Organisers of Blantyre Arts Festival (Baf) said Sunday that its 11th edition will be held on October 6 to 8 2023 at a venue to be announced soon.
Baf is one of the top festivals in the country and, over the years, it has hosted international artists such as Jamaica’s dub poet Mutabaruka through Poetry Africa, Mali’s Salif Keita and South Africa’s veteran gospel musician Rebecca Malope as well as local heavyweights Black Missionaries and Anthony Makondetsa and Soldier Lucius Banda.
“We are progressing with our preparations as well as talking to partners but the festival is on without fail. We know we are late with the announcements but there is more once again this year,” Baf Executive Director Thom Chibambo said.
Having hosted their festival at Blantyre Cultural Centre (BCC) the past years, the festival last year moved to Njamba Freedom Park, a venue which is also under threat with people cutting down trees.
The three-day festival last year attracted performances from artists such as Skeffa Chimoto and Real Sounds Band and veteran gospel musician Ethel Kamwendo Banda.
“We are a festival that is not only there to offer entertainment but rather to use art to bring about change. That is why last year we partnered players that are advocating for environmental conservation,” he said.
The previous editions have also seen people paying for entry but last year the festival was free of charge.
“There is actually a union between Baf and Blantyre City Council but we will unveil everything soon. There are also other programmes that we have been doing just to show that we work in a number of areas,” Chibambo said.
In May this year, Baf announced that it had put together close to K9 million to support Cyclone Freddy survivors with different items including iron sheets in a relocation initiative.
This came after Baf donated items to Mayera camp, which is under Michiru Ward in Blantyre.
The festival also supported people with relief items during Covid
