BRAINMATTERMEDIA

For Immediate Release:10th July 2009

Jozi Spoken Word Fest 2009, 3rd Edition, 28 July to 9 August, Wits AmphitheatreBackground

Botsotso Publishing, Goethe Institut, Exclusive Books, Sounds of Edutainment, WitsWriting Centre and the US Consulate in SA will jointly present the much anticipated JoziSpoken WordFest 2009, 28th July to 8th August 2009, at Wits Amphitheatre, WitsWriting Centre on the main campus of Wits University in Braamfontein, and in the Multi-Purpose Room at the US Consulate in Sandton. The festival consists of live performances, including a mentorship and protégé reading, evenings of veterans’ poetry, poetry to celebrate women, slam poetry, as well as interactive public participationthrough workshops and symposia.

This festival, initiated in 2007, is an annual arts event, showcasing contemporary SouthAfrican and international artists involved in the performance of poetry, fiction anddramatic monologue, including storytelling. A wide variety of writers, emerging andestablished, will participate in the second edition of the Jozi Spoken Word Festival whose primary target audience is the students.

ProgrammeJuly 23 (

Wits Writing Centre, 17h00-18h00)

Press Conference.

Wits Writing Centre is located in the Wartenweiler library, Universityof the Witwatersrand, East Campus. 011 7174125; 4136.

July 28

(American Consulate, Sandton, multi-purpose room, 14h00 – 16h00)

Hedwig Gorski

, inventor of the term performance poetry, will lead a live in a DigitalVideo workshop on Poetry Performance. Spoken word performances will be provide by

Siza Nkosi

Mmakgari DabuthaJuly 30

(Wits Writing Centre, 12h00 -14h00)

Symposium on Storytelling and African Languages

. The panelists include

NomusaMdlalose, Brenda Mhlambi, Mbongisi Dyantyi, Dumisani Sibiya, RanangaNtshengedzeni Collins

and

Nonceba Ntuta.August 2

(Museum Africa, 9h00 – 17h00)

Words in Action

(

In partnership with

Khanya College

during its

Winter School

)

, a performance of activist poetry including:

Prince Shapiro, Robert Berold, ComradeFatso, Tiro, Majesty, Zee, Skin 2 Skin Band, Dolla I, Allan Kolski Horwitz,Chabvondoka, Dialektrik Blu, Men of the Past, Kaltego, Linda Gabriel, Thobile and4M.August 4

(US Consulate, Sandton, multi-purpose room, 14h00 – 16h00)

Marc Smith

, father of slam poetry, will lead a live Digital Video workshop on SlamPoetry. The program director is

Romeo

and performer

Zero?.August 5

(National School of the Arts, Braamfontein, 12:00 noon – 2pm)

Robert Berold

will run a workshop on

Creative Writing

Toto Mubenga

will read poetry.

August 6

(Wits Amphitheatre, 17h00 – 17h30)

Bernice Davids

will launch her poetry collection,

Behind the words.

August 6

(Wits Amphitheatre, 18h00 – 20h00)

Mentorship/Protégé Programme

, a performance of established writers and upcomingwriters in a cross-generational dialogue. Presented by Pamela Nichols, the pairs include:

Allan Kolski Horwitz

with

Abstract Delusions, Mbongisi Dyantyi

with

Vuyo Seripe,Uhuru

with

Tapuwa, Niq Mhlongo

with

Sonqoba, and Zukiswa Wanner

with

Amanda Kenqu.

August 6

(Khanya College, 9h00 – 17h00)

Publisher’s Network

, open forum for independent publishers of creative/polemicalwritings. Challenges of funding, distribution and building readership are to be discussed.

August 7

(Khanya College, 9h00 – 17h00)

Publisher’s Network

, open meeting for independent publishers continued

August 7

(Wits Amphitheatre, 17h00-17h30)

Paul Miles

will launch his Afrikaans novel

Skoot

August 7

(Wits Amphitheatre, 18h00 – 20h00)Veterans’ evening: a performance of veteran writers:

Keorapetsi Kgositsile, FredKhumalo, Myesha Jenkins, Liz Trew, Peter Horn, Mary Bytell and EliotMabena(Zimbabwe).

The MC is

Raks Seakhoa

August 8

(Museum Africa, Newtown, 13h00 – 14h00)

Jozi Book Fair.

The poetry/prose reading provided by

Botsotso Jesters

and writers published by

Botsotso Publishers.

August 8

(Wits Amphitheatre, 18h00 – 21h00)

Womens Day Event

: the final event of performances is dedicated to the Women’s Monthand comprises of mainly female writers, praise poets, singers and theatre practitionerslike:

FLO, Donna Smith, Ntsiki Mazwai, Lesego Rampolokeng, Jessica Mbangeni,Lesego Motsepe, Bianca Williams, Natalia Molebatsi, Khethiwe Mtimkulu, MasojaMsiza, Khanyi Magubane, Mzwakhe and Skado.

It will be hosted by

Abigail Mogale

August 9

(Museum Africa, Newtown, 13h00 – 14h00)

Jozi Book Fair.

Spoken Word performances by writers published by

BotsotsoConclusion

Johannesburg, as a world class city, serves as a home for thousands of young people whocome from all over the country and beyond. These young people form an integral part of the cultural development of the city and the festival is an opportunity for them to reflecton and embrace the environment within which they live and study.The festival presents a unique platform for event managers, concert promoters, book publishers and record producers to witness spoken word artists live and direct.Tickets for performances at the Amphitheatre on Thursday 6, Friday 7 and Saturday 8 arevery reasonably priced at R30.00 and a discount price of R20.00 is available for students, pensioners and block bookings of ten and more. Light meals and a full cash bar can beenjoyed in Café Dulce in the Wits Theatre Foyer. Free, covered parking in the adjacentSenate House (the entrance is on Jorissen Street) or anywhere free on campus ensures peace of mind. Complimentary tickets are available to the media on requestFor more information:1. Zwelethemba Twalo @ 073 1662930 &zweshfikush@yahoo.com