Bayimba International Festival of the Arts 10th Anniversary: exploring Uganda’s Art Wealth
Diary of a Muzungu is delighted to be one of the media sponsors of the 2017 Bayimba International Festival of the Arts! Scroll down this page to read the week-end’s PACKED programme of events and keep checking Bayimba’s Facebook page and Twitter for more news and updates. Follow the hashtags #Bayimba2017 and #BAYIMBAat10
The 22-24 September 2017 will be a ten-year celebration of Uganda’s multidisciplinary Bayimba International Festival of the Arts. Every third week of September, Kampala comes alive as a vibrant and eventful city when an unparalleled feast of music, dance, theatre, film and visual arts from renowned and upcoming artists are brought to the Uganda National Cultural Centre / Uganda National Theatre.
Celebrating ten years of Bayimba International Festival of the Arts
Looking at today’s arts entertainment scope, Kampala alone boasts of a variety of festivals, it’s a different scenario looking back 9 years later. The birth of Bayimba Festival changed event organizing in Uganda, during an era with few platforms to showcase artistic works. The festival’s 1st edition echoed possibilities and creative empowerment that opened every artist’s way of thinking about creating and not job seeking. At the same time as the country’s live music scene was kicking in, the platform offered live performance workshops to artists, mentored them to apply for other festivals across the globe. Bayimba’s international status caters for diverse audiences and its unique programming consists of exhibitions, contemporary fashion, dance and multiple arts. Slowly, artists adopted a system of organizing their own events to try similar ideas, to grow their own networks and develop business relations in order to sustain themselves.
In the present day, Bayimba continues to serve as an important benchmark for the consumption of the country’s finest arts through its signature initiative “The Bayimba International Festival of the Arts,” an annual three day arts fete that happens every September.
Fast forward to 2017 and this year marks the festival’s 10th anniversary. A glance of what’s on offer has an array of diverse arts, ranging from performance arts set to thrill crowds on the two stages, where the list of performers include: Uganda’s self-styled Ghetto President “Bobi Wine” who makes a second appearance since 2015. Mariam Ndagire will open day one’s recitals for female dancehall outfit Cindy to close. Other performers are: self-claimed King of Mwooyo Maurice Kirya, Percussion Discussion Africa, 90’s gospel group Limit X, Lily Kadima and Coopy bly. Dr. Jose Chameleone is set to headline day two.
Some of the regional and international acts set to join this edition’s main stage are: Kenya’s Nyaititi maestro Makadem, Tanzania’s Jaggwa Music, South Africa’s Dr Bone (returning for a second do after an interrupted piece last year), in addition to South African afro soul Diva Berita, Ugandan-born Danish belle Feridah Rose, a recent winner of The Uganda Music Awards, Best Dispora Act and finally Ethiopia’s former Coke Studio representative Betty G.
The Upper Garden arena of the National Theatre will host Stage 2. The line-up of acts here consist of genres whose collection varies from Hip hop, Reggae, Ragga, Mataali, musical conversations and DJ collaborations. Some of the acts include Zimbabwe’s Hope Masike, here to fuse her soulful ballads with Ugandan percussionist Haka Mukiga. The legendary hip hop duo and brothers Sylvester and Abramz, will incorporate female DJ outfits under the flagship of Femme Electronic, Rwanda’s Components RW, Netherland’s Bilvar Mvulu, Umoja Boys and Kenya’s Mwanase Ahmed together with Bayimba-run initiative Youth and Hip hop workshop beneficiaries Jo’Ge Flame, Kristien Carol & Shirley May and a whole lot more.
Besides the stage presentations, Ekyalo Bayimba will now return as Ekyalo Kasaayi, an artist’s dialogue space whose curation will be led by Liz Kaggwa and Drum Circle (popularly known for their Ngoma Jam sessions).
The auditorium activity slots encompass genres like Kadongo Kamu in the lead of heavy weights Abdu Mulasi, Chance Nalubega, Fred Sebatta and dramatical recitals by Omugave Ndugwa’s Balck Pearl and a lone man comedy show Mukalazi Edwin titled “HipHop Comedy,” and poetry to be presented by Kitara Nation poets, whose anthology recitals will cast college students.
Fashion is a signature activity of the festival and three of Uganda’s celebrated personalities will produce this aspect: Ras Kasozi of SEED FASHION a Skilled Expressive Entrepreneurial Designers show project designed by US Mission Kampala in collaboration with Kas Wear under the mentorship of Ras Kasozi; Gloria Wavamunho, curator of the Kampala Fashion Week and Buyi pheel of Kkoolo designs an entrepreneurial initiative of traditional art.
Over the past editions of Bayimba, Silent disco has proved to be one of the highlight activities, and will again appear on this edition’s menu, in the usual space – the Dance floor. In 2017, there will be film screenings, presented in partnership with the Swedish Embassy. Bikes and Cars is a documentary by Frederik Gertten. The Embassy will also feature a photography exhibition set against the climate change backdrop titled “Facing the Climate” and another exhibition by Switzerland’s reknown photographer Geoff Walker titled “Nodding Disease,” an awareness call about the epidemic and how it’s affecting northern Uganda.
