Calling all aspiring writers, poets, and spoken word artists! Are you eager to share your literary creations with an appreciative audience, gain valuable feedback, and connect with like-minded creatives? The Lit Lounge, an exciting new event hosted by the Goethe-Institut, offers you the perfect opportunity to do just that. Set to take place on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at 7:00 PM, this event promises an evening where words truly come alive.
What to Expect at Lit Lounge
Lit Lounge is designed to be a vibrant space where budding writers can recite or read their poems, short stories, and spoken word performances. Whether you’re a seasoned writer looking for new platforms to showcase your work or a newcomer eager to step into the literary scene, Lit Lounge is the ideal venue to express your creativity.
This event is free of charge, making it accessible to all. Participants will have the chance to perform in front of an engaging audience, providing an excellent opportunity to hone their skills and gain confidence in their craft.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM
Venue: Goethe-Institut, 30 Kakramadu Road, Cantonments, Accra (next to NAFTI)
Entry: Free
Partners: Ehalakasa, Tampered, Writers Project of Ghana
How to Participate
If you’re interested in performing, you can sign up by scanning the QR code provided in the event flyer or visiting the Goethe-Institut’s website. This is a unique opportunity to present your work, get exposure, and receive feedback from peers and seasoned writers alike.
Why Attend?
Lit Lounge is more than just an event—it’s a community for writers who are passionate about storytelling in all its forms. By participating, you’ll not only gain exposure but also become part of a supportive network of writers and creatives. The event is organized in collaboration with prominent literary groups like Ehalakasa, Tampered Press, and the Writers Project of Ghana, ensuring a diverse and enriching experience for all attendees.
Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to let your words come alive at the Lit Lounge! Whether you’re a writer, poet, or simply a lover of literature, this event is a must-attend. Mark your calendars for August 21, 2024, and prepare to be inspired.
For more information and to secure your spot, visit the Goethe-Institut’s website or scan the QR code on the event flyer.
Asmaila Rahinatu is a young Ghanaian writer and spoken word artist from Salaga in the Savannah region. Asmaila has already made a name for herself in the poetry community at the age of 22, using her talent to effect positive change and inspire others to do the same.
Asmaila’s love of writing and spoken word began at a young age, when she found solace and self-expression in writing down her thoughts and emotions.
Her passion for poetry grew as she grew older, and she began to use her words to address important issues such as education, the environment, and social justice.
Asmaila’s ability to connect with her audience on a deep, emotional level is one of the things that distinguishes her as a spoken word artist.
Her poetry is distinguished by its raw emotional depth, powerful imagery, and inspiring messages, which frequently address issues of social change and the human condition.
Asmaila is also a proud alumna of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Regional Leadership Center, where she honed her leadership skills and discovered her passion for bringing about positive change in her community.
She believes that education, in particular, is a key driver of social change and is dedicated to using her voice and platform to advocate for universal access to high-quality education.
Asmaila, who is currently serving her national service year as an English teacher for junior high school students, continues to inspire and empower others through her passion for spoken word and poetry.
She sees herself as a voice for the voiceless, speaking out on issues that are frequently overlooked or ignored and providing a platform for others to do the same.
Those interested in Asmaila’s work can find her on various social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, where she shares her most recent poems and spoken word performances.
Her words have the ability to inspire, challenge, and motivate, and she is a rising star in the poetry community as well as a true force for positive change in Ghana and beyond.
Asmaila Rahinatu is a gifted spoken word artist and writer who uses her voice and platform to effect positive change and inspire others to do the same.
Her poetry, which is characterized by emotional depth, powerful imagery, and inspiring messages, reflects her passion for education, social justice, and the environment.
Asmaila is a rising poet and a true role model for young people who want to make a difference in the world.
Writing has been a constant in Maame Afua Fosua Ayiku’s life.
Her father encouraged her to write essays on Saturdays, which she despised at the time.
However, as she grew older, she came to value the skills she learned from those exercises.
Writing is now more than a hobby for her; it is a passion that has led her to explore various genres such as prose, poetry, and drama.
Ayiku draws her inspiration from her childhood experiences and biblical stories, which she uses to connect with her audience on a deeper level.
Her passion for spoken word, on the other hand, developed later in life, when she began to explore ways to express herself beyond the written page.
Ayiku’s work extends beyond writing and spoken word.
She is also a voracious reader and a fan of natural hair.
Ayiku believes that natural hair is an important part of one’s identity as someone who values self-expression.
Aside from writing and having natural hair, Ayiku enjoys baking.
She sees baking as a creative outlet, similar to writing, and enjoys experimenting with new flavors and ingredients.
She enjoys sharing her creations with friends and family.
Ayiku has always pursued her interests and found ways to express herself through them.
Her writing, spoken word, love for natural hair, and faith are all extensions of her creative spirit.
Ayiku’s goal is to connect with others and inspire them to pursue their own passions, whether through her writing or spoken word performances.
Ehalakasa is the platform where spoken word (poetry) intersects with music.
Eha means Song in Ewe. La means Sing in Ga. Kasa means Talk in Akan (Twi).
These separate words are combined to form EHALAKASA. The basic intent for EHALAKASA is to address and deal with issues relevant to our time as a people, while projecting Ghanaian values. At Ehalakasa we discover, nurture, develop and empower youth in the areas of creative writing, reading and performance arts, through event production and workshops. EHALAKASA has evolved out of the response of artists’ and art lovers’ desire for the awakening and recognition of spoken word performance, live music and poetry in Accra and Ghana.
The SheSheSlam
SheShe is an all-women performance project open to only females. Our target is women of all ages and background based in Ghana with emphasis on young women. Slam as the name implies, is a crash in this case by words and ideas. SheSheSlam is a lyrical battle set between open-minded women who believe in the submission and exchange of thoughts through imagination and creativity within a timeframe of 3 minutes.
This slam is eligible only to females because we have realized a huge gap with regards to gender roles in general within the space of poetry slam and we want to bridge that gap. The poetry slam space, although is not a male-only field has been dominated by males over the years and thus, the need for us to rise up to the call to duty with SheSheSlam. We set to see women slam organizers from A to Z for the first time and to witness all key players during the slam taking the bull by the horn.
Our focus is on helping to raise and grow the interest of young women for the global slam community and allow them the space to voice out in the right direction. We are proud to mention the current National Slam Champion, Twita Lit who is also a former SheShe Slammer, is one of us. She is working towards representing Ghana at the next Africa Cup of Poetry Slam in Bamako this year and later to the World Poetry Slam Championship in Brazil.
This is the road map for SheSheSlam, we are calling on all individuals; women support groups and stake holders who believe and see eye with us on this.
SLAM RULES
The slam is a three (3) round healthy battle of performances where slammers perform their originally written spoken word pieces before a live audience to be judged by five (5) randomly selected audience members as judges on the scale of one to ten (1 – 10).
After each performance, slam master will drop one (1) high score and one (1) low score then add up the three (3) scores in between to make up the total score for the performance. This will make 30 the highest score.
Each piece or performance must be within 3 minutes. A Slammer has a 10 seconds grace period after which one (1) point will be deducted from slammers total score.
No props are allowed (no music, no costume, no use of any object apart from your body)
30 seconds singing allowed but no instrumentals
We are so excited to see you all at the Silverbird Cinemas, Accra Mall on Saturday March 11, 2023.
