Lagos Fringe Festival set to re-create the Future// Celebration Time....

 

 

 

 

Lagos Fringe Festival set to re-create the Future

By Prisca Sam-Duru The Lagos Fringe Festival is set to excite guests at this year’s festival with breathtaking performances, experimental works, exhibitions, and an array of training opportunities beginning from Tuesday 17 to Sunday 22 November 2020.

The Fringe festival which is one of the largest outdoor festivals in West Africa, now in its 3rd year, offers a hybrid program of both online/virtual and live interactions with social distancing measures in place. For 6 days participants and partners will interact in this annual multidisciplinary arts celebration. And as usual, there is something for everyone including; Artists, digitally connected youths, existing and potential arts audiences, students, children, old & young professionals, art institutions, expatriate communities and international guests. They will enjoy thrilling activities, performances as well as food inspired by our local communities.

Themed, ‘Re-Creating the Future’, this year’s edition enjoys partnership with Goethe-Institut Nigeria, Freedom Park and Orijin with support from the United States Consulate General. Festival Producer, Brenda Fashugba disclosed that there will also be a vibrant arts market on display throughout the festival period, short film screenings and feedback session where film makers will be on ground to engage with the audience to share their processes and motivations. “Some of the other highlights of this year’s event include; a music concert- an evening of dazzling fiesta of fun, colour and life featuring a range of artists at the festival Hub. The concert will be followed by a brilliant firework display to top off the night, ensuring we are in the mood for the holiday season. Another highlight is the street food fiesta where there will be food stalls of all types showcasing delicious dishes and tasty treats”, she added.

Also speaking, the festival Director Kenneth Uphopho who is also the General Secretary of the Guild of Theatre Directors, noted that “Our overall objective for hosting this year’s festival in the light of the pandemic is to contribute to the positive messaging to the artists’ communities about devising very practical ways to still earn our living by adapting to our new realities while Covid-19 is still very much around. As you know, we are an alternative in our approach with a special focus on the multidisciplinary medium of expressions and our mantra is open access. He explained that the theme adopted; ‘Recreating the Future’ was inspired by the experiences of the recent times where everything has changed from a level of systemic growth to an unknown variable in just a few months, adding that “This year, we want every activity to reflect the hybrid nature of the festival where 50% of the experience will be in the digital space and 50% will be physical interactions with social distancing measures in place”.