Africa Utopia Festival Celebrates African Culture

posted by ARTCENTRON

Tony Allen at the Africa Utopia- festival. Image courtesy of Southbank Center

ART NEWS

Southbank Center’s Africa Utopia festival celebrates Africa and Africa diaspora with music and dancing

BY SEAN LEYWES

Image: Woman having fun at the Africa Utopia festival

Having fun at the Africa Utopia festival. Photo: Vic Frankowski. Image courtesy of Southbank Center

LONDON, ENGLAND — Africa Utopia is back. In its third year, the annual festival which celebrates modern Africa and Africa diaspora will run from September 10–13, 2015 at Southbank Center in London. Organized by Southbank Center, the festival explores what can be learned from modern Africa and Africa diaspora. According to the organizer, Africa Utopia Festival investigates the importance of Africa in the global space:

The festival investigates the arts and culture of one of the world’s most dynamic and fast-changing continents and looks at how Africa can lead the way in thinking about society, community, business and technology, fashion, gender, power, politics, sustainability and activism.

This year’s Southbank Center festival features some of the greatest artists from the Africa diaspora. There will be music, dance literature, and visual arts. Several musicians are on the line for this year’s concerts. They include the living legend of the afrobeat Tony Allen. Additional star guests include Toumani and Sidiki Diabaté who will perform on September 13.

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Also performing at the event is Senegal’s mighty Orchestra Baobab. This is the group’s first London show in three years at the festival. Supported by Blick Bassy, hopes are that festival fans will have a great time when the group gets on stage on September 11. Other groups include one of West Africa’s greatest singers Kassé Mady Diabaté, Chineke! – Europe’s first Black and Minority Ethnic classical symphony orchestra founded by Chi-chi Nwanoku MB. The Nest Collective will present The Stories of Our Lives, true stories of Kenya’s LGBTQI community. The first readings by the group outside Kenya will be alongside a screening of the eponymous prize-winning film, banned in Kenya.

A new wave of African musicians will add flavor to this year’s Africa Utopia festival. They include South African rapper, producer, and film-maker Spoek Mathambo. Cameroonian Blick Bassy, who is generating a lot of attention with his new album Akö. Kenyan songstress Maia von Lekow will also entertain guests.

African and Africa Diaspora Issues

In addition to the carefully selected artists, there will also be talks and debates with a focus on African and Africa diaspora issues. Moderated by Hannah Pool, issues to be discussed include Aviation in Africa and Financing the Future to Migration, Being an African Man and Youth, and Education & Power. Speakers for the weekend-long event include Baaba Maal (co-founder of the first Africa Utopia), Nimco Ali (anti-FGM campaigner), and Mariéme Jamme (technologist and founder of Africa Gathering). Others are Victoria Moores (African Aerospace), Sunny Dolat (The Nest Collective), Feruz Werede (Network for Eritrean Women), and Vanessa Iwowo. Some other guests include Awol Allo (LSE), Afua Hirsch (Sky), Joseph Harker (The Guardian), girls’ rights campaigner June Eric-Udorie, film-maker Mojereoma Egunjobi, visual artist Larry Achiampong, and more.

African food and cuisines

For the lovers of African food and cuisines, there will be so much to eat and drink. For the first time at Africa Utopia, Pup-Up Africa will present the African Street Food Takeover. The African food festival will feature more than twenty stalls that will serve authentic African cuisines with delicacies from across Africa.

New artworks by contemporary African artists will feature prominently during the festival. Wall works from Phoebe Boswell and Lakwena Maciver will be on display. Additionally, a digital installation in partnership with Kenyan digital artist and founder of African Digital Art, Jepchumba will be displayed across the festival site. The art section of the Southbank Center festival will also include a Hackathon for Gender Equality to be led by Mariéme Jamme of Africa Gathering.

Impact of Africa

Southbank Centre’s celebration of Africa and Africa diaspora with Africa Utopia festival brings attention to Africa. Southbank Centre Artistic Director notes that Africa Utopia brings perspective to the impact of Africa in the global art setting:

Africa’s influence on the UK – and worldwide – is immense. Throughout Africa Utopia we explore what Africa can teach the West, by displaying fresh perspectives on contemporary Africa and shining a light on its rich tapestry of culture, politics, society, gender, business, and activism. I am delighted that this year’s Africa Utopia provides a platform for both legendary African artists and emerging, provocative voices from the continent and the diaspora.

When the event opens, there is no doubt that many will better understand the important role of Africa in the global setting. An African-inspired fashion, featuring a fashion show curated by East London designer Samson Soboye will show African style. There will also be music by young African musicians and artists, there will be so much of Africa to experience.