BAF Announces Dates

Blantyre Arts Festival (BAF) on Saturday announced that this year’s event will be held on October 4 to 6 at Blantyre Cultural Centre (BCC).

The organizers have also said that this year’s event will be accompanied with their 10th anniversary celebrations, which would see them bringing on stage several activities including the street carnival.

The theme for this year’s festival is Fit For Life with a focus on women and girls project being supported by Osisa.

BAF Executive Director, Thom Chibambo, said during a press conference that they were ready for this year’s event.

Chibambo promised that this year’s event will be more exciting as they are expecting a lot of activities to take place.

“This year there is more because we are celebrating the 10th anniversary. It is going to be exciting and we will be bringing on stage some of the artists who have been performing at the festival for the past 10 years. We have already made a call for applications for artists and we call upon artists to go to our website www.blantyreartsfestivals.org ,” Chibambo said.

Pastor Mphatso Chidothe, who will be leading BAF’s youth pack, said during the 10th anniversary, they are working with youths in six districts.

“We are targeting four schools which will compete and one school which will do well will come to Baf. We are giving the youth a chance to showcase their talent. Through the festival, we are also saying that art is not just something for leisure but we want youth to know that this is a career and that, through art, they can earn a living,” Chidothe said.

She also said that they would hold workshops where they will bring some youth groups which are doing well in the arts business and have travelled outside the country.

“So we are bringing these youths to interact with them, share their stories and also perform. We are packaging more for the youth and we are having a children’s corner. BAF is a family event and for everyone,” Chidothe said.
Meanwhile, the organizers have also called on people to apply to sell their products in the market zone.

The organizers said the Market Zone is aimed at giving a chance to the corporate world as well as small scale businesses to sell their products.

According to a tentative programme, the festival will start with a BAF preview on the first day before the carnival and the opening followed by performances and workshops on other days.