By BigeyeUg Writer
The Bayimba International Festival of the Arts is Uganda’s number one multi-arts festival that is held in the third week of September. The festival has developed into a benchmark for the consumption of the finest arts, presenting Ugandans and visitors with a series of music, dance, theatre, film, and visual arts from renowned and upcoming local and international artists.
For the 8th edition, taking place during the weekend of 18 to 20 September 2015, revelers will feast on over 102 productions, performances and presentations that are delivered by over 625 artists from Uganda, East Africa and the rest of the world at the home of the festival at the National Theatre in the heart of Kampala.
The #BAYIMBA2015 lineup includes:
Main Stage
After his exhilarating return to the stage in 2014, Maddox will take the stage on day one (Friday 18) as the opening act. Alongside are other acts including DOADOA beneficiary Msafiri Zawose (Tanzania), LevixonLala, St. Nellysade.
Day two (Saturday 19) will entail recitals from bankable female dancehall act Sheebah Karungi from Uganda. The day will also offer collaborations between Cameroonian folklore queen Kareyce Fosto, Ivorian balafon king Aly Keita and Ugandan griot Joel Sebunjo.
Day Three (Sunday 20) promises to be exciting in the midst of the lineup with 2014 Ugandan BET Award nominees Radio and Weasel, Naava Grey and South Africa’s energetic Ubuntu soul-afrique Paras Dlamini.
A new spice this year will be DJ showcases to open and close each day’s programme, courtesy of Santuri Safari, an East African experimentation of fusion of folklore and electronic sounds. Among the DJs, we will present DJ Rachael (UG), DJ Esa (South Africa), DJ Ken, DJ Ivo, Aunty Flo (UK), Ras Brown.
Upper Stage
The audience is also invited to join the artists’ lineup on the second stage in the Upper Gardens of the festival venue. The expected performers during the three days (Friday-Sunday) include Matooke Roots Fusion, Sam Ibanda, Apollo Kagimu, Don MC, Cyno MC, MC Yalla, regional festival beneficiary Kigambo Araali (Fort Portal), Mohammed Guyo (Kenya) and beneficiaries of the Youth & Hip Hop programme such MC Wang Jok and MC Twitch.
Auditorium
In partnership with FourSome Foundation, the auditorium will host John Ruganda’s play “The Burden’s” on Friday. This entirely high school production will then make way for regional festival beneficiary Aukot United Band (Gulu), the Jericho Breakers and Dream House Uganda. Saturday and Sunday will feature Queens of Comedy and Art Masters alongside other drama and dance performances. In addition, Kadongo Kamu maestro Matia Luyima, Namilimu Florence and a collaboration of Ssetaba and Ssempeke will entertain audiences in the auditorium. On Saturday and Sunday, from midday, our film partner Maisha Film Lab will display an assortment of African cinema.
Open Space
Each year the festival hosts a number of visual arts exhibitors, selling their art and crafts, but also provides space to installation art and curated works. This year Daudi Karungi of AfriArt Gallery was commissioned to design the main stage backdrop. Stacey Gillian will be back with her 3D Bayimba audience photo set while 32 East | Uganda Arts Trust will be organizing a “Frame the Festival” Instagram audience experience. The open space will also have a presentation of SEED fashion led by Kas Wear and the traditional-urban experimental fusion of Batalo East. The open space will also host a small stage for poetry, which will include a book launch on Saturday. Visual artist Robinah Nansubuga is anticipated to return with her stand out activity “Ekyoto” while the dance floor will be the place for capoeira and tango lessons, not forgetting the crowd favourite “Silent Disco”.
Big Hut
The big hut offers a unique space that allows artists to share their art with their audience in a cozy atmosphere. In addition to daily yoga classes for Kampala’s flexes, contemporary dance performances by Mambya Dance Company, First Physical Theatre (South Africa), Megan Yankee (US) and Uganda National Contemporary Ballet (UNCB) can be enjoyed in an alternative setting.
Green Room
The green room will again be designated for workshops and discussions during the festival, hosted by visiting and local artists. From Friday to Sunday, there will be several symposiums and discussions, with a focus on Photography, Literature, Kadongo Kamu, Arts Journalism and Creative Animation.
Supporters and Partners
The 8th edition of the festival is supported by principal partners DOEN Foundation, HIVOS, the Danish Council for Culture and Development (CKU) together with local sponsors Africell, ZUKU TV, Club Beer, Rwenzori Mineral Water, Oriflame, Jomayi, Pinnacle Security, and is delivered in partnership with Alliance Française, Goethe-Zentrum Kampala/UGCS, Uganda National Cultural Centre, Maisha Film Lab, 32 East | Uganda Art Trust, Santuri Safari and with support from our media partners NTV, Radio One, Akaboozi, Galaxy FM, Guide2Uganda, BigEye.UG, Proggie.UG, The Pearl Guide, Xclusive.UG and Hipipo.
For more information check out our festival website, Facebook page, playlist on SoundCloud, pictorials on Flickr and follow us on Twitter through #BAYIMBA2015 (LIVE during the festival) and/or contact Philip Masembe, Media Coordinator, at [email protected] or +256 792 010 198.