Taking place in Cradock, Olive Schreiner’s childhood home, in the Eastern Cape from 18 to 20 June 2026, this year’s edition of the Karoo Writers Festival is hosted jointly by Amazwi South African Museum of Literature and the Victoria Manor Hotel.
The headline guest this year is Stephen Symons, whose fifth poetry collection The Algebra of Insignificance won the 2026 Olive Schreiner Prize for Poetry.
Catch him at the following events:
Thursday, 18 June, Victoria Manor Hotel, 19:00
AVBOB Showcase with music by ACCESS Music, featuring Stephen Symons, 2026 Olive Schreiner Prize Winner for Poetry for The Algebra of Insignificance & Clinton V du Plessis, AVBOB Afrikaans Poetry Winner, reading from his latest poetry collection, Maar steeds sal daar miskien.
Friday, 19 June, Victoria Manor Hotel, 08:30-10:30
Stephen Symons: ‘Why poetry matters … especially in the classroom’
Saturday, 20 June, Victoria Manor Hotel, 10:00
Stephen Symons: ‘The highs and lows of my writing journey’
More info: Brittle Paper
Full programme: Karoo Writers Festival
karavanpress.com 