Festival RSVPs are open
Abuja, Nigeria: 25 Sept – 2 Oct 2021

Abuja Literary + Arts Festival 2021

BOOKS &
ARTPIECES

AUTHORS &
SPEAKERS

TOPICS &
DISCUSSIONS

ALITFEST21 Theme

Making Art Work

The 4th edition of #ALitFest comes up this year and the chosen theme is Making Art Work. The idea behind this theme is to programme the festival around finding solutions to the challenges facing the literary space in Nigeria and in Africa. We would like to take things a step beyond conversations by leveraging on our proximity to policymakers in Abuja to influence policymaking, and proactively equipping creatives with the skills they need to create sustainable livelihoods for themselves and others through their art. The festival will hold in mid September.

The Festival program includes a series of workshops (poetry, fiction and screenwriting), a bootcamp for creatives, a roundtable on data availability in the creative space, a poetry grandslam competition, a stage play, an art exhibition and music concerts. This year will be a hybrid festival, with physical and virtual programming.

At the end of this edition, we hope to have moved all involved closer to the objective of making art work for themselves, their societies and for the Nigerian and African economy.

Download our draft programme.

THEME & PURPOSE
The festival’s programming also covers gender-related issues with a panel on the rise of women in the African literary space.

Teniola, Tayo

Festival Director/Curator

How do i join the Festival?

Get #Tickets

ABOUT Abuja Literary + Arts Festival

What is ALitFest?

For the past twenty years, the Abuja Literary Society has developed events which are held every almost Friday night and ranges from Open Mic Nights where writers, aspiring or established, present their pieces to members of the audience and receive constructive feedback; the ALS Book Club where the book for the month is discussed with in-depth analysis; and Book Jams where diverse authors are invited to speak ok their books and share their literary experiences. Other than the regular weekly events that are held, ALS also hosts a Poetry Slam quarterly where cash prizes and other additional benefits are awarded to the top three winners of the spoken word contest as well as the monthly Teen Talk which engages young adults on modern contemporary issues whilst encouraging their creative development.

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What to expect at ALitFest21

Author discussions & panels

Slam poetry & readings

Workshops

Stage play

Art exhibition

Book & arts fair

Topics, tracks & times

Festival schedule

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10:00am – 04:00pm

IDP Camp Visit

Book donations and literary workshop for children

Physical

With “Friends of Kutara”

More Info

06:00pm – 08:30pm

Stage Play: Always Together, a play by Dike Chukwumerije

Organised by Simply Poetry

Merit House

22 Aguiyi Ironsi St, Maitama

Requires paid ticket.

More Info

10:30am – 02:00pm

Creative Workshop: Prose Writing

Facilitator 1
Odafe Atogun

Facilitator 2
Alithnayn

Online

Apply to participate by sending two writing samples to info@alitfest.com with email subject “Prose Writing Workshop”. Participation requires paid ticket.

More Info

10:30am – 02:00pm

Creative Workshop: Poetry Writing

Facilitator
Dike Chukwumerije

Online

Apply to participate by sending two writing samples to info@alitfest.com with email subject “Poetry Writing Workshop”. Participation requires paid ticket.

More Info

11:00am – 01:00pm

Creative Workshop: Screenwriting

Facilitator
Aishat Abiri

Online

Apply to participate by sending two writing samples to info@alitfest.com with email subject “Screenwriting Workshop”. Participation requires paid ticket.

More Info

02:00pm – 04:00pm

[ALITFEST21 Roundtable] Creating a Nigerian Bestsellers List

Facilitator
TBC

Co-facilitator
TBC

Online

(Register on Zoom)

06:30pm – 08:00pm

Exclusive cocktail event

Organised by the Embassy of Ireland in Abuja

Physical

(Invitation only)

More Info

03:00pm -04:30pm

[Panel] The rise of female Nigerian creatives

Panelists
Jemima Angulu, Nneamaka Nwadei and Adesuwa Iluobe

Moderator
Lorraine Sithole

Online

Register on Zoom.

05:30pm – 07:00pm

Opening Ceremony and Art Exhibition

Including:

Poetry Performances
Art Exhibition
Refreshments
Live sketches by artists

Thought Pyramid Art Centre

18 Libreville Cres, Wuse 904101, Abuja

Attendance requires paid ticket.

See flyer

10:30am – 03:00pm

Bootcamp for Creatives

Facilitator – Creative Enterprise and the Law
TBC

Facilitator – Leveraging Technology for Creative Livelihoods
TBC

Facilitator – Storytelling and Fundraising for Creatives
TBC

Physical (Venue TBC)

Apply to participate by sending 2-3 paragraphs on why you need this to info@alitfest.com with email subject “ALITFEST21 Bootcamp”. Participation requires paid ticket.

More Info

05:00pm – 06:30pm