About the Lab.
The LIPFest Craft and Development Lab is a four-month virtual program of craft and professional development for poets, spoken word artists, and writers from Nigeria, across Africa, and the diaspora.
The Lab is designed for early- to mid-career writers with active projects in development: manuscripts, spoken word albums, poetry films, stage works, and other long-form creative work that requires sustained engagement, critique, and support.
Over four months, participants will work closely with a faculty of established writers and practitioners through facilitated workshops, one-on-one mentorship, peer critique, and professional development conversations focused on building a sustainable creative practice.
At its core, the Lab is an attempt to build the kind of infrastructure many writers often have to search for elsewhere: sustained mentorship, rigorous conversation, artistic community, and practical support around the work itself.
We are especially interested in writers who are serious about developing their practice and who are looking for a space that challenges them creatively while also expanding how they think about audience, process, collaboration, and sustainability.
Participants will receive:
- In-depth craft and career development sessions
- One-on-one mentorship
- Access to an experienced international faculty
- A rigorous peer community
- Portfolio Development Grant opportunities
- Showcase opportunities connected to LIPFest and partner festivals
All sessions are delivered virtually.
The LIPFest Craft & Development Lab is free to apply to and free to participate in.
The program is supported by Africa No Filter.
ELIGIBILITY
The Lab is open to early- to mid-career poets and writers with the discipline to take their practice seriously and the drive to take it further.
— Early- to mid-career poets, spoken word artists, or writers with an active creative practice and the commitment to develop it further.
— Based in Nigeria (primary cohort pool) or anywhere in Africa and the diaspora. A proportion of places is reserved for participants outside Nigeria. All sessions are virtual.
— Comfortable working and receiving feedback in English.
— Writers with active projects in development — manuscripts, spoken word albums, poetry films, or stage works in progress.
— Writers seeking to build or sharpen a sustainable creative practice and expand their professional reach beyond where they currently are
HOW TO APPLY
01
Writing Sample
Submit two to three poems, or an equivalent passage of prose or spoken word script. Maximum 1,500 words combined (PDF).
02
Statement of Purpose
300 words. What are you working on? What do you need from this program?
Be specific.
03
Submit the Form
Complete the application form before the deadline. All applicants will be notified of the outcome by 6 July 2026, accepted, waitlisted, or not selected
PROGRAM TIMELINE
Week of 25 May
Applications Open
Apply at lagospoetryfestival.com/lab.
3 July 2026
Applications Close
6 July 2026
All Applicants Notified
17 July 2026
Module 1 Begins
July – October
Four Modules — Twelve Sessions
September
Portfolio Development Fund Opens
October — Final Weekend
LIPFest 2026 Showcase
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
No. The program is completely free to apply to and to participate in. There are no fees at any stage.
You have an active practice and may have published or performed some work, but you have not yet built a substantial public career. If you are unsure whether you qualify, apply and let us assess.
Nigeria is our primary cohort pool, but a proportion of places is specifically reserved for participants from elsewhere in Africa and the diaspora. All sessions are virtual and accessible globally.
Three Saturday sessions per module (3:00pm WAT, 90–120 minutes each), plus asynchronous work between sessions. Expect four to six hours per week during active modules.
All sessions are recorded and available within 48 hours via Google Classroom.
At the close of the program, two participants receive micro-grants to support an active creative project: a manuscript, spoken word album, poetry film, or stage production. All participants are eligible to apply.
In-person attendance at the October showcase in Lagos is strongly encouraged. We will work with diaspora participants on logistics. The showcase will also be documented for those who cannot travel.
All applicants will be notified by 6 July 2026, accepted, waitlisted, or not selected.