By: Staff Writer
March 25, 2022
The Caribbean Literary Conference (CariCon) will be hybrid this year after last year’s all virtual event delivered, and a lot has changed.
Steve Russell, founder and director of the CariCon, told Caribbean Magazine Plus in an email that: “COVID-19 had us cornered for the most part, so we decided that this year will be a hybrid. Nothing beats in person. So a lot of focus is being placed on the experience of the conference: Experience as an author trying to move ahead with their careers and also for persons wanting to experience Los Angeles, the city.”
This year’s conference will be held on June 3-5 and is primarily focused on helping authors find agents and “deal making for 2022,” Mr Russell added. “We have asked the authors who participated last year and most wanted to make deals.
“So this year will be about pitching to agents: One-on-One with agents, editors and publishers. We are digging deep into the business side of the industry – focus will be placed on marketing for authors.”
He added: “Last year we were in transition from a festival to a conference, hence the theme was ‘rebirth.’ This year we are going full conference mode. The focus shifts to the speakers to deliver more value and the author is placed in a business owner role where deal making becomes the focus.
“Each year you learn something new. The COVID-19 Omicron outbreak earlier this year didn’t make things any easier because for a moment we weren’t sure we were doing an in-person or virtual or hybrid. We knew people were having zoom fatigue, so the plan was to go in-person.”
Mr Russell also said: “Even the selection of the venue in itself will be about the experience. Only the first 200 registrants will be able to join us in person. We hope that when an author returns home, they can say we made some great connections and the value received was well worth it.
Pricing for the event will change and further details will be released next week on what participants will be expected to pay for and what they will get.
Mr. Russell also said: “The artwork features authors and artists who have made a name for themselves and the region in terms of charting new waves. We tried to capture that in the piece with the likes of the Hon. Louise Bennett- Coverly, Peter Minshell, Dr. Amina Blackwood-Meeks & Rita Indiana among others.” He continued, “CARICON 2022 theme is ‘Explore the Possibilities’ and as Caribbean people, we are explorers at heart – so here goes another literary expedition and we would love to have our people at home or in the diaspora join us. There is enough space on the SS CARICON.”
There are over 40 speakers already lined up with more signing in each day. “We will have Judith Falloon-Reid doing a live exhibition of Aaah-Inspiring Antarctica – A Jamaican on Ice. CariCon will launch her West Coast Tour of the exhibition on June 3-5, 2022. We also have Malachi Smith with a Masterclass on Dub Poetry and on Friday Night a networking event called ‘Rum, Poetry & Erotica’ with Dr. Donna Aza Weir Soley as one of the headliners. We also have agents who are actively looking to sign authors, so make it to Los Angeles for CariCon 2022 and “Explore the Possibilities”
