New York Black & African Literature Fesitval Debuts in September

A new literary festival titled The New York Black & African Literature Festival  (NYBALF) will host writers, poets, public intellectuals, artists, and community organizers from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Americas in New York from September 5 – 7, 2025.

Themed Radical Solidarities, the festival will continue the work of bringing the collective consciousness of continental and diasporic communities into communication with each other while revisiting and reimagining what progress looks like in the dialectic spirit of Sankofa. It will be three days of transdisciplinary conversation, performance, and coalition-building.

“If there was ever a time to connect our fractured publics into strategic coalitions that strengthen the agency of black communities everywhere, this is it,” said the festival founder and director, Efe Paul-Azino, himself a poet, and the founder of the Lagos International Poetry Festival.

Activities at the literary festival in New York will include a dynamic mix of panel discussions, readings, and policy conversations addressing pressing issues across the diaspora with award-winning novelists, poets, and public intellectuals. There will also be poetry and musical performances, visual art exhibitions showcasing contemporary Black artists, and community open mic & Harlem block party, amongst others. 

“The expansive universe of African thought has always allowed for multiple ideas to coexist in tender proximity to each other, even when in contradiction. The festival will actively pursue the platforming of new and diverse voices, creating an environment that increases our awareness of today’s issues and inspires collaborative action.” Azino writes in the mission statement.

The New York Black and African Literature Festival is supported by the Open Society Foundations, The Africa Center, OlongoAfrica, and a growing coalition of cultural, academic, and philanthropic partners. It is organised by a nonprofit cultural initiative registered in New York, dedicated to deepening dialogue and cooperation between continental Africa and the global Black diaspora through literature, critical ideas, and interdisciplinary art. 

As a partner in the festival, OlongoAfrica will bring you more details as events unfold. For more information, contact them at www.blackandafricanlitfestny.com.