“Although our focus is on the development of South African writers, it is imperative to create a platform for our writers where the exchange of expertise, knowledge, and talents across all kinds of borders becomes a reality.” Theo Kemp
“Since his appointment in August 2017, the foundation’s executive director, award-winning author Theo Kemp, has been designing projects rooted in the literary spheres in which Gerwel played a key role, always with the impetus to “give the voiceless a voice and support children with educational programs—to bring hope precisely where hopelessness is overwhelming.”
In 2019, Paulet House opened its doors, and 20 writers benefited from the first four programs launched in that inaugural year. After mentorships, six emerging writers had plays premiered at the Suidoosterfees theater festival in Cape Town and three published their debut books. The 10 more established writers who participated in residency programs published a total of six poetry anthologies, two short story anthologies, one biography, and three novels. All but five of the works were in Afrikaans and dialects.
From l.: PEN writers in residence Mphuthumi Ntabeni, Mia Arderne, Emma Crebolder, Elodi Troskie, Naomi Meyer, and Loit Sols
Since its inception, the foundation has reached out to writers from beyond South Africa, notably partnering with a literary organization based in Brussels, where Gerwel received his doctorate in literature from the Vrije Universiteit. The Jakes Gerwel Foundation and the Brussels-based literary organization Passa Porta run the Dialogue Programme for Writers from the Low Countries and South Africa, which encourages the cross-pollination of ideas between two Belgians and two South Africans, thereby striving to enrich the body of literature in South Africa and abroad.
In 2020, the Brussels program was suspended due to pandemic lockdowns, and two programs were added: one for short story writers and the other for songwriters. To date, 101 writers have benefited from four mentorship programs, which are all run in conjunction with genre-related partners; a residency with Belgium; and a residency with PEN Afrikaans.
Kemp is eager to expand the foundation’s international relationships. He wants to connect with “leading and like-minded organizations that work on a global platform,” thereby giving emerging writers new perspectives.
Kemp visited New York in October and met with individuals from the School of the Arts at Columbia University, the New School, and the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. In the future, he’s hoping to form relationships with the New York Public Library, the New York State Writers Institute, PEN America, and other groups for publishers and writers. “Although our focus is on the development of South African writers, it is imperative to create a platform for our writers where the exchange of expertise, knowledge, and talents across all kinds of borders becomes a reality,” Kemp says. “The idea is to connect the local with the global, to bring the world to Somerset East and vice versa. Imagine what it will mean for emerging writers—who really have the talent and the commitment—to be able to connect with upcoming writers from New York. What amazing opportunities for collaborations will be created if experienced writers from New York come and act as mentors at Paulet House? Writers are their own ‘instruments’ and, therefore, the more exposure, the more equipped you become in writing.”
Full story below
“Paulet House Supports A Legacy of South African Literature” https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/91161-paulet-house-supports-a-legacy-of-south-african-literature.html
Theo obtained his master’s degree in creative writing at Stellenbosch University. He has been involved with various projects in the arts before in his role as, among others, project manager of the Woordfees, advertising coordinator at NB Publishers, programme manager at the KKNK as well as at the Vrystaat Literature Festival and as executive director of the Breytenbach Centre in Wellington.
Theo is the author of two novels, Skool and Strafjaart.
Bronwyn Karen Davids is the author of Lansdowne Dearest, a narrative non-fiction book that she wrote while participating in the JGF/ NB Publishers’ Mentorship for Emerging Writers of Fiction and Non-Fiction in 2019. The book, written from a child and then teenager’s perspective tells of her family and her community’s experience of forced removal from the 1960s through to 1981 in Lansdowne. After completing her matric at Livingstone High School in Claremont, she followed many different study and career paths before ending up at the Peninsula Technikon, Bellville where she completed her National Diploma in Journalism. From 1988 to 1992, she was a general news reporter first at The Argus and then The Cape Times. Bronwyn’s wandering years to 20 countries on six continents followed. Afterward, she spent years studying and making art before she returned to working with words – from writing in a FMCG call centre to technical writing to a stint of news reporting at Newspaper House to academic translating and transcribing, content writing, and recently a publicist. Book 2 hovers on the horizon.
