The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) will bring the creative talent and cultural richness of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) this October. The festival boasts a profusion of international stars as well as fresh new talent, from the world of music, dance, visual art and cinema. The event will take place 14-21 October 2006 .
Free to the public, but also aimed at the development of the cultural industries of the 79 ACP states, the festival promises to showcase the very best of the wealth of culture the ACP has to offer.
Among the big musical names appearing are Dakar superstar Omar Pene, Belize’s all-star project Andy Palacio and the Garifuna All Star Band, Congolese rumba supergroup Kékélé and Ivorian singer Manou Gallo. Menwar from Mauritius will present his Creole take on traditional Sega music and the Zanzibar taarab orchestra Culture Musical Club will give acoustic renditions from their lengthy repertoire.From the Caribbean come exciting new musicians, in the form of sitar and tabla group Mungal Patasar and Pantar and voodoo drummers Racine Mapou de Azor. The groundbreaking Guinean female percussionists Amazones will also appear, sharing the bill with Africa’s rising stars Nfithe and Bongo Love.
Trailblazers from the contemporary dance scene will also be in the spotlight at the first ACP Festival. From Senegal comes choreographer Andréya Ouamba with Compagnie 1er Temps; Mali presents Kettly Noël, Nigeria’s Qudus Onikeko makes an appearance and Fijian Letila Mitchell takes to the stage, among others.
The ACP Visual Art Exhibition will present a variety of works from the ACP regions’ most cutting-edge artists, including a selection from festivals such as Design Made In Africa and Dak’Art.
As for cinema, the ACP states offer up films to thrill all the senses. Colour is the issue in psychological drama Zulu Love Letters, the first film on apartheid by a black South African. Music takes priority in the Guinea-Bissau film Nha Fala and documentaries Mahaleo and Calypso at Dirty Jim’s, while the visual beauty of Traces, Empreintes de Femmes provides a genuine portrait of a changing Africa.
In addition, the ACP group will organize a series of Professional Meetings covering everything from new technologies to cultural diversity, specialist Masterclasses and a Cultural Industries Market Area for professionals in order to share experience, develop networks and promote and support ACP culture. The festival will culminate in a Grand Parade through the city.
For further information, consult www.acp.int/acpfestival.
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
