Upcoming Events
Black In Time: 30 Years of Cave Canem Exhibition
August Wilson African American Cultural Center, 980 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Highlighting the extensive visual history of Cave Canem, “the total black, being spoken” is a satellite exhibition hosted at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, which will run from June 2026 to June 2027. Attendees of The Reunion will have the opportunity to preview select images from Cave Canem’s archives as a small token of gratitude for the Pittsburgh community’s support over these last two decades.
This exhibition is hosted in partnership with the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. Exhibition Dates: June 18, 2026-June 2027
Application – 2027 Cave Canem Fellowship
Apply via Submittable
The Cave Canem Annual Retreat offers an unparalleled opportunity for Fellows to study with esteemed faculty and to join an expansive community of peers.
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
Cave Canem Presents: The Sound of Black British Poetry
Barbican Centre, Conservatory Terrace, Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS, United Kingdom
Join Raymond Antrobus and Courtney Conrad for a powerful live reading and intimate conversation on the state of Black British poetry, moderated by Rommi Smith.
Registration for the 2026 Black British Book Festival is required to attend.
Dodge Poetry Festival: 30 Years of Cave Canem Anniversary Reading
NJ Performing Arts Center, Victoria Theater, 1 Center Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Celebrate Cave Canem’s 30th Anniversary with a commemorative reading featuring Fellows from the inaugural cohort: Major Jackson, Suzanne Jackson, Hayes Davis, and Valerie Jean.
Registration for the 2026 Dodge Poetry Festival is required to attend.
Shaping New Poems: a group reading with Tanya Shirley
10A Kingston, 10 West Kings House Road, Kingston, Jamaica
Join poet and educator Tanya Shirley as she presents participants from our Kingston, Jamaica Regional Workshop, Shaping New Poems: Finding a Form to Fit This Place.
Entry and seating are based on a first-come, first-served basis.
Blue Hands, Brown Skin: 2026 Cave Canem Prize Reading – New York
The Center for Fiction, 15 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Join Cave Canem in celebrating the 2026 Cave Canem Prize Winner, Awuor Ouma, with an intimate reading in New York!
Entry and seating are based on a first-come, first-served basis.
2026 Cave Canem Prize Reading Group: Blue Hands, Brown Skin
Weekly close reading group on Wednesdays, 11/18-12/9 at 8 PM ET via Zoom
Dive into Awuor Ouma’s Blue Hands, Brown Skin with Tobi Kassim as he leads a weekly close reading of the prize-winning collection.
A copy of Blue Hands, Brown Skin will be needed to participate.
Do Not Make Grief Your God: a group poetry reading with Mahogany L. Browne
Venue to be announced, New York, NY
Join writer, playwright, organizer, and educator Mahogany L. Browne as she presents participants from our NYC Regional Workshop, Do Not Make Grief Your God.
Entry and seating are based on a first-come, first-served basis.
Poetry of the Diaspora: An African Poetry Information Session
Cheche Bookshop and Cafe, Kauria Cl, Nairobi, Kenya
Cave Canem, in partnership with the African Poetry Book Fund, will lead an information session on supporting the work of local poets in Nairobi, Kenya.
Entry and seating are based on a first-come, first-served basis.
Blue Hands, Brown Skin: 2026 Cave Canem Prize Reading – Nairobi
Venue to be announced, Nairobi, Kenya
Join Cave Canem in celebrating the 2026 Cave Canem Prize Winner, Awuor Ouma, with an intimate reading in Nairobi, Kenya!
Entry and seating are based on a first-come, first-served basis.
