5th Annual Golden Baobab Prize | $1,000 top prize | Africa-wide

Deadline: 14 July 2013

It’s a pleasure to announce the ongoing fifth annual Golden Baobab Prize, a literary award that invites entries of unpublished African-inspired stories written for young audiences below the age of twelve! As you already, the mission of the Golden Baobab Prize is to inspire African writers to create enthralling African stories that will inspire the imaginations of generations of African children.

This year, Golden Baobab will award three prizes:

• The Picture Book Prize awards $1,000 to the best story written for readers ages 6-8;
• The Early Chapter Book Prize awards $1,000 to the best story written for readers ages 9-11;
• The Rising Writer Prize awards $1,000 to the most promising young writer below the age of 18.

This year’s prize packages include a publishing deal and opportunities to attend exclusive Golden Baobab writers’ workshops. Additional rules and regulations can be found on our website. Please note that the Golden Baobab Prize is open to African citizens of all ages. Deadline for submission is July 14, 2013.

RULES AND REGULATIONS:

Entrants must comply with all of the set rules and regulations. The submission deadline for 2013 is 11:59pm GMT Sunday, July 14, 2013. ALL entries will be acknowledged with an email to the address from which the entry was sent. The rules and regulations below are divided into those specific to the individual prizes and those general to the three prizes.

GOLDEN BAOBAB PRIZE FOR PICTURE BOOKS:

• Submissions must be stories between 700 and 2,000 words and intended for readers from ages 6-8 years old.
• Entrants may be any age and must be a citizen of an African country (a copy of a passport or comparable document will be required of winners). There is no restriction on race or geographical location.
• Entrants may enter up to five stories.

GOLDEN BAOBAB PRIZE FOR EARLY CHAPTER BOOKS:

• Submissions must be stories between 5,000 and 10,000 words and intended for readers from ages 9-11 years old.
• Entrants may be any age and must be a citizen of an African country (a copy of a passport or comparable document will be required of winners). There is no restriction on race or geographical location.
• Entrants may enter up to five stories.

GOLDEN BAOBAB PRIZE FOR RISING WRITERS:

• Submissions must be stories between 5,000 and 10,000 words and intended for readers from ages 9-11 years old.
• Stories must be submitted with a completed Rising Writer Personal Profile Form which is a word document saved as “Your Last Name_Rising Writer Personal Profile”. The form should answer the following questions designed to inform us how well you fit the criteria for the Rising Writer Prize. Your answers may be used for promotional purposes upon the conclusion of judging. The questions are:
• First and Last Name:
• Title of story submission:
• Nationality:
• Male or Female:
• Age:
• Date of birth:
• Who is your favorite author and why? (100 words maximum)
• Who and/or what inspires you to write children’s fiction? (100 words maximum)
• What are your aspirations as an author? (100 words maximum)
• Why do you write? (500 words maximum)
• In addition to the Rising Writer Personal Profile and the 5,000 - 10,000 word story intended for readers 9-11 years old, Rising Writer Prize entrants may enter four additional stories meeting either the Picture Book Prize or the Early Chapter Book Prize specifications. It is not compulsory to submit additional stories but it may enhance an entrant's application if judges are able to see the breadth of the entrants writing capabilities.
• Entrants must be under the age of 18 as of July 14, 2013, and a citizen of an African country (a copy of a passport or comparable document will be required of winners). There is no restriction on race or geographical location.

GENERAL (FOR ALL 3 PRIZES):

• There are no restrictions on theme, but stories must be set in Africa or have a very evident African content and should be designed to enthrall and captivate African children.
• Submissions must be in English.
• Submissions must be made under an author’s legal name, as it is written on his or her passport or other identification. Additionally, he or she may indicate a desire for the story to be represented under a pseudonym.
• Previous entrants of the Prize are eligible to enter in subsequent years. Past winners of the Prize are ineligible to enter in subsequent years.
• All entries must be the unaided work of the entrant and all exclusive rights to the story should be the sole property of the author at the time of submission to the Golden Baobab Prize.
• Submissions must be previously unpublished anywhere in part or in full.
• Each story should have a title page stating: the title of story and prize to which story is being submitted. Do not include the author's name on the title page. All biographical information should be submitted through our online submission system.
• Stories should be submitted as a word document in .doc or .docx format. Do not submit PDFs.
• Once winners are announced, all rights to winning and shortlisted stories must be exclusively available for publication with Golden Baobab's publishing partners. After one calendar year if Golden Baobab has not pursued a story for publication, entrants are welcome to give the rights of the story to other interested parties. Non-winning or non-shortlisted stories may be invited to publish with Golden Baobab's publishing partners but there is no guarantee.
• Golden Baobab reserves non-exclusive rights to use stories submitted to the Prizes for press and promotion and for the website. Authors will always be informed and acknowledged.
• The Golden Baobab Prize administration reserves the right to disqualify entries that do not conform to set rules. No correspondence will be pursued in this regard.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Questions: info@goldenbaobab.org

Submissions: via the online form

Website: http://goldenbaobab.org/

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Proofreader wanted | Council for Law Reporting | Ghana

The Council for Law Reporting, an agency under the Ministry of Justice is looking for qualified personnel to fill the position of Proofreader.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Proofreads manuscripts for the Council's publications.

