Latest news with #OpenBookFestival
IOL News
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Open Book Festival 2025: a celebration of African Literature
Speakers and participants at this year's Open Book Festival Image: Supplied The Open Book Festival, a beacon of literary celebration in South Africa, has unveiled an electrifying lineup for its 2025 edition, promising three days filled with essential conversations, performances, and community engagement. As the festival seeks to cultivate a deeper understanding of contemporary issues through literary dialogue, it is set to welcome both familiar names and fresh talent from across South Africa and the broader African continent. This year's programme showcases returning Festival favourites such as the formidable Pumla Dineo Gqola, acclaimed authors Mohale Mashigo and Maneo Mohale, and rising stars Zizipho Bam, Lesedi Molefi, Sven Axelrad, and Siphokazi Jonas. Among the enriching new voices joining the Open Book family are Andile Cele, Nadia Cassim, Popina Khumanda, and Sarah Uheida, all set to bring their unique perspectives to the festival. International presence will further enhance the event's profile, with notable authors such as Zimbabwe's Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nigerian-born Foluso Agbaje, and Ugandan writer Goretti Kyomuhendo participating through the festival's collaboration with Littlegig. The African Literary Cities Project will also contribute brilliant minds like Rémy Ngamije from Namibia, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf from Nigeria, and James Murua from Kenya, making the festival a melting pot of literary cultures. Festival organiser, Frankie Murrey, expressed her excitement over the incredible response to the event. 'The response has been incredible and shows how much this festival means to our community,' she said. 'We're still accepting contributions as we work toward our sustainability target, because this festival isn't just about this year—it's about ensuring these vital conversations continue for years to come.' Currently, the crowdfunding campaign has raised R383 210 against a target of R500 000, reflecting the community's investment in the future of the festival. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ This year's festival will combine beloved traditions with initiatives aimed at addressing contemporary challenges. Expect to see returning favourites like 'Conversations with Mohale,' 'Up Close with Maneo,' and the audience-engaging 'Writersports,' along with fresh poetry readings and theatrical performances. Central themes of mental health, identity, and reimagining masculinity will be explored, ensuring the programme resonates on multiple levels with festival-goers. 'We're not just hosting conversations—we're holding space,' Murrey continued. 'In a world that feels increasingly fraught, we're creating opportunities for our community to find strength in each other, to support and celebrate, and to discover moments of joy.' The festival aims to foster dialogue about the issues that matter most to contemporary South Africa and the continent at large. The 2025 Open Book Festival is made possible through various sponsorships and partnerships, with significant support from the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, and several prominent publishers and organisations, including Jonathan Ball Publishers and Penguin Random House. As literary enthusiasts gear up for this remarkable event, the anticipation builds for what promises to be a transformative experience, merging literature and activism in dynamic ways.
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Open Book Festival announces top-tier line-up for September 2025
Open Book Festival has announced a powerful 2025 line-up, bringing together established and emerging literary voices from across South Africa and the continent for three days of essential conversations, performances and community building. This year's programme welcomes returning festival favourites, including the incomparable Pumla Dineo Gqola, Mohale Mashigo, Maneo Mohale, Zizipho Bam, Lesedi Molefi, Sven Axelrad and Siphokazi Jonas. The festival is also excited to welcome new talent to the Open Book family, including Andile Cele, Nadia Cassim, Popina Khumanda, Manthipe Moila, Jeffrey Rakabe and Sarah Uheida, among others. International participants bring additional depth to the programme, with acclaimed Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga (through their partnership with Littlegig), Foluso Agbaje (Nigeria/London), and Goretti Kyomuhendo (Uganda) joining them. The African Literary Cities Project is also bringing some incredible participants — look forward to engaging with Rémy Ngamije (Namibia), Bibi Bakare-Yusuf (Nigeria/London), and James Murua (Kenya). Nadia Davids joins the festival as part of the Caine Prize 25th anniversary celebration. A full list of participants is available on the festival website, which will continue to be updated as new authors are confirmed. The festival's crowdfunding appeal has demonstrated the deep community commitment, with supporters raising R383,210 towards the R500,000 target needed to secure the festival's long-term sustainability. While this year's festival will proceed regardless, reaching the full funding goal is essential to ensure the festival can continue without unsustainable borrowing . 'The response has been incredible and shows how much this festival means to our community,' said festival organiser Frankie Murrey. 'We're still accepting contributions as we work towards our sustainability target, because this festival isn't just about this year — it's about ensuring these vital conversations continue for years to come.'
