thank you!
upcoming EVENTS
FEATURED ARTISTS
THISnTHAT Podcast
Nigeria/ South Phoenix | Nigeria/USA
ThisnThat podcast is a debate/conversation on social, political, sports, entertainment and trending topics of our generation. We go in depth on the issues hopefully to spark dialogue and invoke the important conversations that need to be had through our opinionated perspectives served with a side of humor.
DJ/Activist
Oakland | Cuba
Born and raised in Cuba, DJ Leydis combines contemporary hits with a distinct fusion of Latin flavors, R&B classics, and roots reggae blends. Involved in the Cuban hip-hop movement since its inception, DJ Leydis helped organize some of the country’s most respected and best-attended events and community programs. In 2005 she cofounded Omegas Kilay, a hip-hop theater collective in Havana focused on presenting the poetry, music, experiences, and perspectives of artists such as DJ Yari, Danay Suarez, Nono, La LLave De IPG, La Negra, and Las Krudas. DJ Leydis co-created the first all-female DJ mixtape in Cuba, contributing a special blend of new flavor and spirit to the international community. In 2006 DJ Leydis migrated to United States to expand upon her work as a DJ and has worked with Erykah Badu, Quest Love of the Roots, and other iconic US-based artists.
Dance/Music
Planet Bakanal
Over-articulated and barely translated, ‘Gbedu Town Radio’ is a Pan Afro-Urban Drumline & Dance Squad for the culture featuring a dynamic group of performers of diverse African heritage. GTR explores social themes through popular and folkloric rhythms, dance, and expressions with the stylings of Afrobeats, Dancehall, Reggaeton, Coupé-Décalé, Southern & Bay Area Hip hop.
Dancer/Choreographer
Paris | Central Africa Republic
BlackCherry: Dancer and teacher. She began to dance when she was child. After many years of dance, she shares now her experiences of African culture and dance.
Poet
Oakland | USA
Reggie Edmonds (They/Them) is a poet, educator, and cultural curator based out of Richmond, CA. They are the co-founder of Rich Oak Events which organizes the Oakland Poetry Slam, the Berkeley Poetry Slam, the Rich Oak Alchemy Slam, and the online platform Bay Poets Unite. Their poetry can be found in Rigorous Magazine, Stentorian Bitch, Foglifter Journal, and 2 self published chapbooks I’m Too Black for the Shxt (2017), and Sad Boi (2019).
Recording Artist
Houston | NIgeria
Kalif Bakare, born and raised in Alief, Texas is a former Division 1 basketball player, fashion connoisseur, musician/producer, creative director, actor, & model. A jack of all trades, he has always managed to trend-set and stay ahead of the curve. He is the Co-Founder of GF Universal, LLC in which he created the imprint to house his business, humanitarian, and creative interests.
As a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, “serving and transcending all” has always been a facet of his. Annual events are curated for the betterment of the youth and community as part of GF Universal Community Outreach program.
With a degree in Business Administration from University of Texas-San Antonio, Kalif is balancing his service for others, business ventures, and his artistic vision to cultivate a crossover appeal that is rare while positively impacting all corners of the world.
DJ/Vibe Vanguard
Oakland | USA
Bijou McDaniel is an Oakland native who is making a name for herself in the local scene with her signature genre-mixing DJ style. After attending The Academy of Art in San Francisco and working various jobs from Visual Merchandiser to Non-profit Development Fundraiser, Bijou acted on one of her life-long passions and turned it into art form never looking back. Since her debut at the Oakhella Festival which she also Co-Founded, DJ Kream has curated grooves at nightclubs, art receptions, day parties, festivals, and corporate events.
Dancer/choreographer/Artistic Director/Actor/Model
Paris | Côte d'Ivoire
Yap's 34-year-old dancer and choreographer, but also artistic director, actor and model, develops and expresses through her concept "EASY ATMOSPHERE" a simple and generous spirit of sharing.
Dancer/Choreographer
St. Ann | Jamaica
Kimiko Miller, also known as KimikoVersatile, is originally from St. Ann, Jamaica. She began dancing professionally in 1998 at Naggo Head Primary School. By the time she got to high school, she was being trained in modern contemporary, Jazz, Folk, Hip Hop, and Folk. While doing this, she had the privilege of attending the Ashe Performing Arts Company where she was being trained by some of the greatest choreographers in Jamaica and also participated in dance, drama, music, and edutainment.