QUALIFICATION AND REQUIREMENTS:

• A Bachelor's degree holder in English or Book Publishing from a recognised Tertiary institution or relevant field.
• Must be computer literate

Applications including contact phone numbers, with CV and two referees should be sent to:

The Acting Editor
Ghana Law Reports
Council for Law Reporting
P. O. Box MB 165
Accra

or hand delivered to the offices of the council for law reporting (South Liberia Road, Ministries - the office is opposite Ministries Police Station and adjacent to the Mali Embassy).

NB: Only shortlisted applicants will be invited for interview

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Applications: The Acting Editor, Ghana Law Reports, Council for Law Reporting, P. O. Box MB 165, Accra

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Job Vacancy: Programs Officer - Golden Baobab Literary Services (must have authorization to work in Ghana)

Named “one of the most visionary, game-changing social enterprises in the world today” by Echoing Green, Golden Baobab envisions a world filled with stories that inspire African children’s imaginations. This journey begins with inspiring and incentivizing African authors and illustrators to create stories for young audiences through our Golden Baobab Prize program. We then go through the intricate production process whereby our Literary Services department uses innovative ways to ensure that these stories are turned into enthralling books and other multimedia. We wrap up our adventure with distribution through programs like GeeBee the Book Bag. We ensure that these quality stories make it into the hands of African children, allowing them to see themselves in the beautiful books that they read. Golden Baobab now invites you to be a part of the dream team! Join our story, set in the bustling city of Accra, and help unleash the imaginations of African children the world over.

GOLDEN BAOBAB LITERARY SERVICES PROGRAMS OFFICER

Over the past four years, the Golden Baobab Prize has inspired African writers to create over 850 children's stories many of which are brilliant gems but which remain unpublished - a situation that's not okay with us. We want these stories (and the many more to come through the Golden Baobab Prize) to go out into the world, in various formats, to inspire the imaginations of generations of African children. Our Literary Services Programs Officer will develop, manage and implement Golden Baobab’s production program. You will engineer several publishing and co-publishing arrangements to see Golden Baobab Prize stories out to children all over the continent and around the world. You will aggressively seek out and sign our stories and authors to new markets and into many languages, negotiating stellar deals on their behalf and consistently representing their best interests. You will spearhead the establishment of a Golden Baobab imprint so we can publish what we want, how we want to. Your daily mantra will be "oh, the many places I shall take Golden Baobab stories and the authors and illustrators who made them!" To be successful, you should have a deep passion for books and for Africa. You must be an excellent negotiator, a creative strategic thinker, a hardened problem solver and a solid project manager who thrives on making sense out of complexities. Prior publishing experience is a huge plus. This is a full-time position based in Accra. It may require some travel. Preference will be given to candidates with authorization to work in Ghana.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Publishing Partnerships

• Take responsibility for the development, planning and coordination of all publishing and production projects;
• Identify and secure publishing and production partnerships for stories from the Golden Baobab Prize;
• Evaluate manuscripts to determine if an author’s work can be sold and to whom;
• Connect writers and illustrators to leading publishers and content producers (film, animation, theater, games, apps etc.) across Africa and around the world;
• Negotiate stellar contracts and royalties for Golden Baobab authors and illustrators;
• Work closely with publishers to ensure that content is produced to a high quality and in a timely manner.
• Golden Baobab Imprint
• Spearhead development of Golden Baobab’s Publishing Imprint;
• Serve as project manager for the imprint’s production of stories to various media such as print books, audio books, digital books etc;
• Keep up-to-date with developments and the evolving nature of the publishing industry and media, as well as, relevant legislation, new technologies and new ways of selling books.

Networking

• Constantly establish new contacts and maintain a network of literary, media and arts representatives;
• Meet publishers, editors and producers at various book fairs, conventions and events.

Administration

• Manage intellectual property rights and contracts;
• Manage payments with publishers/producers on behalf of authors, illustrators;
• Establish financial framework for the business side of production;
• Take on any other responsibilities or tasks that are within your skills and abilities as needed by organization;
• Serve as the main point of contact for correspondence between the organization, authors, publishers, producers, and other relevant parties in various production processes;
• Work tirelessly to help select Golden Baobab authors and illustrators to become more successful.

