The 2022 BVI Literary Arts Festival will be held from November 3-6, 2022, as part of the Department of Culture’s Culture and Tourism Month. Photo: HLSCC

This year’s festival will showcase and feature literature, film, music, and spoken word under the theme "Unspoken. Unwritten. Unknown."

The diverse programme features writers and speakers from the Caribbean and its diaspora through a series of panels, readings, films, workshops, lectures and a local book fair. Featured artists and performers include world-renowned writers such as Kei Miller, Tiphanie Yanique, Tobias Buckell, and Desiree C. Bailey.

The expansion of activities this year is in no short part due to the patrons who have graciously agreed to support the festival and its mission. The premier sponsor is Unite BVI Foundation, whose Executive Director, Dr Sauda Smith stated, “I am proud to partner with the BVI Lit Fest as its Premier Sponsor for what promises to be three days of engaging discussion, edifying workshops, and stellar performances.”

President of HLSCC and Virgin Islands Poet Laureate, Dr Richard E. Georges said, “I am deeply pleased to see the BVI Lit Fest grow. I am grateful to the Department of Culture, the BVI Tourist Board, Unite BVI, VP Bank and all of our sponsors for helping us make this a reality.”

CEO of VP Bank, Nicholas Clark added, “VP Bank is delighted to be a Platinum Sponsor of the 2022 BVI Lit Fest! Our principal shareholder, the Guido Feger Foundation, is a charitable foundation focused on fostering cultural developments with the local communities where VP Bank has a presence. Through the Foundation’s support, we look forward to seeing the Festival flourish. We wish this inaugural event immense success and to become a key fixture in the BVI and Caribbean cultural calendars.”

Silver Sponsors include Aleman Cordero Galindo & Lee and National Bank of the Virgin Islands.

The Gold Sponsors are 284 Media and CCT, while other sponsors and partners include OBM BVI, the BVI Tourist Board, and the Office of the Governor.

On Friday, November 4, 2022, the BVI Lit Fest will present a series of readings and panel discussions at the HLSCC Paraquita Bay Campus followed by an evening showcase of emerging local writers at Sushi Bar entitled Light A Fire.

On Saturday, November 5, 2022, the festival will be offering writing workshops and a book fair at Maria’s by the Sea. This will be followed on Saturday evening by the BVI Lit Fest Poetry Slam competition. Poets will perform a three-minute performance poem in response to this year’s theme: “Unspoken. Unwritten. Unknown.” The winner will receive $1,000 while the runner-up will receive $250.

To enter the Poetry Slam, poets must submit a short poetry performance video and written sample to smconnell@hlscc.edu.vg by 5:00 pm on October 28, 2022.

To see the full schedule and the list of speakers for the BVI Lit Fest, please visit www.bvilitfest.com.