Open Book Festival has announced a powerful 2025 line-up, bringing together established and emerging literary voices from across South Africa and the continent for three days of essential conversations, performances and community building.
This year's programme welcomes returning festival favourites, including the incomparable Pumla Dineo Gqola, Mohale Mashigo, Maneo Mohale, Zizipho Bam, Lesedi Molefi, Sven Axelrad and Siphokazi Jonas. The festival is also excited to welcome new talent to the Open Book family, including Andile Cele, Nadia Cassim, Popina Khumanda, Manthipe Moila, Jeffrey Rakabe and Sarah Uheida, among others.
International participants bring additional depth to the programme, with acclaimed Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga (through their partnership with Littlegig), Foluso Agbaje (Nigeria/London), and Goretti Kyomuhendo (Uganda) joining them. The African Literary Cities Project is also bringing some incredible participants — look forward to engaging with Rémy Ngamije (Namibia), Bibi Bakare-Yusuf (Nigeria/London), and James Murua (Kenya). Nadia Davids joins the festival as part of the Caine Prize 25th anniversary celebration.
A full list of participants is available on the festival website, which will continue to be updated as new authors are confirmed.
The festival's crowdfunding appeal has demonstrated the deep community commitment, with supporters raising R383,210 towards the R500,000 target needed to secure the festival's long-term sustainability. While this year's festival will proceed regardless, reaching the full funding goal is essential to ensure the festival can continue without unsustainable borrowing .
“The response has been incredible and shows how much this festival means to our community,” said festival organiser Frankie Murrey. “We're still accepting contributions as we work towards our sustainability target, because this festival isn't just about this year — it's about ensuring these vital conversations continue for years to come.”
The 2025 programme combines beloved festival traditions with new initiatives addressing contemporary challenges. Returning favourites include Conversations with Mohale, Up Close with Maneo and Writersports. Festivalgoers can also look forward to poetry readings, performances and conversations centring on mental health, the realities of being black in “white spaces” and the reimagination of masculinity.
“We're not just hosting conversations — we're holding space,” said Murrey. “In a world that feels increasingly fraught, we're creating opportunities for our community to find strength in each other, to support and celebrate, and to discover moments of joy.”
The 2025 festival is made possible through sponsorships and partnerships. The festival's thanks go to the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust, Jonathan Ball Publishers, NB Publishers, Pan Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Stellenbosch University English Department, African Literary Cities Project, Littlegig, House of Sachane, The Caine Prize, Climate Lounge, Silent Book Club and Letterhead.
Open Book Festival creates platforms for people to engage with literature, critical thinking and community building. Through conversations, performances and collaborative events, Open Book fosters spaces for dialogue about the issues that matter most to contemporary South Africa and the continent.
Article provided by Carmen Wells on behalf of Open Book Festival