PROFILE OF IDEAL CANDIDATE:

• Relentless problem solver who uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems; looks beyond the obvious and doesn’t stop at the first answer;
• Disciplined thinker and strategist who is able to make sense out of complexity;
• Innovative self-starter with proven track record of transforming ideas into reality;
• Possesses entrepreneurial astuteness necessary to seek maximum return for writers, illustrators and the organization and for sighting opportunities from afar and seizing them for the organization;
• Relates well to all kinds of people; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact to diffuse high-tension situations;
• Exceptional competence in verbal and written communication;
• Superior organizational skills and able to exercise considerable individual judgment; attention to detail and an ability to manage projects with competing deadlines;
• Enjoys working hard and can be counted on to exceed goals successfully;
• Great team player who is committed to and contributes to the success of other members of the team;
• Adept at marshalling resources (people, funding, material, support) to make a lot happen from very little;
• Relentless and versatile learner who is open to change and who analyses both successes and failures to find clues for improvement;
• Excited by the thought of being an early stage employee at a startup that has the potential to touch the lives of children all over the world;
• Unquestionably committed to Golden Baobab’s mission;
• Passionate about Africa, Children, Literature, and Social Enterprises;
• Can commit to this position for a minimum of 3 years.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Bachelor’s Degree in any field. Minimum of 2 years experience in project management and communications with an unquestionable track record of successfully managing projects from beginning to end. Publishing experience a plus.

SALARY AND BENEFITS: Competitive salary. Health Insurance, 21 days paid leave, Social Security contribution, communications reimbursements, quarterly team outings, quarterly leadership seminars, the satisfaction of building something new that can make a difference, all the children’s books you can read! Please understand - although Golden Baobab operates as a social enterprise, we are a nonprofit organization and while our salaries are in line with similar sized nonprofit organizations, we cannot compete with for-profit salaries.

DEADLINE: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants are advised to apply immediately. Work to begin as soon as possible.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Submit a letter of interest, resume, and a short writing sample. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. We thank all applicants.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: team@goldenbaobab.org

Website: http://www.goldenbaobab.org/

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Editors Wanted for the National Apprenticeship Program of Innovations for Poverty Action (Ghana)

Deadline: 1 April 2013

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a U.S. non-profit organization dedicated to creating, evaluating, and replicating innovative solutions to poverty and policy problems worldwide. IPA specializes in using randomized impact evaluation to assess the effectiveness of development programs.

The National Apprenticeship Program (NAP) is being implemented by the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) to promote youth skills acquisition and employment. NAP is primarily targeted at young people who left school before reaching SHS. It matches young people with a Master Trainer in 1 of 6 vocations (garments, cosmetology, ICT, blocklaying/masonry, welding and carpentry), pays their apprenticeship fee, and gives them some tools and materials to begin their training.

The program aims to endow young people with skills that they would otherwise not have been able to acquire, increasing their future opportunities in the labor market and improving their quality of life. As part of the evaluation of the National Apprenticeship Program, a baseline survey has already been conducted with the apprentices, and one for the Master Trainers is about to commence.

THE MAIN AIMS of the survey are:

• To provide a baseline that will enable the COTVET and IPA to evaluate the impact of NAP.
• To explore the factors which influence the performance of apprentices based on the trainers that they are matched with.

IPA is seeking applications from qualified and committed applicants to work as SURVEYORS in its upcoming Master Trainer survey. Employment will be short-term and paid at a daily rate. All short-term staff will receive reimbursements for food, transportation, and accommodation costs incurred during the surveying period. Applicants must be available in April and May 2013.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Editors will work in 2 or more Regions, and in each Region will work in 2-5 Districts. Data collection teams will comprise a Team Leader, an Editor, and 7-10 Surveyors.

Editors will:

• Check every survey that has been completed by the surveyors to ensure that all sections have been completed accurately and that the information is captured in a clear, coherent, legible manner;
• Resolve mistakes, omissions, poor handwriting, inconsistencies and incoherencies in the survey data, following up with surveyors where necessary;
• Assist the Team Leader to track survey respondents and completed surveys for submission to the data entry team.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

• Educated to HND, Bachelor’s or Master’s level;
• Previous experience in conducting field interviews and/or editing surveys;
• Willing to spend significant amounts of time in the field and travelling between Regions and Districts;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Quick learner, flexible, self-motivated, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, team player;
• Good organizational skills;
• Ability to remain focused and attentive to detail for several hours;
• Polite, friendly, and respectful to respondents and colleagues;
• Fluency in any of the following combinations of languages
• English and Ga
• English and Twi
• English and Fanti
• English and Ewe
• English, Ga and Twi
• English, Fanti and Twi
• English, Ewe and Twi
• Able to commit to a minimum of 2 months.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants must email their CV and cover letter to napmcpsurvey@gmail.com copying jobs-ghana@poverty-action.org

In the body of the email, the following information must be provided:

• Regional location of applicant
• Languages spoken fluently by applicant
• Highest level of education

The CV should include a contact phone number. The cover letter should be no longer than 1 page and highlight how you meet the requirements in the person specification outlined above. Applicants who do not submit a cover letters will not be shortlisted. The subject line for all emailed applications must read: NAP – MCP Survey.

