AFRICAN BOOK FESTIVAL 2026
``Welcome to the Club`` Curated by: YOU!

Shout to our audience! You are amazing. Therefore, this year, the African Book Festival will be about YOU!

We are pleased to announce that this year’s programme will be curated by our audience. A unique feature of the African Book Festival is the development of new formats that are unparalleled in the field of literature. A remarkably large proportion of our audience consists of young readers. Through open calls, voting, and the possibility of suggesting topics and guests, for example, we encourage active participation even before the actual festival weekend.
The aim is to convey and present literature in an accessible, experiential and participatory way. We establish a unique contact between authors and their readership. InterKontinental´s programming team will work closely with the festival’s creative advisory board, particularly on the selection of themes and guests and the creation of the programme.

This May, the African Book Festival will celebrate readers and community and involve our awesome audience like never before. Follow @abfberlin on Instagram if you don’t want to miss any news.

BOOK CLUBS WANTED

Are you a book club based in Europe but reading African writers? Are you looking for an exciting literary adventure? We at The African Book Festival invite you to be part of our most exciting annual event, taking place in Berlin, Germany, from

May 29–31, 2026.

What’s on offer:

  • A free three-day festival pass for each book club member
  • Assistance with finding accommodation in Berlin
  • Meet-ups with other book clubs, readers and writers
  • Participation in the festival programme

If the idea of spending a literary weekend in Berlin appeals to you, please do the following:

Send us an application letter (no more than 1/2 page) in which you tell us a bit about your book club and how many members would like to travel to Berlin in case your book club is selected.

This must include the year in which your book club was formed, how many members you are and which country, city/village you are based. You can also tell us which theme, genre, and African author appeals to you most.

What’s expected from your book club:

  • Must be more than 6 months old
  • must be active and consists of at least 5 members or more (show us at least two books that you have discussed in the past three months)
  • You must be interested in reading literature by African authors

Deadline for the application is 8th March 2026.

Please send your applications to info@interkontinental.org

Impressions from last year's edition

Venue
The ABF26 will take place at tak - Theater Aufbau Kreuzberg

tak Theater Aufbau Keuzberg

Prinzenstraße 85 F, 10969 Berlin

U Moritzplatz

Get inspired by our previous African Book Festivals

View more in our archive

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