June 2018 events
22 May 2018
Below you’ll find a list of literary events featuring PEN South Africa members, as well as a selection of other noteworthy launches, classes, performances, exhibitions, readings and workshops happening around South Africa.
If there is an event you’d like us to feature please let us know.
FESTIVALS
- Naked Word Poetry Festival
Where: Café Ganesh, Touch of Madness & Theatre Arts Admin Collective, Observatory, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 20–Sunday 24 June 2018
More information at facebook.com/LinguaFcanca/ [sic]
LAUNCHES, PANELS & CONFERENCES
- Exclusive Books Homebru – Vimla Naidoo and Sahm Venter: I remember Nelson Mandela
Where: Exclusive Books Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg
When: Wednesday 6 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Exclusive Books Homebru – Marinda van Zyl: Dors
Where: NALN, Bloemfontein
When: Wednesday 6 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Exclusive Books Homebru – Clinton Chauke: Born in Chains (Cape Town)
Where: Exclusive Books Cavendish Square, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 6 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Exclusive Books Homebru – Mpho Dagada: Mr Bitcoin (Johannesburg)
Where: Exclusive Books Rosebank Mall, Johannesburg
When: Wednesday 6 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Launch of Things Even Gonzalez Can’t Fix by Christy Chilimigras
Where: Love Books, The Bamboo Lifestyle Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville, Johannesburg
When: Thursday 7 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: kate@lovebooks.co.za or 011 726 7408 - Exclusive Books Homebru – Joanne Jowell: Winging It
Where: Exclusive Books Cavendish Square, Cape Town
When: Thursday 7 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Exclusive Books Homebru – Mpho Dagada: Mr Bitcoin (Pretoria)
Where: Exclusive Books Menlyn Park, Pretoria
When: Thursday 7 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Launch of Just Add Rice by Ming-Cheau Lin
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Friday 8 June 2018, 6 p.m.
About: In conversation with Pippa Hudson.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Storytime and launch of The Straw Giant and the Crow by Jess Bosworth Smith
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Saturday 9 June 2018, 11 a.m.
About: A free copy goes to the best dressed!
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Exclusive Books Homebru – Refiloe Moahloli: Tullula
Where: Exclusive Books Mall of the South, Johannesburg
When: Saturday 9 June, 10 a.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Exclusive Books Homebru – Lukhanyo and Abigail Calata: My Father Died for This
Where: Exclusive Books Hyde Park Corner, Johannesburg
When: Tuesday 12 June, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Exclusive Books Homebru – Clinton Chauke: Born in Chains (Pretoria)
Where: Exclusive Books Menlyn Park, Pretoria
When: Tuesday 12 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Exclusive Books Homebru – Sally Partridge: Mine
Where: Exclusive Books Table View Mall, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 13 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Exclusive Books Homebru – Nick Mulgrew: The First Law of Sadness
Where: Exclusive Books Cavendish Square, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 13 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Exclusive Books Homebru – Nozizwe Cynthia Jele: The Ones with Purpose
Where: Exclusive Books Rosebank Mall, Johannesburg
When: Wednesday 13 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Launch of At the Foot of the Volcano, edited by Susan Levine
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 13 June 2018, 6 p.m.
About: In conversation with Elelwani Ramugondo and Steve Reid.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Launch of Odyssey of an African Opera Singer by Musa Ngqungwana
Where: Love Books, The Bamboo Lifestyle Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville, Johannesburg
When: Wednesday 13 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: kate@lovebooks.co.za or 011 726 7408 - Exclusive Books Homebru – Rahla Xenopoulos: The Season of Glass
Where: Exclusive Books Cavendish Square, Cape Town
When: Thursday 14 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Exclusive Books Homebru – Clinton Chauke: Born in Chains (Johannesburg)
Where: Exclusive Books Rosebank Mall, Pretoria
When: Thursday 14 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Exclusive Books Homebru – Iman Rappetti: Becoming Iman
Where: Exclusive Books Gateway, Durban
When: Thursday 14 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Launch of Mapping My Way Home: Activism, Nostalgia and the Downfall of Apartheid in South Africa by Stephanie Urdang
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Tuesday 19 June 2018, 6 p.m.
About: Stephanie will be in conversation with Pippa Green.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Exclusive Books Homebru – Haji Mohamed Dawjee: Sorry, Not Sorry
Where: Exclusive Books Table Bay Mall, Cape Town
When: Tuesday 19 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - Launch of The Broken River Tent by Mphuthumi Ntabeni
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 20 June 2018, 6 p.m.