All documents should be attached to this email and saved using the following format:

• Lastname_Firstname_CV
• Lastname_Firstname_Coverletter
• The documents may be submitted in MS Word or PDF format.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interviews.

Successful completion of this assignment will lead to inclusion in IPA’s Surveyor’s Database, potentially leading to other surveying projects in the future. IPA is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of Ghanaian society. Women are particularly encouraged to apply.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: napmcpsurvey@gmail.com (cc: jobs-ghana@poverty-action.org)

Website: http://poverty-action.org/

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Call for Submissions Worldwide: Write for Light Anthology (for the benefit of Light for Children Ghana)

Deadline: 15 April 2013

Write for Light is a creative writing programme that is open to everyone. There is only one thing that we want you to do, and that is to write a short autobiographical story based on the following prompt:

Tell us about a time in your life when you found light in the darkness.

Your true story could be about a time when you:

• Overcame an obstacle.
• Achieved something against all odds.
• Felt hopeless but you found hope.
• Were nervous but you found courage.
• Thought everything seemed to be going wrong but turned out alright in the end.
• Surprised someone with your abilities and inner strength to succeed.

It is entirely up to you how you answer the question! Your story should be around 500 words in length (one A4 page), however, longer submissions are more than welcome.

All of the money raised from the books we publish (with your stories in) will go directly to Light for Children Ghana to help them build an education centre in Kumasi, Ghana.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

We want Write for Light to be open and available to as many people as we can. That is why we have tried to make the submission process as easy and straightforward as possible. It is worth noting that we will accept stories from all ages and from all over the world. However, participants under the age of 18 will need consent from a parent or guardian to submit their story.

Here are the guidelines for a successful submission:

• Your story must be submitted as a Word or PDF document.
• It should be at least 500 words (longer submissions are welcome).
• It must be a true story and your own work.
• The work must not already be available in an existing publication.
• You need to give your story a title.
• Your story must be a response to the prompt – ‘Tell us about a time when you found light in the darkness’.

We also require you to attach a Submission and Copyright Release Form along with your story. This will tell us who wrote the story and ensure that we can go ahead and publish your work in our book.

If you have any further questions then feel free to contact us or visit the FAQ page where your question may already be answered.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For submissions: via the Submit a Story page

Website: http://writeforlight.com

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MultiTV - 4Kids Essay Writing Competition (Ghana)

Deadline: 31 March 2013

Students are invited to participate in this year's 4Kids Essay Competition on the theme, “What Role Can Today's Youth Play in the Development of Ghana?”

You may send entries to info@multitvworld.com or drop it off at the MultiTV office (opposite Joy FM) in Kokomlemle or mailed to P.O.Box 17202, Kokomlemle – Accra on or  before March 31st.

Last year, six winners from Senior and Junior categories were chosen and prizes included a Kiddie Fund. See the photos from last year's awarding below.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: info@multitvworld.com

Website: http://www.multitvworld.com/newworld/4kids/

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Entries Open: The Inaugural Ghana Poetry Prize ($1,000 top prize | Ghana/ worldwide)

Deadline: 30 June 2013

Poetry Foundation Ghana announces its inaugural (2013) Ghana Poetry Prize. This will be an award of Gh ₵ 2,000 (equivalent to $ 1,000). This is built on the hugely successful 2012 Online Competition which was done under the name Ghana Poetry Awards.

The aim of this prize is to support younger emerging poets. The Prize is sponsored by Poetry Foundation Ghana and we hope to increase our Prize when we have enough funds from other sources. People with interest in poetry are invited to help in this direction and we will be grateful for your sponsorship.

This contest is open to anyone, anywhere in the world. The submission - maximum of two (2) poems - must not be more than 30 lines long. It is free to enter. The deadline is June 30, 2013

Please post your submissions to the address submissions@poetryfoundationghana.org with the subject Poetry Prize.