To further celebrate the festival’s multidisciplinary status, a couple of visual artists have been commissioned to present and curate festival spaces. Stacey Gillian, whose sculptural work focuses on misconceptions of gender equality in Uganda, will unveil a 3D art installation. Xenson Znja a multidisciplinary artist and fashion designer will present the main stage backdrop for the second time since 2009, while Fitsjerald Art Studio will present the stage two backdrops.
The festival’s ever-growing participation and appreciation by the general public ranks it among Africa’s top festivals. Bayimba is not only a celebration of music but also a celebration of Ugandan contemporary life, placing Kampala as one of the top East African tourism hubs.
The festival still struggles to rely on local sponsors, but luckily the emergence of many emerging festivals celebrates Bayimba’s vision. Bayimba, has proved to stand the test of time by attracting more and more sponsors over the last five years, contrary to what it was back in 2008 during its inception.
The Bayimba International Festival of the Arts is undoubtedly Uganda’s number one multidisciplinary festival!
Here is the programme for the 2017 Bayimba International Festival of the Arts September 22nd – 24th! FEEL FREE TO SHARE IT 🙂
Friday 22nd // Stage One
19:00 Mariam Ndagire & Band (UG)
20:00 Berita (SA)
21:00 Dr. Bone (SA)
22:00 Jagwa Music (TZ)
23:00 Cindy Sanyu (UG)
Saturday 23rd // Stage One
19:00 Percussion Discussion (UG)
20:00 Lily Kadima (UG)
21:00 Feridah Rose (UG/DE)
22:00 Maurice Kirya (UG)
23:00 Jose Chameleon (UG)
Sunday 24th // Stage One
19:00 Coopy Bly (UG)
20:00 Limit X (UG)
21:00 Betty G (ETH)
22:00 Makadem (KE)
23:00 Bobi Wine (UG)
Friday 22nd // Stage Two
18:30 Mutundwe Matali Group (UG)
20:00 Jacinta (UG)
21:00 Haka Mukiga and Hope Masike (UG/ZIM)
22:00 Umoja Boys (NL) & Mwanase Ahmed (KE)
Saturday 23rd // Stage Two
15:00 Tujaali Performers (UG)
17:00 – 19:00 The Project INYE (GER/COLUMBIA/SA)
19:00 Apio Moro (UG)
20:00 – 21:00 Sylvester & Abramz (UG)
21:00 Components RW (RW)
Sunday 24th // Stage Two
14:00 – 16:00 Femme Electronic
18:00 Famous Friends (UG)
19:00 – 20:00 Jo’Ge Flame, Kristien Carol & Shirley May (Youth & Hip Hop) (UG)
21:00 – 22:00 Boliver Mvulu & Band (NLD/DRC)
Friday 22nd // Auditorium
12:00 – 14:30 BIKES VS CARS (Documentary by Frederik Gertten)
15:00 – 16:30 Kitara Nation School’s Project – Poetry (UG)
19:00 – 20:00 The Veiled Truth (UG/RW)
20:30 – 21:30 Abdu Mulasi (UG)
Saturday 23rd // Auditorium
12:00 – 13:00 “Facing the Climate” – Effects of climate change in Uganda
14:00 – 15:00 Kitara Nation – Poetry (UG)
15:00 – 16:00 Musical Stand Up Comedy – Edwin Mukalazi (UG)
18:00 – 19:00 Dance Performance (UG)
20:00 – 21:00 David Walters (FR)
21:30 – 22:30 Chance Nalubega (UG)
Sunday 24th // Auditorium
12:00 – 14:00 Punishment Island – Film
16:00 – 17:00 Black Pearl (UG)
19:00 – 20:00 Street Dance Force & ABC Fleva (UG)
20:30 – 22:00 Fred Ssebatta (UG)
Friday 22nd // Dance Floor
17:00 – 18:00 KKOOLO Fashion (UG)
Saturday 23rd // Dance Floor
17:00 – 18:00 Gloria Wavamunno (UG)
20:00 – 23:00 – Silent Disco/Headphone Disco
Sunday 24th // Dance Floor
17:00 – 18:00 Ras Kasozi & SEED Uganda (UG)
20:00 – 23:00 – Silent Disco/Headphone Disco
Saturday 23rd // Green Room
14:00 – 16:00 Dance Workshop (UG)
Open Space
Art Installation – Matthieu Tercieux (FR) & Eduardo Souillot (FR)
Photography Exhibition
Facing the Climate – Foyer
Nodding Disease –Theatre Noticeboard
Upper Garden
Ekyaalo Kasaayi & Drum circle Uganda
3D Bayimba Art Installation – Stacey Gillian (UG)
Stage One Backdrop – Xenson (UG)
Stage Two Backdrop – Fitsjerald Art Studio (UG)
All day Art and Craft sales/exhibitions.
Update July 2019
CALL FOR BLOGGERS
I’m super excited to announce that I will be leading a Bloggers’ Retreat at this year’s Bayimba International Festival on Lunkulu Island, Mukono!
There are places for 10 bloggers. Journalists are also welcome to apply as we develop our skills in promoting arts journalism in UG. Dates are 31st Jul – 4th Aug 2019 (you have to attend throughout).
Full Ts and Cs and application form are below.
https://bayimba.org/bayimba-academy/2019-bloggers-retreat/