Some of the contributors to 20.35 Africa: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry (R-L): Liyou Libsekal, J. K. Anowe, Romeo Oriogun, and Lilian Aujo.

In February, we announced a call for submissions for a new poetry project. The anthology, 20.35 Africa: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry, is the brainchild of a team of Nigerian poets and creatives: Ebenezer Agu; D. E. Benson; Gbenga Adeoba, finalist for the 2018 Brunel Prize; the visual artist Osinachi; and Chisom Okafor, finalist for the 2018 Brittle Paper Award for Poetry. The anthology is guest-edited by Gbenga Adesina, winner of the 2016 Brunel Prize, and Safia Elhillo, winner of the 2015 Brunel Prize, the 2017 Sillerman Prize, and the 2018 Arab American Book Award. It collects verses by 32 poets.

Poets whose works are featured in the project include Ethiopia’s Liyou Libsekal, winner of the 2014 Brunel Prize; Nigeria’s Romeo Oriogun, winner of the 2017 Brunel Prize and author of the chapbook The Origin of Butterflies; Morocco’s Yasmin Belkhyr, author of Bone Light and founder of Winter Tangerine magazine; Nigeria’s J. K. Anowe, winner of the 2017 Brittle Paper Award for Poetry; South Africa’s Karen Jennings, author of Finding Soutbek; and Uganda’s Lilian Aujo, winner of the 2009 BN Poetry Award and finalist for the 2018 Brittle Paper Anniversary Award.

Also featured are Nigeria’s Ejiofor Ugwu, author of the chapbook The Book of God; Kenya’s Alexis Teyie, poetry editor at Enkare Review; South Africa’s Ashley Makue, finalist for the 2018 Sillerman Prize; Zambia’s Cheswayo Mphanza, finalist for the 2018 Brunel Prize; Ghana’s Afua Ansong, 2017 Callaloo Fellow; Nigeria’s Kechi Nomu, finalist for the 2017 Brunel Prize; and Tanzania’s Lydia Kasese, author of the chapbook Paper Dolls.

There are also: Kenya’s Michelle Angwenyi, finalist for the 2018 Brunel Prize; Uganda’s Gloria Kiconco, an editor at START Journal; Botswana’s Thato Chuma; South Africa’s Nica Cornell; Nigeria’s Akpa Arinze; Ghana’s Claudia Owusu; Sudan’s Daad Sharfi; Egypt’s Malak El-Quessny; Nigeria’s Aremu Adebisi; Kenya’s Dorothy Kigen; Zimbabwe’s Tariro Ndoro; Ghana’s Yaa Asantewa; Nigeria’s Salawau Olajide; South Africa’s Nkateko Masinga; Ghana’s Tryphena Yeboah; Nigeria’s Olatunde Osinaike; South Africa’s Sarah Godsell; Nigeria’s Victor Ugwu; and Ghana’s Victoria Adukwei Bulley, finalist for the 2016 Brunel Prize.

20.35 Africa: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry will be available on Brittle Paper this November.