There’s only a few more weeks to submit your Cape Town stories to enter the Cape Town Library Book: Writing my City competition. The final deadline for submissions is 15 June.
Cape Town Library Book: Writing my City is an initiative between Cape Town’s public libraries, the City of Cape Town and Open Book Festival, to publish a collection of stories about the Mother City, as told from a multiplicity of voices, and which will be launched at this year’s Open Book Festival.
Anyone can submit a story that speaks to Cape Town in some way. Criteria include: the story must be 1500 words or less, focus on an aspect of Cape Town and be written in English, isiXhosa, Afrikaans or Kaaps. Prose, poetry or non-fiction will be considered.
Submissions can be made at the participating libraries. These submissions will then be sent to the Head: Professional Services & Programmes at Library Information Services (LIS) Head Office .Three library judges will consider all the submissions and submit all entries with merit to Open Book Festival organisers. Open Book has appointed RefilweMoloto (English), Andre Trantraal (Afrikaans and Kaaps) and Oscar Masinyana (Xhosa) to make the final selection of 40 contributions.
The finalists’ pieces will then be included in the #WritingmyCity anthology which will be launched at Open Book Festival 2019.
“Our city is home to a diversity of voices and we are hoping to read wonderful stories told from many different perspectives,” says Frankie Murrey, Festival Coordinator for Open Book Festival. “There are only a few more weeks to submit your entries so I encourage everyone to get writing!”
“Sharing stories has the power to see things – and in this case, the city of Cape Town – through another person’s lens, and in doing so, perhaps create a better understanding between one another,” says Christelle Lubbe of LIS. “We are delighted to be driving this initiative with the City of Cape Town and Open Book Festival and looking forward to the launch of #WritingmyCity at this year’s Festival. We are also still running a number of writing workshops to help develop your story. Contact your nearest participating library for details.”
Participating libraries:
Area North:
Central Library: Linda.Ntaka@capetown.gov.za
Edgemead Library: Lorraine.mathewson@gmail.com
Langa Library: Sandile.bukani@capetown.gov.za
Area East:
Suider-strand Library: Nombongo.nkwenkwezi@capetown.gov.za
Macassar Library: Glen.etson@capetown.gov.za
Kuils River Library: Wilhelmina.whitman@capetown.gov.za
Melton Rose Library: Eleanore.Pietersen@capetown.gov.za
Mfuleni Library: Nolubabalo.Memani@capetown.gov.za
Eerste River Library: Rene.Jashim@capetown.gov.za
Khayelitsha Library: Vuyokazi.Raninjambatwa@capetown.gov.za
Kulani Library: Catherine.ben@capetown.gov.za
Masakhane Library: Nomonde.Sotashe@capetown.gov.za
Moses Mabhida Library: Mbulelo.Zumana@capetown.gov.za
Harare Library: Ncebakazi.mawu@capetown.gov.za
Kuyasa Library: Lulama.Langeni@capetown.gov.za
Area Central:
Bellville Library: Christelle.connor@capetown.gov.za
Elsies River Library: Julian.Schroeder@capetown.gov.za
Hanover Park Library: Bernadette.daniels@capetown.gov.za
Manenberg Library: Nomnqopiso.lisa@capetown.gov.za
Manenberg Library: Nomnqopiso.lisa@capetown.gov.za
Athlone Library: Soraya.samuels@capetown.gov.za
Nyanga Library: Sophie Mahuze@capetown.gov.za
Area South:
Tokai Library: Natasha.marinus@capetown.gov.za
Wynberg Library: Nadia.Ismail@capetown.gov.za
Fish Hoek Library: Rika.smit@capetown.gov.za
Masiphumelele Library: vuyokaszi.tatana@capetown.gov.za
Retreat Library: Sharon.adams@capetown.gov.za
The ninth Open Book Festival takes place from 4 to 8 September.
Visit www.openbookfestival.co.za for details in the forthcoming months.
For further information about the Festival or Cape Town Library Book: Writing my City contact frankie@openbookfestival.co.za