South African theatre, dance, music, song, photography and film will be showcased at venues across the UK from October.
Afrovibes, a biennial festival featuring leading South African talent, made its UK debut in 2010 and will return for a third season this year.
The festival will tour to London, Swansea, Hereford, Cardiff, Birmingham, Bracknell, Nottingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Lancaster, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Each venue will host a week of performances and events, as well as the Afrovibes fringe festival. The local community will also be encouraged to get involved by helping to build pop-up ‘township cafes’, which will provide DJ nights, workshops, poetry and talks.
Afrovibes is part of the SA-UK Seasons 2014-15, a collaboration between the UK and South Africa to strengthen ties and foster cultural exchange.
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The programme includes dance piece Biko’s Quest, based on the life of anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko; Durban-based photographer Tyler Dolan; and Soweto’s award-winning beatbox a cappella trio, The Soil.
Artistic director James Ngcobo (who is also artistic director of Johannesburg’s Market Theatre) said: ‘In 1994 a new nation was born. Since then our artists have been showing the world that South Africa has stories to tell: stories that speak to the collective memory of who we are. Yet at the same time they speak of life in South Africa today – stories that link us with the world.’
Afrovibes 2014 takes place from 13 October to 8 November.
Top image: The Soil © Alda Taljaard of Inkhaus Graphic Designs