She further went on to study dance at the Edna Manley of the Visual and Performing Arts in 2005 where she received her diploma in Dance theatre and production and in 2011, she earned her Bachelor Of Fine Arts in Choreography and Performance.
Singer/SongWriter/ Mbira Player & Percussionist
Richmond CA | Zimbabwe
Piwai’s chilling vocals and hypnotic sound have been described as spiritual nirvana. A captivating performer, she bends genres to seamlessly ow from jazz, reggae or folk to pure African rhythms, moving listeners to physically feel her music, creating a trance-like rhythm that balances consciousness.Piwai wows audiences across the globe with her soulful voice and genre-fusing melodies. Fondly known as the girl with the African thumb piano, the mbira, Piwai was born and raised in Zimbabwe. Her love of music is influenced by her multicultural Southern Africa and gospel exposure in early childhood. During and after college years in the US, Piwai trained as a jazz vocalist at the Jazz School of Berkeley. She’s studied with world-renowned vocalists such as Vernon Bush, Raz Kennedy, Maye Cavallaro, and Frankye Kelly. Piwai has since been under the tutelage of maestros and the incomparable percussionist, Yagbe Onilu, and conguero, Butch Haynes. Piwai collaborates regularly with Fantastic Negrito, playing percussion on his 2017 Grammy Award winning album “Last Days of Oakland"
Dancer/Choreographer
Paris | Cameroon
NADÉEYA GK is a Cameroonian dancer, Italian by adoption based in France. She presents an atypical artistic journey: Her first steps are from traditional Cameroonian dances and gets close to Hip Hop culture on her arrival in Europe (Italy and France). She falls in love with House dance and decides to devote herself to it. She took open dance classes in various dance studios in France and travelled as well to gain more knowledge. Today, she presents a House Dance with an "African accent" as she likes to say.
In her quest for movement, Nadeeya opens up to the richness of African gestures and approaches Krump dance. Her movements are therefore charged with energy at the crossroads of African culture and the western urban movement.
Dancer
Oakland, CA
The hard hitting spitting image of the Bay Area...We are the turffeinz the most known dance group out of Oakland, california. You’ve might’ve seen us on many commercials, videos, and appearances. We have such a deep love for Oakland and the culture so we show it through our dance, The ups and downs the good the bad and everything in between. We showcase emotions through our dance everytime we touch the floor. If you have heard about us then you have heard about dancing in the rain Rip rich D it has over 8 million views and it impacted the dance culture in Oakland. We create new dance moves such as the Smeeze, mobby, etc. this is the 1-3 generations of the Turffeinz and the Turffeinz name won’t be leaving soon.
Percussionist, Composer, Music Teacher, Coordinator of Tambores do Mundo, Musical Director Bloco Ilê Aiyê, Collaborator of NGO CCOR, Militant and Researcher of Afro Brazilian Music. With Ilê Aiyê recorded 3 discs and a DVD, participated in phonographic recordings with the artists: Arto Lindsay (EUA / BR), Daniela Mercury (BR), Yerba Buena (EUA), Creole (BR), Maira Freitas (BR), Lucia de Carvalho (ANGOLA / FR), Bjork (ICELAND) and Tambores do Mundo.
em portugues:
Percussionista, Compositor, Professor de Música, Coordenador do Tambores do Mundo, Diretor Musical Bloco Ilê Aiyê, Colaborador da Ong CCOR, Militante e Pesquisador da Música Afro Brasileira. Com o Ilê Aiyê gravou 3 discos e um DVD, participou de registro fonográficos com os artistas: Arto Lindsay (EUA/BR), Daniela Mercury (BR), Yerba Buena (EUA), Crioulo (BR), Maira Freitas (BR), Lucia de Carvalho (ANGOLA/FR), Bjork (ISL NDIA) e Tambores do Mundo.
