Zukiswa Wanner has been involved with many initiatives in her career. Here are some of them.

Read SA (2009)

The Read SA Initiative was a campaign to get South Africans to meet and read books by their own citizens.

Artistic Encounters (2017 – 2019)

The Artistic Encounters series brings together the work of two different artists in one space, at the same time. The objective of the series is to bring two different artists from two different fields together, to create new work or bring a new perspective to a work of art. In so doing, the event also attracts an audience that would normally attend the performance of one of the artists to a place, where the artist collaborates with another, and hence they both benefit from a shared audience. The highly successful series has encouraged collaborations with various artists working in different genres, drawn from across various African countries as well as Germany. These collaborations have gone further to enrich the local literature and performance scene by introducing new writers, poets, and performers from other countries, as well as promoting the work of local artists.

Some of the artists who have participated in the project are Shadreck Chikoti, Abu Sense, Kagayi Ngobi, Chris Adwar, Sereetsi Tomeletso, Ngwatilo Mawiyoo, Annette Oduor- (Athieno), Sitawa Namwalie, John-Dennis Renken, Alamin Somo, Thandi Sebe, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Hana Kefela, Pede Hollist, Prudence Katomene, Adipo Sidang’, Niq Mhlongo, Nick Ndeda, Ngartia, Olumide Popoola, Dami Ajayi, Makadem, Sitawa Namwalie, Shan Bartley, Victor Ehikhamenor, Koleka Putuma, Phillipp Khabo Koepsell, Christine Kamau, Lola Shoneyin, Maimouna Jallow, Patricia Kihoro, and Angela Makholwa.

Learn more about Artistic Encounters by clicking here.

AfroYoungAdult (2019)

#AfroYoungAdult is a talent-search for Young Adult fiction from Africa that Zukiswa Wanner ran with the Goethe-Institut. The institute invited aspiring African writers of all ages interested in writing for Young Adults (13 – 19 years) to submit short stories of 3000-5000 words in length in Kiswahili, English, or French. A panel of curators selected the best texts and invited the writers to participate in workshops across the continent that took place in February 2019.  

The top stories from these workshop were published in an anthology which are available in Kiswahili, English and French and were launched at Ake Festival 2019.

Learn more about #AfroYoungAdult by clicking here.

Afrolit Sans Frontieres (2020)

The Afrolit Sans Frontières is a virtual literary festival founded by South African author and curator Zukiswa Wanner as a response to the curfews and lockdowns related to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic within the African continent. The festival has featured writers of African origin from 25 countries around the world.

Some of the writers who have featured are Margaret Busby, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, Conceição Evaristo, L.L. McKinney, Sisonke Msimang, Gauz, Fiston Mwanza Mujila, Makanaka Mavengere, Frances Mensah Williams, Joe Khamisi, Helon Habila, Kayo Chingonyi, Lerato Mogoatlhe, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Rodrigo França, Richard Ali A Mutu, Leye Adenle, Remy Ngamije, Hawa Jande Golakai, Maaza Mengiste, Ondjaki, Mukoma Wa Ngugi, Nozizwe Cynthia Jele, Yara Monteiro, Bisi Adjapon, Mohale Mashigo, Shadreck Chikoti, Chike Frankie Edozien, Kalaf Epalanga, Natasha Omokhodion-Kalulu Banda, and Abubakar Adam Ibrahim.

Learn more about Afrolit Sans Frontières by clicking here.

Virtually Yours

Virtually Yours is a series of online discussions – Virtual Gatherings – with Zukiswa Wanner, through which she explores contemporary African literature with authors. Virtually Yours aims to create an online platform for avid readers, writers, and authors interested in African literature. The series of online discussions featuring an African author is hosted once per month starting on October 2020,

Learn more about the series by clicking here.