Shailja Patel, Chirikure Chirikure, Angofo Dladla, Napo Masheane, Danie Marais, Mphutlane wa Bofelo, Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, Kobus Moolman, Haidee Kruger and many more will be performing this year. The festival will also be showcasing new young Durban talents together with seasoned performers such as Zorro, Syd Kitchen, Bullet, Baxolile Dimane, Madala Kunene and Furrah Simbeku. The final day of the festival takes place on 6 October 2007 at the BAT Centre. Each day of the festival is filled with open mic opportunities, workshops, poetry in prison, seminars and competitions.

Tickets to this wonderful poetry event are available at Computicket, the BAT Centre or at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. There are special packages available for school groups and all seminars and workshops are free of charge. If you are in Durban between 29 November and 6 October stop off at the festival and support the talent of South Africa.