About: Mphuthumi will be in conversation with contributing editor to Chimurenga Bongani Kona.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Launch of The Season of Glass by Rahla Xenopoulos
Where: Love Books, The Bamboo Lifestyle Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville, Johannesburg
When: Wednesday 20 June 2018, 6 p.m.
RSVP: kate@lovebooks.co.za or 011 726 7408 - Launch of Homeland by Karin Brynard
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Thursday 21 June 2018, 6 p.m.
About: Karin will be in conversation with Nancy Richards.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Launch of The Hum of the Sun by Kirsten Miller
Where: Exclusive Books Ballito Junction, Leonora Drive, Ballito
When: Saturday 23 June 2018, 10:30 a.m.
RSVP: events@exclusivebooks.co.za - (Re-)Launch of Jabulani Means Rejoice: A Dictionary of South African Names by Phumzile Simelane Kalumba
Where: Woman Zone Library, Ground Floor, Artscape, Cape Town
When: Saturday 23 June 2018, 2 p.m.
About: In conversation with Philippa Kabali-Kagwa. Tea and coffee will be served.
RSVP: editor@modjajibooks.oc.za
POETRY
- ‘Poetic Licence: a celebration of songs and words’ at Classics at the Castle, Port Alfred
Where: Richmond House Museum and Music Room, Port Alfred
When: Sunday 3 June, 3 p.m.
About: The first part of the programme spotlights four local poets, Quentin Hogge, Shirley Marais, Harry
Owen and Dan Wylie reading their own works. After the interval, Fafa Hopkins aka Chris Mann performs ‘Sweet is the Fruit of the Prickly Pear’ – song-poems and humorous anecdotes set in Port Alfred, Grahamstown and SA’s hinterlands.
Tickets at R55 from KNA (Kowie News Agency), Port Alfred. - Launch of Space Inhabited by Echoes by Karen Jennings
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 6 June 2018, 6 p.m.
About: In conversation with Helen Moffett.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Pat Louw at Off the Wall
Where: A Touch Of Madness, 12 Nuttall Road, Observatory, Cape Town
When: Thursday 7 June, 7:30 p.m.
About: Followed by an open-mic session, for anyone, from first-timers to veterans, to perform their own poetry or that of other poets.
More details
- Ursula Grobler at Off the Wall
Where: A Touch Of Madness, 12 Nuttall Road, Observatory, Cape Town
When: Thursday 14 June, 7:30 p.m.
About: Followed by an open-mic session, for anyone, from first-timers to veterans, to perform their own poetry or that of other poets.
More details - Naked Word Poetry Festival
Where: Café Ganesh, Touch of Madness & Theatre Arts Admin Collective, Observatory, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 20–Sunday 24 June 2018
More information at facebook.com/LinguaFcanca/ [sic] - Ralph Goodman at Off the Wall
Where: A Touch Of Madness, 12 Nuttall Road, Observatory, Cape Town
When: Thursday 28 June, 7:30 p.m.
About: Followed by an open-mic session, for anyone, from first-timers to veterans, to perform their own poetry or that of other poets.
More details - Between the Cracks: An Afternoon of Poetry and Conversation with Siphokazi Jonas
Where: Radio Park, Studio M5, Henley Road, Auckland Park, Johannesburg
When: Saturday 30 June 2018, 7 p.m.
About: Join Cape Town writer and performer, Siphokazi Jonas, as she serves up a literary sishebo of poetry, storytelling, and humour this June in Johannesburg. In a stripped down and intimate reading, she reflects on her journey of coming to terms with, and reimagining both personal and public failure.
Come and hear stories of the most unusual and often exciting places where her work has travelled, including the inspiration behind of some of your favourite poems. Siphokazi will recount the humorous, and at times heartbreaking, encounters with audience members over the years and poems which have had the most impact. As a special treat, she will also be reading extracts from her teenage poetry journals, as well as new poems which will appear in her upcoming debut poetry collection. Between the Cracks is an ode to growth and enthusiasm for the unknown.
Tickets at Quicket - Reddits Poetry, monthly poetry nights in Grahamstown
Where: Cafe D’Vine, 31 New Street, Grahamstown
When: Last Friday of every month, 6 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
About: Reddits has been running monthly poetry nights in Grahamstown for over a decade. Come for featured readings and an open mic.
More details
EXHIBITIONS
- The Reading Room (Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi & Alphabet Zoo)
Where: Goethe Institut Johannesburg, 119 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkwood, Johannesburg
When: Thursday 5 April 2018, 6:30 p.m.; exhibition open until 22 June.
About: This project offers a sustained engagement with Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi’s body of work Heroes. Nkosi’s portraits are veiled – a function of technique, as well as her conception of what constitutes a “hero”. The faces shift between recognition and obscurity, and come to stand for a community.
More details