PARTICIPATE:
Be a guest, host an event,
or volunteer at the festival.
ABOUT LIPFEST:
An enduring commitment to poetry
and the life of the mind.
SUPPORT US:
Connect, support, and can get involved.

Built for
writers
who are ready.

An intensive development programme for emerging African poets — workshops, mentorship, and a community that pushes your writing further.

WHAT YOU GET

I.      Workshop Intensives
Weekly deep-dive sessions into craft, form, and voice.

II.     One-on-One Mentorship
Dedicated time with an established poet or editor.

III.      Festival Showcase
Perform your work at LIPFest 2026, Lagos.

Catch up
on Stories

Applications Are Open for the LIPFest Craft and Development Lab

For ten years, one of the clearest things we have seen at the Lagos International Poetry Festival is the enormous pool of talented poets producing urgent, inventive, and formally ambitious work. Our obsession has been with presenting that work on stage, and with helping build the conditions that allow it

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lipfest 2024 lead image

Announcing LIPFest 2024: The Science of Things

We are thrilled to announce that the Lagos International Poetry Festival (LIPFest) is returning for its 10th anniversary edition, with the theme, “The Science of Things.” Mark your calendars for October 24th to October 27th as we gather at the Alliance Française de Lagos | Mike Adenuga Centre to explore

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LIPFest 2023: “Sanctuary” – Holding Space for Stillness and Renewal

The Lagos International Poetry Festival (LIPFest) is excited to announce its 2023 edition, scheduled to take place from Thursday, October 26th to Sunday, October 29th, with the theme “Sanctuary,” a four-day series of events designed to hold space for stillness and renewal. As the accelerated pace of hyper-capitalism continues to

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The 2023 Here and Now Writers Residency Recipients

Moniack Mhor, Scotland’s Creative Writing Center, and the Lagos International Poetry Festival is pleased to announce the 2023 recipients of its Cross-Cultural Residency Programme, Here and Now, supported by the British Council. The six mid-career/established writers from Scotland and West Africa, selected from a pool of over 100 applications, and

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LIPFest 2022 Kicks Off October 27th with Babel… A New Language

The Lagos International Poetry Festival returns this year with an ambitious theme, line-up of guests, and programme. Set to hold from October 27th – October 31st LIPFest 2022 centers the mother-tongue and the ongoing reclamation of default languages from the rubble of colonialism. It draws an array of guest poets, writers, translators, and

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VIDEOS