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Bocas Lit Fest

@bocaslitfest

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Year-round calendar of events and programmes for readers and writers of all ages, including the annual literary festival, Bocas Lit Fest.
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Kaiso Conversations is back! Join us for a special Bocas Lit Fest fundraiser featuring Muhammad Muwakil and Lou Lyons of Freetown Collective in a wide-ranging 🗣 conversation with music critic and writer Nigel A. Campbell about the art of writing calypso lyrics.📝✍️ 🗓️ Tuesday 20 October, 2026 🕠 6.30 pm; doors open 5.30 pm 📍 Central Bank Auditorium 🎟️ Tickets $200, online via link in @bocaslitfest's bio, and (cash) at Paper Based Bookshop. 📨To reserve tickets or pay by bank transfer for collection on the night of the event, email info@bocaslitfest.com with "Kaiso Conversations tickets query" in the subject line. 🚗Parking available at NIPDEC car park on Edward Street. 🙏 Presented in partnership with the Central Bank Auditorium in celebration of Calypso History Month 🎶 ❗️Space is limited, so get your tickets early! All proceeds support the year-round work of the Bocas Lit Fest with writers and readers of all ages.🙏 ✒️ Muhammad Muwakil and Lou Lyons are the lead singers and songwriters of Freetown Collective, a Trinidadian musical ensemble known for blending traditional Caribbean rhythms with spoken word performance, folk, soca, and contemporary pop to produce a sound that is riveting, relevant, and authentic. 🎵Freetown Collective emerged as part of a new wave of calypso artists from the Caribbean and their six-member ensemble includes founders Muhammad Muwakil and Lou Lyons alongside vocalists Shanna Joseph, Tishanna Williams, and Malene Joseph, with DJ Jayron "Rawkus" Remy completing the collective. 🙌Freetown Collective has performed across the Caribbean, Europe, and North America, including shows in London, Edinburgh, Rotterdam, and Toronto and were recently awarded Caribbean Fusion Artist of the Year at the 2026 Caribbean Music Awards. #bocas2026 #kaisoconversations #freetowncollective #UntilEverywhereIsFree #WeAreFreetown #CalypsoHistoryMonth @wearefreetown @anyanwuchild @lou_d_lyons @nigelcampbell1960 @cbtt_auditorium @rootsnkulture @trinisongbird @tish_anna @mrrawkus by @bocaslitfest
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22 days ago
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📣The 2027 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature is now open for submissions! https://bocaslitfest.com/awards/ocm/ 🏆Now in its seventeenth year, the OCM Bocas Prize celebrates books of fiction, poetry, and literary nonfiction by writers of Caribbean birth or citizenship. 🏆The author of the book judged the overall winner will receive an award of US$10,000. The other category winners will each receive US$3,000. 📣Publishers and authors, it’s time to make your entries! Submissions are welcome for original, English-language work, first published between January 1 and December 31, 2026, by Caribbean-born or Caribbean citizen authors. 📚Books published before or on 31 October, 2026, must be delivered to the Bocas Lit Fest (or directly to judges, where applicable) by 6 November, 2026. 📖ONLY books published between 1 November and 31 December, 2026, will be accepted for entry by the second deadline, 4 January, 2027. 🔗 Full guidelines and submission deadlines at https://bocaslitfest.com/awards/ocm/ (clickable link in profile bio) ✍️For any queries about eligibility requirements or the submission process, please contact the prize administrators at: info@bocaslitfest.com Proudly sponsored by One Caribbean Media Limited @onecaribbeanmedia #OCMBocasPrize2027 #CaribbeanWriters by @bocaslitfest
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3 months ago
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At Bocas Tobago 2026, our children’s programme featured a high-energy Tobago Speech Band workshop with the iconic Deborah Moore-Higgins, who was recently awarded the Medal for the development of Women (Gold) at the 2026 National Awards Ceremony. With rhyme, boast, picong, laughter and plenty noise, children discovered the magic of Tobago Speech Band through music, rhythm and plenty ole talk. Presented with the support of Methanex Trinidad, Bocas Tobago 2026 was the fourth and final in a series of one-day community literary and cultural festivals across Trinidad and Tobago — following Bocas Couva (July), Bocas Arima (August) and Bocas Siparia (September) — building on our Bocas Central, South, and Tobago festivals of past years. More Bocas Tobago photos at the link in our profile bio. Photography by Shaun Rambaran of Forge Business Imagery, official 2026 Bocas Lit Fest photographer, and members of the Bocas team. #bocastobago2026 #alltogethernow #caribbeanwriters #readcaribbean @methanex_tt @tobagolibraryservices by @bocaslitfest