CORE ARTISTS
Choreographer
Oakland | USA
Samara Atkins is an Oakland native and has been dancing, performing, and teaching hip-hop since 1999. Her mission is to utilize dance as a somatic tool for expressing, celebrating, addressing, coping, connecting, translating, and healing from our lived experiences. Samara is Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Mix'd Ingrdnts, with a mission to educate, inspire, and empower women, youth, and the community. She and her crew have been featured in various news articles, numerous dance festivals and awards, on the Harry Connick Jr. show, and KQED. She's also choreographer, member, and singer of the two-time GRAMMY-nominated children's music group, Alphabet Rockers.
Visual Artist/Muralist
Oakland/Richmond | USA
Keena Azania Romano exercises her creative mind through the exploration of diverse artistic mediums as a way to engage and understand individual and collective purpose. Romano received her BFA from Pomona College then returned to her native Bay Area to pursue a career in the Arts. Her Murals can be spotted from Sacramento, California to Oaxaca, Mexico.
Inspired by cultural practices, Romano combines spirituality with urban experience to produce work that draws upon the quest for a greater understanding of intersectional beauty in this world. She fuses traditional native arts with contemporary inner-city techniques to reflect a new language that encourages the healing and empowerment process between community members and their environments. Her style is described as “vibrant and insightful”.
She aspires to travel and create a colorful trail of art by exploring the modern Diaspora based on her multi-ethnic experience.
Choreographer
Los Angeles | USA
Tango Leadaz is a Los Angeles based movement instructor, choreographer and actor that has quickly made a name for himself as one of the leading choreographers for authentic Dancehall in LA. With well over ten years of Dancehall experience, he uses his extensive Dancehall vocabulary and knowledge to spread joy and help bring awareness to the culture. He is the creator of globally popular Dancehall moves such as "Good Chemistry," which was used by major artists such as Chris Brown and Omarion, and "Get Use to It," which was globally performed by the one and only Beyoncé during Coachella and OTR2 tour. Described as being "animated" and "full of life" he is gaining notoriety for his high energy classes, flavorful choreography and creative skits. Tango Leadaz performs worldwide and has taught workshops in the United States, Asia, Canada, South America and Europe. Because of his ability to create amazing vibes and good energy, whether in a party or on set, he has been dubbed the Vibes Architect. Tango Leadaz’s credits include choreographing Omarion’s “Distance” and “W4W” and featuring in performance/music videos for Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, Black Eye Peas, and Gwen Stefani, to name a few.
Music Artist
NYC | Ghana
Agyakomah is an artist-singer-songwriter that utilizes her cultural background and unique upbringing as a young first-generation woman to create music that reflects her story. What she categorizes as Afrofusion, not only represents her West African and R&B/Soul blend, but the outcome of a fusion of different lifestyles, languages, experiences and generational stories that is highlighted in her artistry. Agyakomah pushes boundaries of the African narrative by creating stories reflective of the everyday experiences of young Africans like herself who may reside on or off the continent.
She recently performed alongside artists across the world by participating in the The Great Lockdown Online Music Festival, and has released music consistently throughout the year. Her latest single, “Pay Me What You Owe” calls out employers by detailing the realities of post-grad life, for a young professional and the frustrations behind feeling undervalued. She aims to close out 2020 with the new collaboration and drop of her debut EP.
Choreographer
Lagos | Nigeria
David Amaechina also known as SNIPES is a multifaceted performing artist based in Lagos, Nigeria. A dance artiste and choreographer whose major style is Afro fusion, which includes various African dance styles. He is one of the executives of popular dance revolution movement called Afrocan where thriving dancers perform in "Bázuté” jam sessions towards creating a community for dancers in an unrepresented environment.
His work revolves around situational dynamism in an African context. His performances are mined recreation from memory, contemporary folklore and appropriated global culture as experienced by him, his work intends to create nostalgia with the artistic devices of cultural landmarks. His work involves use of set design as an architectural sculpture where memory is relived with relating sound, lighting and slight drama.
Theatre Producer/Performer
Mombasa | Kenya
Caroline Ngorobi is a theatre producer and performer from Mombasa Kenya. She joined the theatre scene in 2005 in Nairobi as an actor featuring in a number of stage plays, films and has been a voice artist with Deutsche Welle. She believes every experience is a story waiting to be told.