Judges for this competition will be released in due time. The shortlist will be announced in July the winner by September.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: info@poetryfoundationghana.org

For submissions: submissions@poetryfoundationghana.org

Website: http://poetryfoundationghana.org

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Call for Young Journalists Worldwide to Cover the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum in Germany (fully funded)

Deadline: 17 March 2013

(Note: The call is open to young journalists from all over the world. DW will assist with the visa applications for those who need it. Travel costs will be reimbursed by our partner Deutsche Welle. Accommodation for three nights and breakfast are covered. European Youth Press is especially looking for participants from India, China, South Africa, Angola, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Myanmar/Burma, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.)

Orange Magazine is looking for 10 young journalists, photographers and layouters (aged between 18 and 30) from all over the world to cover this year’s Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum.

• Who are we? Orange Magazine provides journalistic education and supports young journalists by giving them room to explore media and current affairs.
• Where? Bonn, Germany
• When? 16-19th of June 2013

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Submission deadline: March 17th, 2013, 23h59 CET
• Selected participants notified by: March 22nd, 2013

Please note that selected participants will need to produce and write articles for their home media as well as produce articles for Orange Magazine.

Orange Magazine is a project of European Youth Press (EYP), an organisation working for the benefit of young journalists in Europe.

Deutsche Welle is Germany's international broadcaster and host of the DW Global Media Forum. A congress with international reach that draws both media representatives and professionals from all over the world, working in the fields of politics, culture, business, development and science. This year's DW Global Media Forum in Bonn will focus on "economic value and the media".

The organizers will provide the Orange Magazine team with free access to the whole event including opportunities to interview both guest speakers and participants.

THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS ARE OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS:

Layouter

• Responsibilities: The layouter will be responsible for the design of the Orange magazine. We would like to further develop Orange magazine´s design. You can check out the previous issues.
• In order to apply as a layouter, we would like to see 1-2 pages of your ideas. We are looking for a fresh and modern layout! How would you change the Orange magazine design within the DW parameters?
• Eligibility: Previous experience in this area and working in projects.
• Application: Please send a CV and a portfolio of your previous work and 1 or 2 pages samples of your vision of the new Orange layout.

Photographer

• Responsibilities: The photographer will take pictures of the event, which will be published in the print edition of the Orange Magazine, on the Orange Magazine website, Facebook page and newsletters. The photographer will be expected to edit his own pictures on Photoshop/Aperture in order to prepare them for publishing quality.
• Eligibility: You will have to provide your own camera equipment and demonstrate previous experience in photography.
• Application: Please send a CV and a portfolio with your pictures.

8 Writers/ Journalists:

• Responsibilities: The Orange team will produce one issue of the magazine during the Global Media Forum. Each member will have to write at least 1 feature related to the topics of the 2013 edition of the Global Media Forum: economic values & media.

In order to apply for the conference you will have to suggest a story idea related to the topics of economy, values and media in advance. You will have to answer the following questions in no more than 300 words:

• What is your story idea?
• How is it related to the conference topic?
• How are you going to research the topic?
• Who are you planning to interview?

Application: Please send a CV, previous work and your concept for a feature article related to the mentioned theme.

Please note that social media skills are highly appreciated. You will be expected to tweet and feed our Facebook page during the conference. Audio and video skills are considered an advantage. We expect perfect working and writing knowledge of English and the capacity to work with people from other cultural backgrounds.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please send your application with all your documents by e-mail.

Please note that submissions which are not in English, and/or are incomplete and/or have arrived after the deadline will be automatically disqualified.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: Armand Feka at a.feka@orangemagazine.eu

For submissions: applications@orangemagazine.eu .

Website: http://www.youthpress.org/

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Poetry and Fiction Writing Workshop (organized by the Foundation for Contemporary Art - Ghana and the Gird Center)

Date: 30 March 2013

Join the Gird Center's Poetry and Fiction Workshops. Facilitators this month are Famia Nkansa and Nana Oforiatta-Ayim. The workshop will hold on Saturday, March 30th, at the DuBois Center.

Famia Nkansa, the Communications Officer at the Golden Baobab, has years of experience as a speechwriter, blogger and biographer. Famia studied Psychology and Creative Writing at Stanford University. Her novel on the concept of home will be published next year.

Nana Oforiatta-Ayim Cultural is a historian, writer, and filmmaker. She had a PhD on Ayan or Drum Poetics under an  AHRC scholarship. She is the founder of the platform A-N-O, which integrates film, writing, curating, publication and research led projects that explore the construction of narratives and meaning. She has worked with African arts publisher Revue Noire in Paris and has written extensively on contemporary African cultures.

For registration details, email info@girdcenter.org

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: info@girdcenter.org

Website: http://www.girdcenter.org/

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African Food, Art and Poetry Festival at Nubuke Foundation (Ghana)

Date: 6 March 2013

Celebrating 56 years of Ghana’s independence! Eight Contemporary Ghanaian artists will explore the meaning of our independence from the perspective of other African countries. There will be performances, installations, talks and art workshops during the month of March.