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4 hours ago
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One of the most memorable highlights of Bocas Tobago 2026 was the Youth Spoken Word Showcase, which, hosted by Marielle Forbes, featured poets Markus Wylie, Raina Alleyne, Alessandro Babb, Megan Perry, Tsehai Olliveire, and special guest performer Camryn Bruno. Presented with the support of Methanex Trinidad, Bocas Tobago 2026 was the fourth and final in a series of one-day community literary and cultural festivals across Trinidad and Tobago — following Bocas Couva (July), Bocas Arima (August) and Bocas Siparia (September) — building on our Bocas Central, South, and Tobago festivals of past years. More photos from Bocas Tobago at the link in our profile bio. Photography by Shaun Rambaran of Forge Business Imagery, official 2026 Bocas Lit Fest photographer #bocastobago2026 #alltogethernow #caribbeanwriters #readcaribbean @methanex_tt @tobagolibraryservies @marielledoes @el.babito_yrl @meg.soira @camrynlbruno by @bocaslitfest
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6 hours ago
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Book lovers and collectors, we’ve heard you and are excited about our second Shelf to Shelf book sale! Pop by @thewriterscentre on Saturday 31 October, between 10 am and 2 pm, to find your next TBR stack of books from the library of @bocaslitfest founder Marina Salandy-Brown. Here's a tiny sample of the titles on sale on Saturday 31 October at The Writers Centre (and a few shots of the book-haul smiles from the first sale in August). From fiction and poetry to history, politics, economics and art, there are treasures to discover in hardcover first editions, out-of-print paperbacks, and many additional titles! 🗓Saturday 31 October, 2026 🕠10 am-2 pm 📍@thewriterscentre, 14 Alcazar Street, St Clair We're unable to hold books for you this time around, so come by as early as you can or send a friend to browse and shop for themselves and you. 🛍 🙏Proceeds go towards the Bocas Lit Fest's year-round programmes supporting writers and readers of all ages. #bocas2026 #booksale #rarebooks #bookfinds by @bocaslitfest
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10 hours ago
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The recipient of Bocas Siparia's door prize last month was none other than Ky-mani Austin, one of the young artists who contributed work for the ‘All Together Now’ art exhibition at the festival. Ky-mani, pictured here with his dad, was presented with the ever-popular @bocaslitfest tshirt, canvas tote bag and a limited edition Bocas candle. Bocas Siparia was the third in a series of four one-day community literary and cultural festivals across Trinidad and Tobago, and was held at Iere High School on Saturday 26 September.. Presented by Methanex Trinidad, the four community festivals in Couva, Arima, Siparia and Tobago over the last few months built on the regional festivals we hosted in past years: Bocas Central in Chaguanas in 2013, Bocas South in San Fernando in 2013, 2014, 2015 and with Carifesta XIV, SAPA in 2019, and several editions of Bocas Tobago — as well as our longstanding programmes like the Bocas Children’s Storytelling Caravan, and school tours that have taken spoken word and other literary arts to secondary schools the length and breadth of the country. More photos of Bocas Siparia at the link in our profile bio. #bocassiparia2026 #alltogethernow #caribbeanwriters #readcaribbean @methanex_tt by @bocaslitfest
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a day ago
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“The secret to literacy is learning to read for fun from very young. And, ‘good grades are highly predictive of fatter earnings, better health and longer lives, among a world of other benefits. At the national level, improvements in a country’s braininess appear to track closely with later bursts of economic growth.’ “When Bocas Lit Fest started 16 years ago, there was no such powerful research to quote... We were driven by the profound knowledge that, per capita, this region possesses more impressive storytellers than any other place on earth, and we were wasting the advantage. “So, we created an opportunity for Caribbean readers and writers to come together at an annual literary festival. We helped train our emerging, hugely talented writers, promote them, celebrate them, and turn them into international stars. With OCM, we created an annual literary prize for Caribbean writers, to celebrate our untold stories and broaden the English literary canon. “We partnered with organisations like Let’s Read to create projects that make stories fun and demystify books for children. We developed performance poetry for secondary school students, which aided study and became a source of income for school leavers. We announced that we, too, can be actors in the lucrative world of books that is worth billions a year. “In 2026, Trinidad and Tobago is in the grip of global economic uncertainty. Little of the old financial backing exists as we look forward to 2027 and our landmark annual festival—the heart of Bocas—except for a small annual government grant and the continued partnership of OCM. “No cultural organisation can be completely self-financing. Fortunately, our long established self-help projects and international partnerships help to fund Bocas festival operations, but we need support from the public, tens of thousands of whom attend our free, year-long, nationwide events. “This month Bocas hosts two fundraising events: our third Kaiso Conversations featuring Freetown Collective and presented in partnership with the Central Bank Auditorium; and the second sale of titles from my personal library." ~ Marina Salandy-Brown, founder & president, Bocas Lit Fest. Follo by @bocaslitfest
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2 days ago
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The @bocaslitfest continues its exploration of Trinidad and Tobago’s rich musical traditions with Kaiso Conversations: Freetown Collective, a special Bocas Lit Fest fundraiser presented in partnership with the Central Bank Auditorium for Calypso History Month. Founded in 2010 by spoken-word artists and lead singers/songwriters Muhammad Muwakil and Lou Lyons, who will be in conversation with music critic Nigel A. Campbell, Freetown Collective is a musical ensemble known for blending Caribbean rhythms with spoken word, folk, soca and contemporary pop. “Songwriting is storytelling,” says Bocas’ Operations Director Georgia Popplewell. “Through Kaiso Conversations, we are creating space to look closely at the words, ideas, histories, and creative processes that shape the music that has become such an important part of our cultural identity.” Freetown Collective has performed across the Caribbean, Europe, and North America, and were recently awarded Caribbean Fusion Artist of the Year at the 2026 Caribbean Music Awards. 🗓️Tuesday 20 October, 2026 🕠Doors open 5.30pm; showtime 6.30 pm 📍Central Bank Auditorium 🎟️ Tickets $200 via Island eTickets (link in bio) and at @paperbasedbookshop (cash) 📨To reserve tickets or pay by bank transfer for collection on the night of the event, email info@bocaslitfest.com with "Kaiso Conversations tickets query" in the subject line. 🚗Parking available at NIPDEC car park on Edward Street. Kaiso Conversations: Freetown Collective is an important fundraiser for Bocas Lit Fest. “Our work extends far beyond the annual festival, with year-round programmes supporting writers, readers, young people and the wider literary community,” says Popplewell. “Bocas has traditionally provided most of its programming free of charge, but ticketed events have become critical if we are to sustain that work and continue creating opportunities for people of all ages to engage with the arts. We are grateful to our partners, artists and audiences who make this work possible, and we invite patrons to come out, enjoy an exceptional evening of music and conversation, and support Bocas’ work.” #bocas2026 #kaisoconversations #WeAreFreetown @trinidadexpress by @bocaslitfest
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2 days ago
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The @bocaslitfest continues its exploration of Trinidad and Tobago’s rich musical traditions with Kaiso Conversations: Freetown Collective, a special Bocas Lit Fest fundraiser presented in partnership with the Central Bank Auditorium for Calypso History Month. Founded in 2010 by spoken-word artists and lead singers/songwriters Muhammad Muwakil and Lou Lyons, who will be in conversation with music critic Nigel A. Campbell, Freetown Collective is a musical ensemble known for blending Caribbean rhythms with spoken word, folk, soca and contemporary pop. “Songwriting is storytelling,” says Bocas’ Operations Director Georgia Popplewell. “Through Kaiso Conversations, we are creating space to look closely at the words, ideas, histories, and creative processes that shape the music that has become such an important part of our cultural identity.” Freetown Collective has performed across the Caribbean, Europe, and North America, and were recently awarded Caribbean Fusion Artist of the Year at the 2026 Caribbean Music Awards. 