She moved to Mombasa where founded Jukwaa Arts Productions in 2015. Since then she has worked as a producer and performer. Her work fuses drama, movement and poetry. She uses applied theatre to tell contemporary stories. She has began experimenting with physical theatre to promote and preserve culture while exploring its intersection with emerging and popular culture. Her work involves using the transformative tool of theatre to evoke emotions and provoke thought on touchy subjects like sexual harassment, juvenile crime and taboos in the African Culture.
In 2018, she presented a performance at the Bagamoyo International Festival of Arts and Culture in Tanzania which was facilitated by a grant from the British Council. Through a grant from Art Moves Africa, she was able to be part of the Producers Academy in Belgium and the Kunstenfestivaldesarts in 2019.
Ritual Performance Artist/Organizer
Nairobi | USA
Currently based in Nairobi, Kenya, Kelly 'GreenLight' Thomas is a ritual performance artist, wellness worker and cultural organizer. A New Jersey girl with roots in Alabama and The Commonwealth of Dominica, Kelly is currently pulling from her diverse cultural background to build a body of children’s music that addresses positive self esteem, cultivating healthy relationships and embracing the natural world. For over a decade, Kelly has been creating music & performance around emotional health, women’s narratives, and nature. As a performance artist, Kelly conceives interactive & transcendent arts experiences that activate her background in gender studies, theater, group dynamics, Afro-Diasporic cultural practice, and holistic healing.
Kelly is the foundress of Black Arts Retreat, a community arts organization which focuses on exploring African diasporic art and culture, communing with nature and holistic wellness through retreats, workshops and affinity groups in the US, digitally and around the world. Through Black Arts Retreat, Kelly has facilitated groups in Bahia, Brazil Berlin, Germany and throughout Haiti since 2016. Kelly holds a Bachelor's Degree in Educational Theater from NYU's Steinhardt School and a Sound and Music Integrated Practitioner Credential from the New York Open Center
Photography
Johannesburg | South Africa
Tshepiso Mabula is a photographer and writer born in the Lephalale district of Limpopo, South Africa. Mabula’s interest in photography sparked when visiting a family member she was introduced to photographer Santu Mofokeng’s work. This Led to her studying photojournalism and documentary photography at the Market Photo Workshop, Johannesburg where she became a recipient of the Tierney fellowship in 2018./ where she received the 2018 Tierney fellowship.
Poet
Nairobi| Kenya
Oganga Mangiti, is a poet, born, raised and residing in Nairobi, Kenya. He has been writing poetry from 2010, with his debut poetry anthology, “Love and Pain,” coming out in 2019. The book contains poems which focus on the emotions of love and those of pain, with the belief that going through each emotion individually, leads to the process of healing and growth through acceptance.
His work has been described as poetry of emotion, as it mainly focuses on the emotions of love, pain and heartbreak. He initially started writing, to express the emotions he felt; but that has morphed into a constant search; using words to express different emotions and social issues. He draws a lot of his influence from African writers, such as Chinua Achebe, Francis Imbuga, Margaret Ogolla and Ijeoma Umbinyo; and poets such as R.H Sin and the oriental poet, Rumi.
Currently, Oganga Mangiti, is working on his second book, which will focus on the themes of blooming and coming of age. He is also constantly engaged in growing his art form and experimenting with various forms of expression. Furthermore, he has engaged in various campaigns, using poetry and prose in various digital and marketing campaigns.
Visual Artist
New York City| USA
Yvonne Shortt is a multidisciplinary artist who takes a question-based approach to understand and activate the community around her. Recent questions include, “How does one care for community spaces left to decay?”, “How does one respond to racism using art?”, and “How does one heal from trauma?”. Her areas of focus are equality, disability, race, and sustainability. Her mediums include sculpture, installation, mural, and social practice art.
Some of Ms. Shortt's projects include African American Marbleization-An Act of Civil Disobedience, The School Fence Project, Underpass Murals, and Woman Who Build.
Ms. Shortt's selected awards include NYC Parks Public Art Award, NYC Department of Education Art in Schools Award, Illumination Fund Award, Queens Council on the Arts New Works Grant, Elmhurst Sculpture Garden Public Art Award, and The Burning Man Educational Grant.
Rapper Artist
Nairobi | Kenya
Truth Reigns Above But Only Love Exists Eternally is coded in my rap name while Tra is Art is a mantra that mirrors my innermost reflections when I'm creating. I've always been amazed at how the mundane nothingness of life can be transformed into a canvas ,especially if one is in-tune enough to see the patterns and connections that are always presenting themselves in the now.
