Southbank Centre’s Africa Utopia festival which runs from 19 – 22 July. Africa Utopia is an annual festival at Southbank Centre, now in its sixth year, which celebrates and explores Africa and it’s diaspora’s influence in shaping the way we think about art, culture, gender, race, sexuality, fashion, activism and society. Highlights of the festival include:
- Guided tours of the Nelson Mandela Centenary exhibition
- The UK Premiere screening of Hello, Rain, followed by an exclusive Q+A with its award-winning Nigerian director C.J. Obasi
- A performance by multi-award-winning Afropop duo Amadou & Mariam
- A concert from Chineke! Orchestra, Europe’s only professional majority-BME orchestra (and an associate orchestra at Southbank Centre)
- Talks and debates exploring Pan-Africanism by speakers including Kenyan film director and producer Wanuri Kahiu, Belinda Otas, Kehinde Andrews, Dotun Adebayo and more
- An evening of comedy from Daliso Chaponda with his Presidents of Laughrica comedy showcase
- A wealth of free activity across the site over the weekend including pop-up performances, craft workshops from AFRORETRO, the Afro Dance Championships, the return of the People’s Catwalk, a digital archive exhibition from Black in the Day, an outdoor Block Party on the Festival Terrace led by South African DJ Busty Beatz, and Friday Tonic with Congolese band Kasai Masai in a free outdoor gig.
