Fest Afrika will spread across Tampere from July 28 to August 2, celebrating African culture and music. This year marks the festival’s 25th anniversary, and as usual the programme is diverse, featuring afrojazz, a vibrant community market atmosphere, and workshops. New venues and a free, family-friendly programme make the festival accessible to an even wider audience.
This year the festival’s music programme also celebrates jazz, as the afro-jazz ensemble Baraka Issabu Quintet, formed by Tanzanian and Finnish musicians, will perform on Thursday, July 30 at Telakka. The concert is part of the Jazz in Finland 100 Anniversary Year. On Friday, July 31, the rhythm continues at Komediateatteri’s Palace with performances by Guinean singer Fanta Yayo with her acoustic ensemble, and El Doxa, a group of young Nigerian musicians.
Throughout the festival week, there will be several dance workshops, offering participants a taste of both traditional and more contemporary styles. This year audiences will also have an opportunity to see the documentary film Silent Legacy, which has toured international film festivals. The film explores identity, migration, and the legacy of colonialism through the story of Sibiry Konaté, a Burkinabé man living in Finland.
Free Programme for the Whole Family
The festival week starts with the Fest Afrika kick off event at Kalevan Halli – Culture Centre for Sustainable Life on Tuesday, July 28. The relaxed, family-friendly gathering features shared activities such as a recycled instrument workshop and jam sessions. On Friday, July 31, at Tampere’s Main Library Metso, Gambian musician Yahya Sonko will take both young and older listeners on a journey into the world of African storytelling.
African Market in the New Cultural Centre Nekalab
The traditional African Market event will be organised this year in the recently opened Cultural Centre Nekalab. On Saturday, August 1, the event will fill both the courtyard and indoor spaces of Nekalab, offering programme for all ages, vendor stalls, and delicious African food. Saturday evening’s concert at Nekalab features Ugandan interdisciplinary artist J.C Muyonjo, the West African music group Trio Mandeng, and Cheza Ngoma, a collective focused on East African music and dance.
25 Years of African Culture and Music in Tampere
Fest Afrika has been bringing the joy of African cultures, music and arts to Tampere for a quarter of a century. It is the oldest and largest festival of African music in Finland. The festival’s founder and artistic director, Menard Mponda, has guided Fest Afrika through challenging pandemic years, and in its jubilee year the festival is flourishing with a diverse programme.
“In celebration of the anniversary, the festival features not only new venues but also new concepts, such as the early evening concerts on Friday and Saturday. Although there are also international performers, this year we are placing special emphasis on the artists living in Finland, young rising talents and a variety of musical styles.”
Mponda also warmly welcomes the festival’s new coordinator, Venla Pesonen. Pesonen highlights the importance of accessibility: “This year Fest Afrika spreads across the city and offers various family-friendly programme for free as well. Sustainability and responsibility are also important themes, highlighted through collaborations with Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto waste management company and Kalevan Halli,” Pesonen notes.
Mponda and Pesonen warmly welcome everyone to celebrate the richness of African music and culture, as well as the 25th anniversary of Fest Afrika.
The main aim of the festival is to showcase African performing arts and culture in a diverse and inclusive way. It seeks to support African art, promote awareness of African cultures, and create opportunities for encounters between people of African heritage living in Finland and others interested in African cultures. At the same time, the festival brings together people from different backgrounds to learn, connect, and enjoy, while supporting multiculturalism and cultural exchange in Finland. The festival strives to remain as accessible as possible by offering part of its programme free of charge.
More information: https://www.festafrika.net/en/
Article photo: Fest Afrika
