Abuja Fringe returns, targets ‘new narratives’

Abuja Fringe is back for a third edition, this time, aiming at exploring ‘new narratives’ in the Nigerian creative space. The theme, perfectly suited for the budding city of Abuja, is focused on supervising how things work in Nigeria’s creative space, alongside developing new skills, new connections and new collaborative work spaces.

To do so, the festival will host exchanges and empowerment programmes with special focus on technology for creative practice, audience development, marketing and communications with established facilitators from the US, UK and Nigeria. These trainings, to be delivered virtually and physically, aim at re-strategising audience engagement and reframing conversations in a positive way to make for a more resilient and inclusive artistes’ communities.

According to Abuja Fringe, co-founder and Director. Kenneth Uphopho, festival activities include, a collaborative project Wales’ Good Cop Bad Cop titled, Glimpses From The Edges under the British Council Culture Connect Initiative – exhibiting outcomes of the project at the festival and in Wales.

“Creative facilitators such as CC Hub Nigeria’s Ojoma Ochai, poets; Dike Chukwumerije and Bash Amuneni, Nadine Patel UK, Erwin Maas and Victor Gulley from the US, and Brighton Fringe CEO Julian Caddy will engage participants in working forums and workshop discusses that will highlight key issues, potential solutions as well as demonstrations of transferable practice.

“They will also proffer facilitated debates and reflections on key emerging issues from the festival’s theme.

“Festival guests are also in for an entertaining ride with a live show of the widely successful experimental play Esther’s Revenge featuring Biola Atitebi, exhibitions, and the psychedelic Bridezella show starring Bunmi Sogade. They will also have access to artistic and cultural workshops, film and media events, exhibitions and opportunities to forge global connections that will build emerging creatives and improve professional ones,” he said.

Abuja Fringe 2022 opened yesterday, and will be on till December 11, across multiple venues such as Mambaah Café, The Sync Hub, Shehu Yar’adua Center, 6ixx Lounge, Aiivon Hub, AFS Vocational Hub and Fraser Suites.

Founded by PawStudios Africa in 2020, Abuja Fringe is committed to improving the livelihoods of artistes as well as finding new voices in the Abuja creative space. Earlier in the year, the festival has held free training workshops on social media, marketing and communication and funding for 250 creatives in the city.