Calabash International Literary Festival

The Calabash International Literary Festival is a three-day festival in Jamaica staged on a biennial basis on even years (having been held annually in its first decade).[1] It was founded in 2001 by novelist Colin Channer, poet Kwame Dawes and producer Justine Henzell; Channer resigned at the end of 2010, saying in his explanation: "The ultimate goal of leadership must never be its own survival, but to become obsolete. I am glad this time has come."[2] In 2014 there was a larger international content including leading literary figures and musicians,[3] and the current incarnation of the festival was described in April 2016 as "an affirmation of the steady movement towards an unfolding of a vision of something that began modestly, but full of hope and giddy ambition 15 years ago".[4]

Now acknowledged as "a world-class literary festival", Calabash takes place in the village of Treasure Beach on Jamaica's south coast.[5][6] Among the international authors who have taken part are Salman Rushdie, Zadie Smith, Jamaica Kincaid, Colum McCann,[7][8] Wole Soyinka, Derek Walcott, Junot Diaz, Michael Ondaatje, Elizabeth Alexander, Russell Banks, Edwidge Danticat, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Caryl Phillips, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Chigozie Obioma, Tishani Doshi, Mervyn Morris, Kei Miller, Marlon James, Eleanor Catton, and many others.[9][10][11]

An anthology entitled Much Things to Say: 100 Poets from the First Ten Years of the Calabash International Literary Festival was published in 2010.[12]

References
  1. "Info", Calabash.
  2. Annie Paul, "An Exemplary Resignation: Colin Channer and Calabash", Active Voice, 11 January 2013.
  3. Rory Daley, "Calabash breaks 'cover'", Jamaica Observer, 22 March 2014.
  4. Mel Cooke, "Calabash Come To Fruu-Ish-Aan", Jamaica Gleaner, 14 April 2016.
  5. "Booking round the islands: Caribbean literary festivals", Caribbean Beat, Issue 120 (March/April 2013).
  6. Olivia Cole, "Jamaica's literary side", The Spectator, 13 June 2015.
  7. Robert Beatty, "Calabash Literary Festival Seen as Tribute to Caribbean Creativity", South Florida Times, 12 June 2014.
  8. Emma Love, "Celebrating Literature, Jamaican Style", Condé Nast Traveller, October 2014.
  9. "Jamaica’s Calabash International Literary Festival 2014", ARC Magazine, 20 April 2014.
  10. Robert McCrum, "Sun, sand and a Booker winner as Jamaica revels in its literary festival", The Observer, 4 June 2016.
  11. Stefanie Seddon, "Calabash International Literary Festival: Readings, music and storytelling on Jamaica’s glorious Treasure Beach", The Independent, 14 June 2016.
  12. Geoffrey Philp, "10th Annual Calabash International Literary Festival", geoffreyphilp.blogspot, 22 April 2010.
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