This three-day live event celebrates speculative writers of Black British and international descent and is scheduled to take place at Goldsmiths University in London from February 2–4, 2024.
It’s the inaugural edition of this festival, spearheaded by Kadija Sesay, the British-Sierra Leonean writer and literary advocate. Sesay, known for commissioning the first Black British Speculative Fiction anthology called Glimpse in 2022, boasts a rich history of organizing festivals and symposiums over the past two decades, including the Mboka Festival of Arts Culture and Sport in The Gambia and Word From Africa at The British Museum and the Southbank, which served as a precursor to Africa Writes.
The festival is financially backed by public funding from Arts Council England and receives support from Prof. Deirdre Osborne and the Dept. of English and Creative Writing at Goldsmiths University.
Distinguished guests at the festival include award-winning writer Karen Lord from Barbados, Reynaldo Anderson (co-founder of the Black Speculative Arts Movement and professor at Temple University), and UK-based award-winning writers Leone Ross and Courttia Newland.
The festival encompasses a symposium featuring panel sessions by postgraduate researchers in speculative fiction, book clubs introducing readers to speculative fiction, and readings from Black speculative writers worldwide. This includes works from the first Black British speculative fiction anthology Glimpse, The Cuckoo Cage, and pieces from the winners of The Caine Prize for African Writing 2023, Mame Bougouma Diene and Woppa Diallo.
A noteworthy special event titled “Fassungslos” (German for ‘disconnected’ or ‘stunned’) showcases new speculative writing from Akila Richards and Claudia Monteith, utilizing various art forms to delve into the experiences of mixed heritage individuals (European/African). This event is presented in collaboration with the Black Speculative Arts Movement and Carnegie Hall.
Throughout the weekend, the festival offers resources for writers to hone their skills in speculative fiction and aims to engage new readers through discussions, workshops, readings, storytelling, networking, and a Top 50 recommended book list. Family-oriented events comprise daytime storytelling sessions and an evening African masquerade performance.
In addition to the in-person festivities, there’s a one-day online festival on February 4, hosted by literary critic, blogger, and podcaster Sarah Ozo-Irabor of Books and Rhymes and Writing our Legacy. The online festival features Sheree Renée Thomas, the first Black editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, as its headline act.
Tickets for the digital festival are priced at £20 (full price) or £10 (for low-waged/unwaged individuals or students). To secure tickets, proof of disability or distance status needs to be sent to infosablelitmag@gmail.com before booking. General bookings open on January 4 if spaces are available.
For the in-person festival, a full weekend pass costs £45, £25 for low-waged/unwaged individuals or students, day passes are £15, and single workshops are £5.
