Kampala International Theatre festival, November 2014
About
Bayimba Cultural Foundation and Sundance Institute East Africa have found common ground and joined forces to contribute to a vibrant and visible theatre industry in the East African region and create a platform to support and facilitate the creation and presentation of the best and relevant theatre productions. It is with great excitement that they announce the establishment and launching of the first-ever Kampala International Theatre Festival that is scheduled to take place from 26th to 30th November 2014 in Kampala, Uganda.
The festival comes after a period of close to 13 years of investment by Sundance Institute East Africa (SIEA) in exposure and exchange activities with artists from six East African countries (Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda). Through its Theatre Program, it has advanced the work of risk-taking artists by supporting artists throughout their careers with the aim to contribute to a meaningful and engaging dialogue between artists and their audiences.
In Bayimba Cultural Foundation, with its history and achievements, SIEA found a perfect East Africa based partner to produce and sustain this event that will not only give a platform to develop professionalism among East African theatre practitioners and connect the East African theatre-making community but will also broaden the access to theatre and develop new audiences.
The festival programme is co-curated and produced by longtime Sundance Institute Theatre Program staff member, Deborah Asiimwe, and Faisal Kiwewa, Artistic Director at Bayimba Cultural Foundation, with the assistance of the experienced Bayimba team. The historic first edition of the festival will feature productions and readings with many of the East African artists and projects that have received SIEA support over the years as well as guest productions. For subsequent editions, the festival seeks to create opportunities for collaboration between East African artists and their counterparts in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) as the Sundance Institute Theatre Program deepens its commitment to the MENA region in future years. The Kampala International Theatre Festival therefore promises to become one of the most exciting theatre festivals in Africa.