Artists that will feature are Ato Annan, Bernard Akoi-Jackson, Kwesi Ohene Ayeh (IUB), Adwoa Amoah, Kelvin Haizel, Mawuli Tofah, Yibor Kojo Yibor and Serge Attukwei Clottey.

The highlight will be on March 6, 2013 with performances, exhibition opening, great music and a food fest. Food from all over Africa such as; ugali, acheke, akple, gari, yaka yake, abooloo, couscous and koose will be served. Drinks include Pito, palmwine, lemonade, bissap (soobooloo) and toose.

WE ARE AFRICA:

This exhibition on March 6 comes with the theme “We are Africa”.  It will be launched with an African Food and Poetry Festival on Independence Day. The rest of the month will feature workshops, installations and video art by the artists. This exhibition seeks to question our African-ness in our diversity, internally, regionally and globally. What makes us African and how is this portrayed in our daily lives? We Are Africa opens on 6th March 2013 from 10am.

INDEPENDENCE DAY PROGRAM:

10:00:

• Spoken Word Performance 'We are Africa first and African Last’ by Yibor Kojo Yibor
• Speech by Odile Tevie (Director of the Nubuke Foundation)
• Exhibition and Food Fest opens

11:00:

• Bernard Akoi-Jackson Sitting
• Exhibition and Food Fest continue

15:00: High Life Dance

15:30: Open Mic

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Website: http://www.nubukefoundation.org/

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Invitation: Ministry of Poetry Workshop at the British Council (Accra, Ghana)

Date: 9 March 2013 (10am - 2pm)

People Of Equal Thought and Spirit (P.O.E.T.S) would like to invite you to attend their creative art (poetry) seminar dubbed Ministry of Poetry under the theme “Exposing poets to opportunities in Ghana’s emerging creative industry.”

This seminar looks to bring together stakeholders, enthusiasts and investors. The seminar will be in two halves interspersed with poetry/spoken word performances.

People Of Equal Thought and Spirit (P.O.E.T.S) is a vibrant and talented group of poets and creative artists from all walks of life with the sole aim of promoting poetry in the Ghanaian society and the world. Creating an environment where poets and poetry lovers can write, share and perform their work through shows, formation of poetry clubs, nurturing of talent and the engagement of all generations through the evolution of spoken word poetry.

Link: registration

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: rhymesonny@gmail.com

Website: http://www.peopleofequalthoughts.com

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Penplusbytes Training for Journalists in Oil and Gas Reporting (Ghana)

Deadline: 4 March 2013

International Institute of ICT Journalism (Penplusbytes) will be carrying out an extensive media capacity building programme for suitably qualified journalists from the Southern and Northern sectors of Ghana interested in oil and gas reporting.

The program, which begins in mid April 2013 will run for a period of 6 months and offer an extensive learning opportunity for 10 qualified journalists. The purpose of this training program is to improve coverage of oil and gas stories by the Ghanaian media leading to an increase in the quantity and quality (in terms of in-depth and investigative reporting) of oil and gas stories thus resulting in the media playing an effective watchdog role over Ghana’s Oil and Gas revenues and resources.

All applications for this program must be submitted before or on 4th March, 2013

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: info@penplusbytes.org

For submissions: via the online application form

Website: http://penplusbytes.org

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Call for Papers: Africa Media and Democracy Conference

Deadline: 29 March 2013

THE ACCRA CONFERENCE 6th - 9th AUGUST 2014: The Africa Media & Democracy Conference invites papers for its bi-annual Africa Media and Democracy Conference, to be held from 6th - 9th AUGUST 2014, Accra, Ghana. Theme: “Media, Democracy & Development”.

BACKGROUND: Africa’s emerging democracies in the last two decades have had to co-exist with a vibrant media contestation. The media has relatively emerged as a formidable constituent as it vie for legitimacy in representing the broad masses. This contestation provides the framework for critical examination on how the media impacts on the democratic process and its relevance for development in Africa. The Conference aims to address and examine various perspectives, interventions and issues of media in the practice of democratic governance in Africa. The event is open to academics, media industry professionals, government agencies, policymakers, regulators, UN agencies, donors, civil society organisations, independent consultants and research groups and students.

Papers are also invited on the following sub-themes listed below; submissions could be made from a range of issues and perspectives in relation to media, democracy and development in Africa. It must address specific media practices in the context of democracy in Africa, such as the role of radio commercials as political communication tool in electioneering, the corrosive effects of partisan media practices in popular democracy or the role of the media in the concept of popular democracy and development etc.