News24
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News24
Without new funding, Cape Town's great literary fest Open Book faces closure
Cape Town's beloved Open Book Festival, facing a dearth of the national and provincial government funding it has relied on till now Supplied Be among those who shape the future with knowledge. Uncover exclusive stories that captivate your mind and heart with our FREE 14-day subscription trial. Dive into a world of inspiration, learning, and empowerment. You can only trial once. Start your FREE trial now Show Comments ()
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Open Book Festival funding crisis — community response and latest government decisions
While the community has rallied with support, recent government funding decisions have confirmed the severity of the financial shortfall threatening Open Book Festival's survival beyond September 2025. Since the festival's initial appeal last week, the organisation expresses deep gratitude for the community support received, with contributors donating R104,177.23 toward the R500,000 target needed for the September 2025 festival. The organisation has also streamlined its donation process to make supporting the initiative more accessible. However, recent correspondence from government departments has clarified the extent of the funding crisis. When the initial appeal was made, the festival had not yet received final decisions from key funding applications. The Western Cape Cultural Affairs and Sport department has now confirmed support of just over R55,000 – a fraction of the R300,000 originally applied for. Meanwhile, the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture's list of supported projects does not include Open Book Festival at all. After years of receiving crucial multi-year funding as a Western Cape Flagship Project, including R700,000 in 2024, this represents a dramatic reduction in government support. "We can no longer depend on government support," stated the festival organisers. "This represents an unprecedented shortfall for an event that operates on an annual budget of approximately R2 million." Open Book Festival encompasses three major annual events: the flagship September festival, the Youth Festival in March, and Workshop Week in June. If Open Book Festival ceases to exist, the impact will be felt by many writers who have enjoyed the platform the festival creates, the sales of books, the opportunities to meet, engage and connect with other writers and the opportunities to talk to readers and engaged citizens. The festival's impact resonates deeply within the literary community. Professor Pumla Dineo Gqola noted that "Open Book reminds me of the beauty and generosity in the world, and gives me permission to feel full joy for a few days." Author Damilare Kuku observed, "I have never been to a festival where I could see art healing people in real time." Shubnum Khan, author of Onion Tears, How I Accidentally Became a Global Stock Photo and The Lost Love of Akbar Manzil describes Open Book as "truly one of the best and nicest book festivals I've ever been to. Everyone was just so warm and welcoming and everyone, whether I knew them or not, felt like old friends." Novelist Yewanda Omotoso expresses her experience of the festival as "really special. I remembered what it is about Open Book that reverberates so powerfully ... A generosity of spirit that inhabits the festival and all who touch it." "Without immediate support, there may be no Open Book Festival beyond September 2025," organisers urged. "Every contribution matters. Every share extends our reach. Every voice raised in support strengthens the community we've built together."
TimesLIVE
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Open Book Festival launches urgent public appeal to secure 2025 event
For years we have spoken about our belief that Open Book Festival is not owned by us – it is owned by all those who contribute to making it an inclusive, vibrant festival that consists of incredibly important and difficult conversations and serves to highlight some of the fantastic writing coming out of South Africa (and beyond). We now need that collective ownership to take on a financial element. Your investment in the festival will not bring you dividends or shares, but what it will bring is the knowledge that the festival that you love and in whose value you believe will continue to exist. Many organisations face funding crises right now and we unfortunately find ourselves in that position. We have been partly reliant on support from different levels of government since the inception of Open Book, and there is still, so close to this year's September festival, no clarity about the applications we have made to the Western Cape or National Government. If you see value in Open Book, contribute by clicking here.
