Cape Town’s International Convention Centre will be transformed into a book lover’s paradise for the annual Book Fair this June. The Cape Town Book Fair is an exhibition where publishers, authors, students and readers can share ideas, attain new skills and learn more about books that are making waves.

As an organisation that provides educational opportunities and facilitates cultural relations, the British Council has invited two UK authors to this year’s fair.

London-based performance poet, writer and musician Zena Edwards and novelist Kevin Brooks will be participating at the fair. They will also be part of a panel discussion in workshops organised by the British Council.

With over 29 authors and 250 exhibitors, the fair is a hotbed of cross-cultural dialogue and debate about all sorts of subjects.

Being part of the Cape Town Book Fair is exciting and raises the profile of the British Council in Cape Town, says British Council literature co-ordinator Jane Hanshell.

At the fair, the prestigious European Literary Award will be given to the best manuscript written by an undiscovered writer.

According to Jacana Media, the South African publisher which publishes the winning novel, the award promotes new, fresh literature that speaks in a South African idiom to an international audience.

Projects officer Nomalanga Nkosi says the British Council has partnered with Jacana Media.

‘Writers send manuscripts to the European Literary Award board and a panel of judges read the manuscripts and select the winning one. The winner of the award receives a R25 000 cash prize.

Previous winners of this award have included popular columnist Fred Khumalo for his book Bitches Brew, Megan Voisey-Braig for her novel Till we Can Keep an Animal, and Kopano Matlwa for her novel Coconut.

Also at the Cape Town Book Fair, invited guests will enjoy a performance at The New Space Theatre with Edwards and Malika Ndlovu, a Durban performer, word weaver and poet. On June 13 there will be a panel discussion with Edwards and a group of four South African poets on ‘What poets mean when they talk about love and life’. Edwards will showcase her work and be part of a workshop with local university students (by invitation only).

Brooks and four others will join a panel discussion chaired by Jennifer Crocker on ‘Challenges and rewards of writing for teenagers’.

Brooks will also read from his latest book, Black Rabbit Summer, and engage in a conversation with a group of teenagers who will ask him questions about his work and his writing.

The Cape Town Book Fair runs from 13-16 June. Read about past exhibitors and learn about new books on the market by visiting the fair’s website. To learn more about British Council Africa and what events are coming up, please visit our events page and be part of a global community.