SUB-THEMES:

• Media, language and democracy
• Media, language and symbolic power
• Media, political rhetoric’s and political violence
• Media and political communication
• Media, democracy and traditional governance
• Media, national institutions and democracy
• Media and the conception of national agenda
• Media, democracy and governance
• Media, ethnic identity and democracy
• Media, religious conflict and political stability
• Media, conflict and crises management
• Media ownership, democracy and governance
• Media, concept citizenry and democracy
• Media and the concept ‘good of governance’
• Media and coupe d’états
• Media reportage and democracy
• Media, democracy and political education
• Media, political activism and governance
• Media, democracy and aid
• Media law and regulation
• Media, gender and democratization
• Media, democracy and human rights
• Community media and democracy
• Media and Ethics
• Media and African centeredness
• Media and cultural politics
• New Media and democracy
• New Media and the renewal of local democracy
• New media, democratic theory and public sphere
• Digital media and the renewal of local democracy
• Development democracy and the media
• Media, African centeredness and democracy
• National media and globalization
• Class, democracy and the media
• Media ownership and democracy
• Political advertising
• Media policies and media politics
• New Media and Populism
• Religion, media and democracy
• Public interest journalism
• Journalism in the global news world
• Democracy and transformation of public spaces
• Political blogging and the rhetoric of democracy
• Media, location and culture
• Objectivity, impartiality and the governance of journalism
• E-government and Government

In addition to those listed above the organisers will consider other relevant sub-themes from contributors.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION:  Please email abstracts (maximum one page) along with contact information and a 500-word. All Abstracts must be in English, full papers may be submitted in either English or French.

• Deadline for receipt of abstracts: 29th March 2013
• Notice of acceptance of abstracts: 30th May 2013
• Deadline for receipt of full papers: 30th July 2013
• Notification of Acceptance of Paper/Panel/Workshop: 30th August 2013

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: contact Conference Team at + 233 200723197

For submissions: info@amdmc.net

Website: http://www.amdmc.net

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Ghana Fashion and Design Week Reporter Wanted for Africa Style Daily

Africa Style Daily is looking for a reporter to help with our Ghana Fashion & Design Week which takes place this upcoming Friday, October 5th through Sunday, October 7th. The reporter will work with ASD Founder, Zandile Blay, to produce a series of stories for the week. Conducting interviews backstage, shooting street style, and interviewing VIP’s and sponsors will all be key responsibilities over the two day period. All work will be credited on the site. Interested parties, please submit your resume by e-mail.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: blog@zandileblay.com

Website: http://africastyledaily.com/

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Call for Abstracts for Edited Collection - Imprints of Revolution: Global Resistance, the Popular, and (Post)/(Neo) Colonialism

Deadline: 15 October 2012

Imprints of Revolution: Global Resistance, the Popular, and (Post)/(Neo) Colonialism is an edited collection that explores public representations of socialist revolutions. The edited collection assesses how the concept of revolution is appropriated through public images and explores its re-conceptualization as a mobilizing practice in response to contemporary global issues. The goal of the collection is to explore how revolutions are imagined and re-imagined by governments, residents, and political actors, and how in turn these imageries function as responses to the specific issues of globalization and mass tourism. We would like to discuss the local, urban experiences of revolutions both trans-nationally and trans-culturally. Contributors are encouraged to explore any aspect of revolutionary experiences but should develop the political and historical links between their topics and the revolutionary movement in question.

We are especially interested in, but are not limited to, scholarship that focuses on the visual legacies within Cuba, China, Ghana, Mexico, the United States, and Vietnam. We anticipate this to be a multidisciplinary work and invite submissions from emerging and established scholars working within any field. Scholars in anthropology, cultural studies, history, literature, political studies, communication studies, American studies, ethnic and/or race studies, media studies and gender studies are especially encouraged to submit proposals. Contributors:

If interested, please submit a 500-word abstract of the proposed chapter, as well as sources consulted / cited and a brief biography of 200 words of less detailing professional and academic qualifications by October 15, 2012. All materials should be submitted electronically by April 15, 2013. Essays will be subject to a peer-review process.

Please send proposals and inquiries to both editors.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: Lisa B.Y. Calvente (DePaul University) at lcalvent@depaul.edu and Guadalupe García (Tulane University) at ggarcia4@tulane.edu

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The 2012 Ehalakasa Poetry Festival at Alliance Francaise (Accra, Ghana)

Date: 27 October 2012 (8pm)

Come and see for yourself! “POETRY is a dressed up woman asking an undressed man for a stick to kill a snake in her skirt”, for this reason expectations for EHALAKASA this year will be unprecedented, controversial and entertaining it will be a night to remember. On this night Light will shake hands with sound, voice will propose to rhythm, smoke will dress in naked costume, word and movement will come together to dine and dance in the presence of time and silence.

