By Watchdog reporter
The annual creative festival dubbed LaBa! Arts Festival has hit Kampala. It is the 11th edition of LaBa! Arts Festival coming on Saturday 27th May.
The waltz art packed glamour will add grace and colour to Bukoto Street, Kamwokya, under the theme of Ubuntu between 11am to 8pm.
“This time round we are focusing on humans and social association under the theme Ubuntu, a term in Shona, or Obumu in Luganda, emphasizing the importance of a community.
“Its philosophy is best illustrated in the Ndebele proverb: “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” (“a person is a person through other persons”).
Ms Acaye Pamela, Festival Coordinator says to warm up for the festival Goethe-Zentrum Kampala will hold an Art Forum about the theme of Ubuntu on Wednesday 26th May from 6-8pm in its Conference room with a lecture by Dr. Ferdinand Kasozi (Makerere University) and a panel discussion with a number of this year’s participating artists.
The LaBa committee has also selected young artists collectives with thrilling projects. The street will serve them as an outdoor gallery where they meet and interact with the audience.
Among many other promising talents the festival committee has shortlisted the recently founded Kikali Studio which will premier the short animation film “Sabuula Embaata”, the interactive photography and video installation “Our Thing” by Darlyne Komukama & Nikissi, and the collective Pamoja with a project of creative backyard farming and urban gardening. Neema Lyer is going to involve the audience in a collaborative mural that will be created over the course of the festival.
Furthermore, the festival will give a platform to the poetry collectives Kitara Nation Poets and Tontoma. In the spirit of togetherness the music acts will be integrated in the street setting. Among others Afrie, Bantu Clan and Isiaha’s Destiny will face the challenge of playing acoustic sets on the street at eye level with their audiences. “Our aim is to encourage artists to work together and not in isolation”, explains committee member Ife Piankhi.
“We have invited them to leave their comfort zone and to explore what it means to collaborate.”
What to expect at LABA! 2017
• Bukoto Street will be closed for traffic for a whole day
• Art installations and performances
• Music acts and poetry performances
• Food & beverages
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