The 2022 AKO Caine Prize Award Ceremony was held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, on Monday 18th July , coinciding with the museum’s Africa Fashion exhibition.
Chair of the judging panel, Okey Ndibe, announced Idza Luhumyo as the winner of the 2022 AKO Caine Prize for African Writing, for her story, ‘Five Years Next Sunday’, co-published in Disruption: New Short Fiction From Africa by Catalyst Press/Short Story Day Africa.
A video profile of the shortlisted writers, accompanied by illustrations of their respective stories was screened at the event. The film was produced and directed by Ugandan-British filmmaker Leah Magoye, with animations by Ugandan-British illustrator Gisela Mulindwa.
In addition to a drinks reception, guests were invited to a private viewing of the museum’s Africa Fashion exhibition.
Dinner was served shortly afterwards, with speeches by Ellah Wakatama OBE, Chair of the AKO Caine Prize; Sarah-Ozo Irabor, Director of the Prize; and Dr Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A.
Ben Okri, OBE, FRSL, delivered the evening’s keynote speech, on the importance of the short story.
The shortlisted stories, including Idza Luhumyo’s, were published in the Prize’s 2021/2022 anthology, A Mind to Silence and Other Stories, by Cassava Republic Press.
Photographs of the ceremony can be viewed in the gallery below.
The 2022 AKO Caine Prize finalists in conversation with SOAS university
WEDNESDAY 13 JULY 2022, 5PM BST
Join us for a virtual ‘In Conversation’ with the 2022 shortlisted writers of the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing, hosted by SOAS University. Writers Joshua Chizoma, Hannah Giorgis, Nana-Ama Danquah, Idza Luhumyo and Billie McTernan will be reading excerpts from their stories for the audience while sharing the journeys that they took to creating the compelling, complex and cunning stories that make up the 2022 shortlist.
TWITTER SPACES: MEDIA DIVERSIFIED HOSTS THE AKO CAINE PRIZE 2022 SHORTLIST
TUESDAY 5 JULY, 6PM BST
@WRITERSOFCOLOUR TWITTER
Join us over on the Media Diversified twitter spaces (@writersofcolour) where shortlisted authors and publishers will be discussing the stories that made it to the shortlist of the 2022 AKO Caine Prize for African Writing. These 5 stories - selected from over 300 submissions, reflect the nuanced and brilliant genre fiction within the African literary space. You do not want to miss a conversation with the minds that crafted and championed these stories. So, bring your questions, thoughts and opinions and let’s spend a couple of hours on a Tuesday evening chatting about African Writing!
Ayobami Adebayo in Conversation with AKO Caine Prize finalists at the national Centre for Writing, Norwich.
Thursday 14 July 2022, 6.30PM BST
The AKO Caine Prize for African Writing visit Norwich in an unmissable conversation between our 2022 shortlisted authors and award winning author of Stay With Me, Ayobami Adebayo. This in person event, will see conversation on craft, culture and characterisation in the short story tradition and is a must-attend for any Norwich locals or lovers of short stories across the UK. Tickets are free, but pre-registration is required.
FASHIONING AFRICAN LITERATURES with Naana Orleans-Armissa and the AKO Caine Prize finalists at the V&A Museum
FRIDAY 15 JULY 2022, 7PM BST
V&A, LONDON
Taking place at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), this discussion will see explorations of the parallels, departures and variety in story-shaping from the African continent with each author exploring from their unique perspectives, the relationships between fashion and narrative telling on the African continent across the last 70 years.
Join creative strategist, Naana Orleans-Armissa, in conversation with the AKO Caine Prize shortiisted writers for an unforgettable discussion.
BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION: AKO CAINE PRIZE FINALISTS WITH THE CANDID BOOK CLUB
SATURDAY 16 JULY 2022, 5PM BST
THE AFRICA CENTRE, LONDON
Join us for an intimate discussion of the shortlisted stories with The Candid Book Club, one of the UK's most popular book clubs, and our shortlisted writers Joshua Chizoma, Nana-Ama Danquah, Hannah Giorgis, Idza Luhumyo and Billie McTernan, as they get into the stories that have shaped how we think about African short storytelling traditions and genre narrative today.
Registration is free but we advise you reserve you place. Read the stories here:
