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Cultural festival celebrating African arts, food and fashion coming to Middlesbrough Town Hall
A festival celebrating African art is coming to Teesside this weekend.
On Saturday, May 27, African Artfest 2023 will take place in Middlesbrough Town Hall, with a fusion of artistic expression and African pride on show. As well as art which celebrates Africa day and the huge diversity of the continent, there will also be opportunities from tasting African food, to discovering fashion and artefacts to networking with local artists.
Organised by Sticks and Stones Studios in partnership with Borderlands CPP, this is a completely free event which is an opportunity for Teessiders to learn more about African culture.
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Africa Day 2023 actually falls on Thursday, May 25 and commemorates the foundation of the Organisation of the African Unity (OAU) on May 25 1963. The slogan of the 2023 Africa Day celebration is ‘Our Africa Our Future.’
Mr Kudakwashe Derera, representing Sticks and Stones Studios said: “This event would not have been possible without the support of the local community; we have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from local businesses and the people of the North East.”
“As a Black community in this region, this support means a lot to us and we would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has come forward to support this event. Our door is still open and if anyone is interested participating in this event, please do reach out to our team. This is an all-day event so people can choose to come in for just a few hours.”
Mr Derera also highlighted the importance of this event, he added: “Africa Day is a day of celebration, marked to commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and to celebrate the achievements of the African continent and its people. The day is an opportunity to promote unity, creativity, shared identity, and solidarity among African nations”.
Shahda Khan Director of Borderlands said: “We are really pleased to work with Sticks and Stones to organise Africa Day. This event will connect our communities with diverse artists and offer opportunities to experience a wide range of creative activities as well as showcase the great talent in our region.
“The event will be held at Middlesbrough Town Hall with a full day of local talent including music, dance and spoken word. One highlight is the versatile music group Mandingo Bay Warriors who are set to rock the stage.”
To get your free ticket for the event, visit here.
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