By Ogova Ondego
Published December 20, 2017
A festival that champions contemporary sounds and art from Africa and the African Diaspora is in 2018 set to celebrate its 15th anniversary with activities in Scotland, England and Malawi.
Touted as one of the world’s finest festivals, Lake of Stars (LOS) returns to the palm-fringed shores of Lake Malawi in the warm heart of southern Africa September 28-30, 2018.
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But before then, the organisers of LOS initiative say they shall hold mini festivals and events aimed at publicising and raising funds for one of Africa’s leading music and arts festivals in Glasgow and London in the United Kingdom (UK) at which African and UK artists shall perform to give festivaliers a taste of Lake Malawi that TNT Magazine describes as “sublime, luxurious and unforgettable – a beautiful place for relaxing and unwinding on the gorgeous sandy beaches, resting in hammocks or sheltering from the sun under large palm trees.”
So the festival doesn’t just serve contemporary African arts but caters to travellers, tourists and holidaymakers in Malawi’s game reserves?
“Over the years, the Lake of Stars Festival has attracted an amazing line up of talent from UK bands such as the Foals, Maccabees and Young Fathers through to African legends like Oliver Mtukudzi from Zimbabwe and Mafikizolo from South Africa,” says Beth O’Connor of LOS. “The Lake of Stars project has run events and festivals in UK and Africa since 2003, showcasing artists from Malawi, across Africa and around the world. The festival has generated an estimated £1.3 million for Malawi’s economy each year and receives extensive global press coverage.”
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O’Connor says the LOS project creates “a new creative, dynamic and cultural narrative about Africa” and that its activities in London and Glasgow in 2018 will be aimed at increasing awareness of Malawi and its artists; developing appreciation of the new sound of Africa; increasing opportunities for international artistic collaboration; and engaging a wide local audience across multiple art forms.
Saying the UK tours will also act as fundraisers for the main festival in Malawi, O’Connor says LOS has started other festivals in Malawi that she names as Children’s Future Festival, Day of Ideas, Festival of Ideas, Tumaini Festival in Dzaleka Refugee Camp and LLW Shorts Film Festival.
“LOS offers an exciting, cultural gateway to Malawi and southern Africa,” she concludes.
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