Afrovibes Festival 2024: Belonging

“When I see a picture or representation of the African continent, such as on jewellery or in/on artistic works, the depiction is usually of a single continent. The North is not cut off. There is no line drawn between North and what is otherwise considered “real” Africa. That would be ridiculous.  Yet in political, academic and other analyses of Africa, the North is somehow removed from the continent,   and this is not considered ridiculous.  Why would it be, when the North is typically considered fundamentally “different” from the rest of the continent and, it is said, more appropriately grouped with the Middle East?” – Nuunja Khaina in This is Africa

This year, the 21st edition of Afrovibes Festival will take place from 8 to 12 October in Utrecht at Theater Kikker, Stadsschouwburg Utrecht and TivoliVredenburg, showcasing the versatility of makers from North Africa and the (North) African diaspora in the Netherlands. Afrovibes brings an innovative and daring programme full of theatre, dance, music and spoken word around the theme of Belonging with performances from Morocco, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Egypt and the Netherlands, among others.

Festival theme 2024: Belonging
A sense of belonging is like a basic human need. It is the need for a stable home, shelter, community and belonging somewhere. Belonging provides a basis for living together, working together and contributing to the world. With the high instability in the world, it seems as if the conditions for a stable and secure life are slipping away from people. Climate change, polarisation and the fragility of the world evoke feelings of insecurity. Migration through war, as well as the colonial past in Africa, makes people move and drift, sharpening the desire to belong somewhere. Based on the theme of Belonging, Afrovibes is shaping this year’s programme with performances that have a focus on North Africa and the (North) African diaspora in the Netherlands. North Africa is often considered ‘non-African’ but part of the Arab world. Do makers and artists from North Africa feel a connection with the African continent and an African identity or rather an Arab identity? Each in their own way, this year’s makers’ work explores how and with whom we feel connected. They delve into cultural and political debates on identity, diaspora and decolonisation. They explore the desire to belong somewhere, to have a home.

Afrovibes Festival – ‘Africa is not a country’
Afrovibes Festival showcases work by current African makers and artists. They are artists who, through their work, break through existing notions about theatre, dance and music from Africa.

LOCATIONS & DATES

Theater Kikker 8 & 9 October

• Tue 08 October 20:00: Afrovibes – HULLO, BU-BYE, KOKO, COME IN by Koleka Putuma (South-Africa)
• Tue 08 October 21:15: Afrovibes – The Waterproofed Artist by Youness Atbane (Morocco)
• wed 09 October 20:00: Afrovibes – Subject to by Mehdi Dahkan (Morocco)
• wed 09 October 21:00: Afrovibes – DIHYA by Mohamed Lamqayssi (Morocco)

Stadsschouwburg Utrecht 10 & 11 October

• thu 10 October 20:30: Afrovibes – Fake News by Nelisiwe Xaba (South-Africa)
• fri 11 October 20:30: Afrovibes – Act(s) and Sweats by Hamdi Dridi (Tunisia)

 TivoliVredenburg 12 oktober

• sat 12 October 14:00: Gnaoua Again! by Ghassan El Hakim (The Netherlands / Morocco)
• sat 12 October 20:30: Afrovibes – Moving Beyond: Mimount ’n Serwan by Mohamed Allati, Nicole Kaandorp,  Khadija Al Mourabit en Lina Charif (Nederland / Morocco)