I'm a recording and performing artist who conveys his creativity through the genres of Hip Hop and spoken word poetry but not necessarily limited by them. My art stretches the imagination through varied subject matter that ranges extensively from the sacred to the profane, from the profound to the mundane.
Visual Artist
Nairobi | Kenya
Nzilani Simu is an illustrator and graphic designer born, raised and based in Nairobi, Kenya. She specialises in illustration, hand lettering, infographics, identity design and is passionate about design for social impact - particularly when it comes to an African lens and projects focused on women's rights. She has over ten years of experience working as a freelancer and for creative agencies. She has a BA in Sociology from the University of Western Ontario, and a BA in Graphic Design from Curtin University in Malaysia. In the last few years, she has been working on her art brand Kulula; Kulula comes from the Kikamba word meaning 'to draw' and is an outlet for more creative ideas and personal expression using illustration and mixed media. In addition to this, Nzilani works as a graphic design teacher in a Nairobi college.
Fine Art Textile Artist
San Francisco, CA | USA
Afatasi The Artist, is a cultural curator of Afro-Polynesia. Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Afatasi is a multidisciplinary creative, whose mediums include, and are not limited to: textile artist, designer, writer, poet, photographer, and singer/songwriter. She creates fashion, art, prose, and music, all through her unique Afro-Polynesian lens and perspective. A few of her personal values include: honoring ancestors, the DECOLONIZATION of spaces, Black Lives Matter, self-love and Afros.
Spoken Word Artist/Writer
Oakland, CA | USA
Though Tayleur wrote stories and poetry her whole life, she never considered herself to be a writer. What she did know was that she loved seeing her people thrive and being in spaces that inspired her. As fate would have it, those two things became what eventually developed her career as a writer and poet and co-founder of @Gold.Beams. Through @Gold.Beams, Tayleur curates amazing events, programming and productions for black creatives and her black community at large. As a writer and poet Tayleur shares her art and teaches art in schools and youth programs.
Tayleur is also a New York native, Howard University alumna. Her ultimate goal is to love on black people and to support their wildest dreams.
Photographer
Dar es Salaam | Tanzania
Vanessa Mwingira is a photographer based in Tanzania. "Punkandblack" is the artistry name used by Vanessa and it explores her photography foundation which is rooted in portraying black and brown individuals as her main subject matter. The photographer aims to amplify the presentation of black people in mainstream media visually through usage of complementary tones and colors which provide a perspective of richness and beauty.
Visual Artist
Lagos | Nigeria
FAB-UCHE Nnenne Valerie (b.1996) has spent most of her life and work in Lagos, Nigeria. Danfo as she is fondly called due to her “never stop, never settle” attitude and insatiable love for Lagos metropolitan life and street culture is constantly using her art practice whether in form of painting, drawing, installation, photography or performances, to document, mirror and question everyday life and challenges as a human being first and a female millennial. Valerie is a fellow of the art in medicine fellowship an initiative of tender arts Nigeria and holds a national Diploma in General arts from Yaba College of Technology Lagos, Nigeria.
WEB | IG
Performer/Instructor
Oakland | Congo Brazzaville
Kiazi Malonga was initiated in Congolese dance/drum culture at two years old by my late father Malonga Casquelourd. Casquelourd, former principal dancer with the National Congolese Dance Company, and Tanawa, co-founder (first US based central African dance company) was instrumental in helping build the African diaspora artistic community in the Bay Area and beyond. Organizations within this community include Mandeleo Institute, Worlds Arts West, University of California and Cal State campuses, and Everybody’s Creative Arts. Kiazi has been deeply steeped in this community my entire life, and feel fortunate to be a leading educator, advocate, and performer in the African music community.
Visual Artist
Johannesburg | South Africa
Nico Phooko is one of Africa's most gifted visual artists who has embraced and popularised the unique concept of LIVE PAINTING, through which he captures the essence of special events live on canvas!
This novel entertainment genre becomes a truly unforgettable part of the event, which is captured and memorialized as an artwork. Guests love watching how the event unfolds on canvas, representing the mood, the sounds and rhythms, and the highlights of the evening in a most unique and colourful way. The final product is the perfect memento of the event, for the client to keep.
