Beeta Arts Festival, the new pan-African celebration, set to debut from November 12 to 14 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel and the Art-Tech District in Abuja.
Organised by the Beeta Universal Arts Foundation, the festival seeks to foster arts development and cultural unity by synergising various art forms, including stage plays, film screenings, concerts, poetry, art exhibitions, trainings, workshops, book readings, conversations and lifestyle events.
As a pan-African festival, which is on the theme Re-Imagine, will have participating films from Kenya, Uganda, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Egypt, Tunisia, and Nigeria.
Other activities include stage performances from Nigeria and Egypt, stage plays written by winners and finalists of the Beeta Playwright Competition. Also, Olarotimi Fakunle, a prolific thespian, will be producing the theatre segment of the festival with the highly successful ‘Room 7’ by John Ekpeno Ukut leading the pack starring Nollywood uprising star Tope Oloniyowon. Tony Edet will be directing a Play called ‘Cancelled’.
The film showcases would include content from the Alumni of the West African Multichoice Talent Factory, the rising filmmaker John Youla Gotip and other films curated by Ms Fibby Kioria of Manyatta Screenings Kenya.
There is also an innovative digitally directed play from top Ugandan director, filmmaker and playwright, Angie Emurwon, a historical exhibition at the Discovery Museum curated by Amanda Kirby Okoye and conversations with prolific director Kunle Afolayan, award-winning actress/director and producer, Lala Akindoju, President of NANTAP Israel Eboh, NLNG prize winner Abubakar Ibrahim and acclaimed playwright Paul Ugbede among others.
Beeta Arts Festival will be a festival like no other, including immersive cultural experiences alongside the Stage Plays and Film Screenings such as a vibrant Festival market, musical evenings, magicians, painting sessions and indigenous delicacies.
Speaking about the festival, Ms Bikiya Graham Douglas, its convener, says: “The Beeta Arts Festival is a meeting point for different expressions of arts from across Africa. It gives performers opportunities and develops talent, allowing us to see each other, learn from each other and collaborate with each other”.
The festival is powered by Chairborne Global Services, Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Art-Tech District Abuja, Heritage Bank, Africa Magic, Ibis Hotel Lagos, Alluvial Agriculture, Union Bank of Nigeria, 2sure, Paperworth Books, and ITK.
7UP Bottling company has also been listed as the drinks partner with Guardian Life, Bella Naija, Silverbird, Classic FM, YNaija, Beat FM, and DigitOneZero, being official media partners.
Beeta Universal Arts Foundation was founded by the uber-creative entrepreneur, award-winning actress and producer, Bikiya Graham-Douglas. Her vision for arts development also produced the Beeta Playwright Competition and the Beeta Campus Outreach.