Seth Onyango, bird story agency 

As the golden hues of autumn adorn the streets of London, the UK capital is gearing up for a grand literary event, as the Africa Writes Festival returns to the British Library for its landmark 10th year.

The festival, celebrated for its promotion of African narratives, features a pantheon of distinguished writers, artists, and performers.

Blitz Bazawule, the visionary behind "The Scent of Burnt Flowers" and the 2023 cinematic rendition of "The Colour Purple",  sets the stage for the festival's commencement. A conversation with Irenosen Okojie promises a deep dive into Bazawule’s creative processes, shedding light on the range of inspirations that infuse his works.

The festival’s schedule boasts a cornucopia of literary delights, with revered voices like Nancy Adimora, Sulaiman Addonia, and Maaza Mengiste, while attendees are offered an event rich in dialogue, reading, and performance.

Kwame Dawes and Claudia Rankine among other literary giants will further elevate the event, engaging audiences in conversations that resonate with both heart and intellect.

"Africa Writes has long been one of the highlights of my year. As an avid fan, I’ve participated in every capacity - as an attendee, a speaker and a team member - and I’m now delighted to be supporting the festival as one of the guest curators," Nancy Adimora, the award-winning publishing consultant and founder of AFREADA literary magazine, shared. 

"This year’s theme gives us room to really explore the beauty and power of our stories, and I’m looking forward to amplifying and celebrating these stories with new and familiar faces" she said.

Echoing her sentiments, Sulaiman Addonia, Eritrean-Ethiopian-British novelist and founder of the Asmara-Addis Literary Festival (In Exile ) said she believed this year’s event includes some of the most exciting and provocative voices in literature 

"I am thrilled to be a part of the curating team," she said.

"We convene in the midst of a changed and changing world, and I cannot imagine a better time to consider what it means to produce art in fraught times.”

Attendees, both online and in person, will have the opportunity to engage with some of the most acclaimed and emerging voices from the African and global literary sphere.

Established by the Royal African Society in 2011, Africa Writes has welcomed thousands across the UK and globally to join the celebration of African and diaspora literature over the past decade.

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