Nico has been invited to artistically capture events such as A Tribute to Samora Machel, painting alongside world renowned musicians and politicians who had come to honour the life of the late Samora Machel. The painting was presented to Mrs Graca Machel, her husband Dr Nelson Mandela, and the Machel’s Family.
He has also painted live on stage with Africa's great musicians, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Sibongile Khumalo, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Ringo Mandlingozi, Joyous Celebration, Joe Nina, Bongo Maffin, Voice and a host of Traditional and Jazz Musicians throughout South Africa and abroad.
Nico's live painting cv includes many award ceremonies, private and corporate gala dinners, conferences, weddings, children’s celebrations, music launches, and many more prominent events.
Photographer
Kampala| Uganda
My name is Agaba Solomon Peabo, a photographer and digital artist born and raised in Uganda. My inspiration behind my street photography and afro-futurism is we always dream for a better Africa bringing that dream into reality through my work is what motivates me each day.
Visual Artist
Tanzania/Kenya | Tanzania
Arafa Cynthia Hamadi is a non-binary, multidisciplinary artist working in Tanzania and Kenya. They create artwork in various mediums that address the intersections of the conceptual and the physical, as well as the ephemeral and the permanent, in hopes of provoking their visitors into considering their daily realities. Arafa’s work also explores their queerness in relation to space and occupancy. They work in the realms of 3D design, graphic design, sculpture, and architecture.
Multi-discipline Writer/Visual Artist
Oakland |USA
D’mani Thomas (he/him/they) is a horror film fanatic, twitter sub-culture enthusiast, and dance lover. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley, where they were a two-time member of CAL Slam ( 2017 & 2018), representing UC Berkeley at CUPSI, an international spoken word poetry festival, earning the “Best Writing As a Team” accolade in 2018. He was a 2019 Pink Plastic House Resident, a 2020 “SHOW US YOUR SPINES” resident through Lambda Literary. D’mani is the 2020 Foglifter Youth Fellow and a “Bakanal de Afrique” fellow conducting research on transportation infrastructure in times of crisis. His work can be found in The Auburn Avenue, Foglifter, MARY: A Journal of New Writing, and elsewhere.
Visual Artist
Richmond| Nigeria/USA
Throughout my elementary years, I drew on the playground with chalk during recess and even sketched on my homework assignments. That was when I was introduced to the Oakland School for the Arts where I studied Visual Arts. My time there allowed my creativity to manifest into something remarkable. As a Nigerian-American artist, I feel that it’s my responsibility to commentate on the various socio-economic and political conundrums taking place today in both America and Nigeria. Being that I was raised in a Nigerian household, it’s inevitable that I’ve established such a powerful connection with my homeland. I’ve continuously strived to perfect my craft not only as a classical painter, but also a digital illustrator, Sip & Paint instructor, as well as a live performer/painter. I’ve come to realize the true power that I have as a creative to heal and inspire those around me.
Textile Artist
Miami| USA
Lauren Baccus is a textile artist with roots throughout the Caribbean. Her work is centered around the reframing and retelling of Caribbean stories through costume. She is strongly influenced by masquerade, the region’s legacy of resistance through clothing, and the universality of play through dress.
Filmmaker
Middlebury| USA
Demetrius has been producing videos since he accidentally erased all the family photos during a summer trip. In an attempt to make up for it he began making claymations in middle school, and transitioned to live-action in high school.
He attended Middlebury College as a Film and Media Culture major and produced videos for different student organizations, academic departments, and independently with friends.
From there he worked as a Digital Media Producer for Middlebury College’s Communications and Marketing Department, where he produced, directed, and edited videos for the college. In addition, he has worked as a producer, director, editor, and cinematographer on multiple short films and commercials.
He now co-owns 273 Productions where he continues to make videos.
Photographer
Abuja | Nigeria
Wole Hammond is a documentary photographer based in Abuja, Nigeria. He is a huge admirer of nature and the environment and he is interested in building inclusive and sustainable societies for the future. His work as an artist explores using visuals to tell socio-cultural and environmental stories of the 21st century and their inter-relationship with humans.
