2017 Ake Festival: Saraba Magazine’s launch of its first print issue.

The 2018 Ake Arts and Book Festival theme is “Fantastical Futures.” Previously held in Abeokuta, the 2018 event will be moved to Lagos. It will last from October 24 – 27. 

Founded in 2013 by Lola Shoneyin—Orange Prize-longlisted author of The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, director of Book Buzz Foundation, founder of the publishing house Ouida Books, and Brittle Paper‘s African Literary Person of the Year for 2017—the Ake Arts and Book Festival is the biggest annual gathering of African literary writers, founders, editors, critics, readers, everybody on the continent. It is, quite simply, the Met Gala of African literature.

The festival has proven quite the attraction for activists, musicians, dancers, actors, illustrators, and a range of artists and thinkers who storm the event to share their ideas and work. Here is information from their Website about the 2018 festival:

The sixth edition of the festival will take place for the first time in Lagos on October 24 – 27, 2018. The theme for this year is Fantastical Futures and events and conversations will focus largely on a re-imagined African future.

As part of our aim to develop, promote and celebrate creativity on the African continent, Ake Festival 2018 will feature book chats, art exhibition, a stage play, an in-depth interview, school visits, stimulating panel discussions, film & documentary screenings, a musical concert and a night of poetry performance. Book-lovers and visitors will be thrilled by a range of affordable books at the Ake Festival Bookstore.

We will bring you information about the registration process and everything you need to know about participating. For now, you can check out some memoirs and photos from the festival over the years.

Read: Ake Festival Journal: Day 1 | Nmadiuto Uche

Read: Ake Festival Journal: Day 2 | Nmadiuto Uche

Read: Ake Festival Journal: Day 3 | Nmadiuto Uche

Read: How I Found My Greatness: Reflections on the 2016 Ake Arts and Book Festival | Nnamdi Ehirim

Read: Chronicles of Ake: A Firsthand Account from Nigeria’s Biggest Literary Festival

Read: Ake Festival 2016: A Musicaliterary Concert | Nmadiuto Uche

Read: My Ake Festival Video on the African Literary Scene is Out!

Read: African Writers Never Looked So Good! | See the Stunning Photo Shoot at Ake Arts and Book Festival

Read: President Obasanjo Hangs Out with Writers at Ake Festival

Visit the Ake Festival Website for more information.