OBSIDIAN FOUNDATION

MAGMA POETRY TO PARTNER
THE OBSIDIAN FOUNDATION

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Obsidian is a new foundation and poetry retreat launched for Black poets, founded by Nick Makoha.

The Retreat is a long-term, sustainable programme based on the successful model of Cave Canem in the USA. The Foundation will provide Black poets, who often face multiple barriers of access to literary resources and professional development, with an opportunity to network with agents, publishers and influencers.

The Obsidian Foundation has been established to create a community of Black creative poets and provide a place for them to express themselves with freedom. A one-week retreat will be held annually for Black African, Caribbean, Afro-Latinx and African-American heritage poets, including those of mixed-Black heritage, who want to advance their writing practice. Poets are selected by application and the retreat will be led by five acclaimed Black tutors.

——-Magma Poetry will be supporting the Obsidian Foundation by:
● Funding two places on the first Obsidian retreat
● Offering one year of free digital subscription to first year Obsidian poets
● Doing an Obsidian takeover of Magma’s Twitter account for the duration of the first Obsidian retreat
● Providing long-term publication opportunities to Obsidian alumni, with a special Obsidian issue of Magma to be published in Spring 2022

The first retreat of courses, seminars, events and mentorships will be held virtually and include sessions with acclaimed poets Roger Robinson (T.S Eliot Award 2019), Raymond Antrobus (Ted Hughes Award 2019), Malika Booker (winner of the Forward Prizes Best Single Poem The Little Miracles 2020), Patricia Smith (Pulitzer Prize finalist 2018) and Terrance Hayes (MacArthur Foundation Fellow).

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE AND APPLY

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