Events on our Radar for 2014
2014 promises to be another brilliant year for African arts, artists and culture. There’s a wide range of events taking place across the continent and the world, while some dates are still being fixed and decided, we’re highlighting just a small selection of some of the events we’re excited about in 2014. Put these dates in your diary, and we’ll look forward to seeing you at some, if not all of them.
Africa in 2014, 7th January
Get the proper perspective on the year with the RAS’ event looking at what 2014 will hold for Africa across the worlds of politics, culture and business. Hosted by RAS’ director, Richard Dowden, with speakers including Lanre Akinola, Editor, This is Africa, Patrick Smith, Editor, Africa Report and Africa Confidential.
www.royalafricansociety.org/event
Asa Baako Festival 2014, 7 – 9 March 2014
Two days on the beach in one of the sunniest places in the world listening to great music? Who could say no. Asa Baako, the now legendary festival is billed as one of the most forward thinking music and dance festivals in the world; by all accounts it lives up to the promise. Organised by a team that includes Yemisi Mokulu of Hatch Africa, this festival involves the community of the small fishing village where it’s based.
www.asabaako.com
Africa Writes – 11th – 13th July
The Royal African Society’s three-day literature festival returns to the British Library for a second year; featuring a wide range of authors and commentators from the continent and the diaspora, the festival will likely continue the theme of exploring African languages and literature, and featuring a high-profile star from the African literary world. No specifics on who this will be yet, except to say whoever it is, will be very eminent.
www.africawrites.org
Lake of Stars – Malawi [Sept 2014] 26 – 28th September 2014
Widely-regarded, the Lake of Stars festival took a break for a year in 2012 – but its back in 2014, with a promising line-up; offering more than just music, the Lake of Stars festival is the biggest international cultural event in Malawi.
www.lakeofstars.org
Ake Festival – 18th – 23rd November 2014
After a spectacularly first edition, we expect the 2014 Ake Festival to be even more popular and booked out. The festival, spearheaded by Lola Shoneyin, acclaimed author of The Sex Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, is gloriously wide-ranging in the arts represented from Film, Literature to Theatre.
Dele Meiji Fatunla