Africa Utopia festival is back at the Southbank centre. From September 13 to 15, the event will feature talks, performances and workshop celebrating pan-african culture, but also live musical and screenings of award-winning films. And for its seventh year, the festival has collaborated withIndaba X.
The festival aims to explore how Africa and its diaspora have impacted art, culture, gender, race, sexuality, fashion, activism and society? Its aim is to inspire and educate through stories from cultural leaders, trailblazers and innovators from art, music, academia and technology along with industry icons.
For example, highlights include Chibundu Onuzo talking about her autobiographical show The Spider King’s Daughter in which she will detail her 27 years, living through military dictatorships, two boarding schools, five grandmothers and a book deal, which she signed aged 19.
Akala, rapper, writer and activist, will leads a series of talks about preservation of black cultural memory, and he will joined on this subject by the likes of Angelina Osbourne, David Killingly and Professor Abosede.
Live music and dance from The Kuti family will bring Lagos’ New Africa Shrine to the Royal Festival Hall with musician Femi Kuti and rapper Talib Kweli.
Filmmaker Simon Frederick will be joined by screenwriter Noel Clarke, actor Nathalie Emmanuel and agent Femi Oguns to discuss the subject of black representation in film.
Clara Amfo will also curate panel to discuss all things beautiful and Black titled Beauty: It’s A Shady Business, where she will be joined by Candice-Carty Williams, Nao, Ray BLK, Mata, and Funmi Fetto, as they explore the hardships faced by women of colour across the beauty industry, and the positivity of its future.
Africa Utopia runs from September 13-15 at the Southbank Centre, and there is something for everyone, even for kids. More informations and tickets can be found on their website here.
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