Africa’s leading arts and book event Aké Festival will return Thursday 22 – Sunday 25 October with a free programme of 65 inspiring talks, workshops, panel discussions and performances from the most exciting voices across Africa and the African Diaspora. In addition to speakers such as Tayari Jones, Marlon James, Esi Edugyan, Wole Soyinka and Derek Owusu, this year’s Ake Festival will include the streaming of Venus vs. Modernity, the ground-breaking play by South African poet, artist and activist Lebogang Mashile.
Venus vs. Modernity premiered at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg, and tells the shocking story of Sara (Saartjie) Baartman, a South African Khoekhoe woman who was sold into slavery and exhibited in freak shows in 19th century under the name “Hottentot Venus”. It explores themes of race, exploitation and body image for black women.
Due to the global coronavirus crisis, Aké Festival will go digital for 2020. This online edition of the festival will be free to access by audiences all over the world, creating an important platform for the intellectually and culturally curious to take part in this celebration of black excellence, resilience and resistance.
Now in its eighth year, Aké Festival is world’s largest collection of African creative voices on African soil and hosts some of the most sought-after, innovative voices in black thought.
The theme for 2020 is ‘African Time’, in recognition of the global anti-racism movement that has gathered momentum and visibility in recent months. Audiences across the world are invited to join luminaries from contemporary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, film, theatre, music and visual arts in discussions about some of the most critical issues of our time, including race, gender, identity, equality and empathy.
Lola Shoneyin, Director & Founder, Aké Arts and Book Festival, said: “Our world has changed forever; the magnitude of recent world events cannot be ignored. In 1918, African nations were in the clutches of imperial forces that degraded our stories, culture, history, language and belief systems. More than a century later, the COVID-19 pandemic finds Africa struggling with the colonial hangover of poor leadership and a predatory global order. Now is the time for Africa to recalibrate and break the cycle of betrayal by those elected to lead. It may have come later than hoped for, but, for the children of Africa everywhere, this is African Time.”
