By Ogova Ondego
Published April 8, 2012
A network of African festivals and events bringing together theatre, music, dance, film, literature, visual arts, heritage and multi-disciplinary events is set for launching in Accra, Ghana, April 19-20, 2012. The network, to be known as African Festival Network (AFRIFESTNET) came into being following a seminar in July 2010 at the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) at which delegates agreed to establish a network of African festivals and events, this network.
AFRIFESTNET, the initiative of Arterial Network in association with the British Council, will comprise a seminar on the socio-economic contributions of arts festivals and events in Africa as well as a meeting formally to launch the network with the adoption of a constitutional framework, a programme of action and the election of a Steering Committee.
Representatives of festivals from other parts of the world have been invited to attend the event alongside key decision-makers of African festivals and major events that have been in existence for at least five years.
Among others, one of the proposed aims of the African Festival Network is to undertake advocacy on behalf of arts festivals and events. To this end, AFRIFESTNET intends to produce a publication that contains recent studies or papers on the social, economic, cultural or other impact of any festival on the African continent.
