Postbox.Ghana, Partners to Hold Maiden Writers Salon

Postbox.Ghana, in partnership with The Storyboard Café and Library of Africa and The African Diaspora, is excited to announce a maiden Writers Salon on the theme “Archives as generators of narratives.”

The event will take place on Monday, May 01, 2023, at Library of Africa and The African Diaspora, in Adenta- Frafraha.

Nana Ofosu Adjei, Kantinka, a Creative Director of Postbox.Ghana, said the full day event would provide a unique opportunity for emerging writers to explore the use of archives in igniting reflection on the present through a spontaneous creative writing and reading exercise.

“Participants will be inspired by real images from vintage postal materials to create literary pieces in whatever format they choose, be it flash fiction, short story, poetry, drama, monologues, or any other creative form,” he noted.

Postbox.Ghana would provide the archival postcards and images that will serve as the main reference points, acting as containers of stories and vessels for ideas to navigate through time in a collaborative effort between the 1950/60s (postcards) and 2023 (the writing).

The Salon is a reflection on authorship, a collaborative creative expression between post-colonial photographers and contemporary writers who will never meet, said Nana Ofosu Adjei, Kantinka

With this initiative, Postbox.Ghana aims to examine how images from the past allow for intellectual exchange among contemporary authors, encouraging a coming together and creative discussion. The Salon will explore the potential of archives as a source of inspiration for creating new narratives and the role of the writer in transforming historical documents into living stories.

Touching on partnerships towards a success event, Nana Ofosu Adjei, Kantinka, said, “We are thrilled to partner with The Storyboard Café and the Library of Africa and The African Diaspora to organize this Writers Salon, and we look forward to more collaborations.

The Creative Director of The Storyboard Café, Mr. Isaac Parbey said his Creative Hub is equally excited to be contributing to the success of the maiden event. He said Postbox.Ghana’s archives are a unique collection of postal materials that provide a window into Ghana’s history and culture, “therefore we are excite to see what our writers come up with during the writing sessions,” he emphasized.

The overseer of the Library of Africa and The African Diaspora, Seth Avusuglo, said the library is excited and looking forward to hosting the event, which is in line with the vision to the Library of Africa and The African Diaspora, make African literature and Archives accessible to all. “The Salon presents an opportunity for writers to delve into this rich resource and draw on its wealth of stories to create new narratives that reflect Ghana’s past, present, and future,” he said.

The Writers Salon is open to all writers who are interested in exploring the theme of archives as generators of narratives. The Salon promises to be an exciting and thought-provoking event that will bring together writers, historians, archivists, and anyone interested in the potential of archives to generate new narratives.