He attended the Canon Digital and Street photography workshop in 2018. Wole works with non-profits promoting clean environment and sustainable development goals. Some of his work has been featured on platforms such as the Transparency and Accountability Initiative, Institut du Francais Nigeria, Tell that Story, and Kurating. Wole is currently working on documentary projects promoting environmental sustainability in his city.
Visual Artist
Nairobi | Kenya
I am a photographer who main focuses on showing the beauty I'm surrounded by and Vivi Karia is a mixed media artist who lives and works in Nairobi. Vivi specializes in object design but has also had a background in installation design.
In 2018 alongside fellow artist Magati Maosa, they hosted an installation called Mental Tourist for Africa Nouveau Festival.The installation was a physical visual project that served to give a glimpse into the experiences artists go through when they create.
She is also a 2019 Catalyst Grant artist of the British Council NaNa Art program. Key themes that can be found in her work are religion and storytelling of everyday life narratives. Vivi always aims to pose the unfamiliar to her audience in hopes of triggering even greater conversations.
Photographer
Abuja | Nigeria
I am a photographer who main focuses on showing the beauty I'm surrounded by and telling stories. I have always enjoyed creating. This is partly what inspired me to photography. The other reason was seeing my uncle do it while growing up and also getting a camera from my dad. Photography gives me the most freedom to express myself and show the world the way I see it. A lot of my experiences and influences have shaped my creative side over the years, part of which is being born and raised in the most populous black nation in the world; Nigeria and being involved in advocacy while growing up.
Multi-Disciplinary Artist
Prince George's County | Nigeria/USA
nwaobiala is a Black Nigerian American trans nonbinary creative from Anambra State, Nigeria and Prince George's County, Maryland. As a multi-disciplinary experimental artist, they exist within blurred medium lines, intersecting at photography, digital design, film, painting, poetry, and writing. Wielding art as a catalyst, nwaobiala drives global, Diasporic conversations about African Diasporic queerness, gender identity, fashion and self-expression; Black mental and public health, intergenerational trauma, male preference, history and culture, and everything in between.
BDA 2020 VIRTUAL GALLERIES
NEWS/PRESS
PLAYLISTS
Bakanal de Afrique (BdA), is a multidisciplinary Afro Urban festival by Afro Urban Society that brings us together across cultures, and showcases new, emerging and underground urban art, culture and people through performance, workshops, visual media and conversations. From its birth in 2009, Bakanal de Afrique intended to be a phenomenon that stretched the length and breadth of the world, and united Urban Africans in a unique way.
BdA 2020 will be mainly virtual.
MI SOON COME | 2020
Transportation x Urbanity x Sociopolitical Context x Art
Our 2020 theme 'Mi Soon Come' explores modes of transportation in urban cultures and its intersections with culture, class and citizenship.
100+ artists and creatives representing various urban locales in Africa, the Americas, Europe, and everywhere around will be presented as part of BdA Festival online throughout the month of November 2020. The festival will feature online releases, events, and activities, activated using several platforms; the BdA exclusive website portal with featured artist work. It will also feature live ‘on-the-ground’ social-distanced events in Oakland and San Francisco, CA, and engagement on social media platforms such as Youtube, FB, Instagram, WhatsApp and everywhere we imagine.
“How we go fit connect across language wey we don forget, di ones wey dey forced or adopted? Connecting dust wey dey here to concrete wey dey there.”
our partners
Wanna be on this list? contact us
our IG meanderings
Filmmaker/Multidisciplinary Artist
Detroit | USA
Ashley ‘Ifayomi’ Douglas is a Black Queer multidisciplinary artist, healer, and filmmaker currently based in Detroit, MI. Ifayomi’s work is centered around ritual, memory, self intimacy, and prayer. She finds inspiration in the layered stories and experiences of Black Femmes, African diasporic connections to water, ancestral magic, and finding “home.” Her objective is to synthesize the worlds of ancestral healing, art, and wellness with intention centered on accessibility. Her artistic credits include Allied Media Conference’s Ethics and Aesthetics Film screening, Detroit Narrative Agency’s Radical Remedies Film Series, Art Basel 2019 for N’Namdi Gallery, and Danny Brown’s “Flower Car” with Eightfold Collective Studios and Lisa Waud
WEB | IG