Sista Zai Zanda

Sista Zai Zanda is a storyteller, educator and curator of the Pan Afrikan Poets Cafe – an Afro-Literary matinée of beats, performance and poetry. Since 2015, Zai has spoiled audiences in Melbourne and Sydney with over 100 performances by African and First Nations storytellers including feature performances by renowned international artists Mahogany L Browne (NYC, Nuyorican Poets Cafe), Inua Ellams (Nigeria/UK), Kat François (Trinidad/UK) and Jive Poetic (NYC). 

Amongst career highlights, Zai has co-produced a sold out Pan Afrikan Poets Cafe event at Arts Centre Melbourne (#BlackGirlMagic), worked as a Youth Zone consultant for one of Africa’s top 10 international arts festivals, hosted the 2018 Melbourne Writers Festival Opening Night Gala, curated and produced live radio broadcasts of the Pan Afrikan Poets Cafe and is currently engaged as an Artistic Associate with Melbourne’s Due West Festival. 

Most recently Sista Zai Zanda was an advisor and participant in Cape Town-based collective Chimurenga’s the Pan African Space Station (PASS), included in the group exhibition Shapes of Knowledge, curated by Hannah Mathews at Monash University Museum of Art.

Documentation