The 7th edition of the Time of the Writer has an all-African focus and includes themes relating to 10 years of democracy in South Africa. The festival’s approach to this milestone includes an exploration of the meaning and implementation of democracy, as seen through the eyes and words of writers.
Apart from the nightly sessions at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on the University of KwaZulu-Natal campus a highlighted component of the festival is the 2-day Ingede: Negotiating Transformative Spaces of African Scholarship conference that reflects on what constitutes excellence in learning and research in Africa. The conference explores the relationship of embedded scholarship and science with other modalities of expression and knowledge-dissemination, and how the academic community can become an experimental node where writing and critical social practices interact, especially in a province where oral story-telling or orality in all its forms, has been and continues to be a vital social force.
Other activities include a workshop for educators; a forum on publishing issues; links to the African Renaissance conference; book-launches; live music; a schools short-story competition and wide-reaching school visits designed to stimulate a culture of reading and writing.
All events free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated.
Tuesday 23 March:
09h00-12h00: Writers visit schools
08h30-12h00 Writers to Westville Prison-creative writing project
11h00-15h30: Educators Forum (Closed - educators only) Awoonor, Hove, Mhlophe, Mda, Sisulu, Uys - Teachers’ Centre, Overport. Hosted by KZN Dept. of Education (North & South Durban)
14h00: Registration and Opening of Ingede: Negotiating Transformative Spaces of African Scholarship conference – The Senate Chamber, Westville Campus, UKZN. Enquries: Phone 260 2439 • 260 2827 • 260 1712
09h30-12h00 Krog, Turner, Ibrahim, Habila - Durban Institute of Technology, Dept. of Journalism Room 149,
1st floor, City Campus, Smith St. (Enquiries phone M Peppas 082 491 5656)
09h00-16h00: 'Ingede' African Scholarship Conference, Senate Chamber, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville campus. Enquiries: phone 2603586.
The Centre for Creative Arts acknowledges funders and partners with great appreciation:
National Lottery Distribution Fund; French Institute of South Africa; HIVOS; Prince Claus Fund for Culture & Development; National Arts Council of S.A.; Pro Helvetia Arts Council of Switzerland; Adams Campus Books; University of KwaZulu-Natal; Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.