🗓️Tuesday 20 October, 2026 🕠Doors open 5.30pm; showtime 6.30 pm 📍Central Bank Auditorium 🎟️ Tickets $200 via Island eTickets (link in bio) and at @paperbasedbookshop (cash) 📨To reserve tickets or pay by bank transfer for collection on the night of the event, email info@bocaslitfest.com with "Kaiso Conversations tickets query" in the subject line. 🚗Parking available at NIPDEC car park on Edward Street. Kaiso Conversations: Freetown Collective is an important fundraiser for Bocas Lit Fest. “Our work extends far beyond the annual festival, with year-round programmes supporting writers, readers, young people and the wider literary community,” says Popplewell. “Bocas has traditionally provided most of its programming free of charge, but ticketed events have become critical if we are to sustain that work and continue creating opportunities for people of all ages to engage with the arts. We are grateful to our partners, artists and audiences who make this work possible, and we invite patrons to come out, enjoy an exceptional evening of music and conversation, and support Bocas’ work.” #bocas2026 #kaisoconversations #WeAreFreetown by @bocaslitfest
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3 days ago
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For Bocas Tobago 2026, our signature open mic journeyed to Scarborough and, with host Kleon McPherson and featured reader Latoyaa Roberts, welcomed Tobagonian authors to the stage: Adrian Ewing, Ifarounke Deidre Prescod, Jennifer Bailey, Carolyn Akinyemi, Eric Powder, Onica Dick, Raina Alleyne, Karen Thomas, and Shinniese Sylvan. Presented with the support of Methanex Trinidad, Bocas Tobago 2026 was the fourth and final in a series of one-day community literary and cultural festivals across Trinidad and Tobago — following Bocas Couva (July), Bocas Arima (August) and Bocas Siparia (September) — building on our Bocas Central, South, and Tobago festivals of past years. More photos of Bocas Tobago at the link in our profile bio. Photography by Shaun Rambaran of Forge Business Imagery, official 2026 Bocas Lit Fest photographer #bocastobago2026 #alltogethernow #caribbeanwriters #readcaribbean @methanex_tt @tobagolibraryservices @ttwritersguild @kleon_poet @latoyaaroberts @booksbylr @ifarounke @ericpowder @_lteralle.shinn_ by @bocaslitfest
1
3 days ago
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Celebrating Calypso History Month, join us for Kaiso Conversations: Freetown Collective! Muhammad Muwakil and Lou Lyons will be in conversation with music critic and writer Nigel A. Campbell about the art of writing calypso lyrics. 🗓️Tues 20 Oct 🕠Doors open 5.30pm 📍Central Bank Auditorium 🎟️ Tickets $200, available online via Island eTickets (link in @bocaslitfest's profile bio) and at @paperbasedbookshop (cash). 📨To reserve tickets or pay by bank transfer for collection on the night of the event, email info@bocaslitfest.com with "Kaiso Conversations tickets query" in the subject line. 🚗Parking available at NIPDEC car park on Edward Street. Presented in partnership with the Central Bank Auditorium, proceeds from this special fundraiser will support Bocas Lit Fest's year-round work with writers and readers of all ages. #bocas2026 #kaisoconversations #WeAreFreetown #FreetownCollective @wearefreetown @cbtt_auditorium @anyanwuchild @lou_d_lyons @nigelcampbell1960 @mrrawkus by @bocaslitfest
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4 days ago
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Bocas Tobago’s Take Three panel with Margaret Hinkson, Clement G. Williams, and Mervyn O’Neil focussed on the history of Tobago as seen through the eyes of its faithful chroniclers, and was moderated by Leroy George Presented with the support of Methanex Trinidad, Bocas Tobago 2026 was the fourth and final in a series of one-day community literary and cultural festivals across Trinidad and Tobago — following Bocas Couva (July), Bocas Arima (August) and Bocas Siparia (September) — building on our Bocas Central, South, and Tobago festivals of past years. Visit our page for more photos and post-event coverage of Bocas Tobago. Photography by Shaun Rambaran of Forge Business Imagery, official 2026 Bocas Lit Fest photographer #bocastobago2026 #alltogethernow #caribbeanwriters #readcaribbean @methanex_tt @tobagolibraryservices @ttwritersguild @clementgeorgewilliamsphoto @leroygeorgett by @bocaslitfest
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4 days ago
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