Expected headliners includes International and Ghanaian poets like Stine Bork Kristensen (Denmark), Maki Kawamoto (Japan), Nii Lantey, Crystal Tettey, Poetra Ama Asantewaa, Mutombo da poet, Evans Omar Hunter, Yibor Kojo Yibor aka Sir Black, etc. Ehalakasa! It lives in us!

Adults Ghc 5 / Cultural members Ghc 2.5

Alliance Française d'Accra (Behind Opeibea House), Accra, Ghana

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: com@afaccra.com

Website: http://www.afaccra.com/

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Writers, Editors and Publishing Houses: Get Listed in Ghana Book Development Council Directory

All authors and writers, editors, illustrators, publishing and printing houses who want to be included in the Ghana Book Development Council's Directory should contact Owusu Darty.

Please send important details (name, address, telephone/ fax numbers, and specialty) to G.B.D.Council, Trinity Road, Nr. Bawaleshie Traffic Light the compound of NCTE, NAB and NABPTEX offices, East Legon or by e-mail. The last edition of the Directory was in 2007 and needs updating.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: owusudarteys@yahoo.com

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Opportunity for Ghanaian Playwrights: Call for Plays for New York Production

Deadline: 20 September 2012

The Accra Theatre Directory is looking for playwrights who are interested in having their work produced in New York City.

Plays must be no more than 15 pages long, preferably 2-4 characters, with minimal props and costuming.

Producers are looking for strong characters and interesting, relevant plots. All plays must be set in Ghana or pertain to the Ghanaian experience.

Scripts should be assembled as follows:

• Title page with play title, author's name, address, phone number and email address
• Second page with character list and information on setting (time and place), any special notes on production
• Third page should be first page of script

All playwrights permit Ingenue Theatre to produce their entry play if the company should wish to do so. Playwrights retain copyright and full ownership of their plays.

Scripts must be submitted electronically by September 20th to info@summershakespearegh.com with the title line "ATD Play Submission"

Four plays will be selected to be produced as part of Ingenue Theatre's international 10-20 minute play series.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: info@summershakespearegh.com

Website: http://www.ingenuetheatre.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/AccraTheatreDirectory

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Wider Scope Projects is Looking for Playwrights (Ghana)

Wider Scope Projects is a theatre company for education, entertainment and development, using performing arts to disseminate information. Its mission is to use theatre as a tool for development, help communities identify and address issues of concern themselves, create an environment for people entertain/ educate themselves in one fold. and enhance individual and community development through theatre.

Wider Scope Projects is currently looking for young playwrights who have stories for primary schools. Interested and qualified persons should get in touch with Wider Scopes via their Contact Us page or by e-mail.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: theatre@widerscopeprojects.com

Website: http://widerscopeprojects.com/

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Job Vacancy: Chief Editor/ Project Manager for The African Festival Network (Ghana)

Deadline: 20 September 2012

AFRIFESTNET, the African Festival Network launched in Accra on 20 April 2012, is developing a “Festival Best Practices Toolkit” for festivals on the African continent. This toolkit will be used by festivals and/or cultural events’ managers and their teams to improve their festivals by learning from the experience and expertise of others.AFRIFESTNET requires Project Manager/Chief Editor position to coordinate and oversee the realization of this toolkit.

APPLICANTS SHOULD HAVE:

• Excellent writing skills in either English or French
• Sound editorial experience
• Excellent project management skills
• Initiative
• Experience of working within a festival and/or cultural event would be an advantage

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Project Manager/Chief Editor will be responsible of coordinating the Afrifestnet Festivals Best Practices Toolkit. S/he will work under the supervision of AFRIFESTNET’s Steering Committee and Project Manager.

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

• Outlining the scope of the content for the Toolkit
• Soliciting AFRIFESTNET members – and others – to produce/submit content
• Editing the submissions received to ensure overall quality and consistency
• Obtaining the approval of the AFRIFESTNET Steering Committee of the overall contents
• Working with the designer to design the Toolkit
• Overseeing the proofreading stages
• Overseeing the printing of the Toolkit
• Devising a clear plan and time framework for the delivery of the Toolkit
• Driving the plan to ensure that the Toolkit is submitted in time and within budget

SALARY: The salary is negotiable depending on the experience and expertise of the selected candidate.

Applications – including a CV, a letter of motivation and three references – are to be sent to the Project Manager of AFRIFESNET, Ms. Dounia Benslimane. The toolkit must be ready for publication by 31st December 2012.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: benslimanedounia@gmail.com

Website: http://arterialnetwork.org/projects

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