African Diaspora Performing Arts Festival goes Theater Zuidplein

African Diaspora Performing Arts Festival celebrates four days of African art and culture. On 23 November, ADPAF comes to Theatre Zuidplein. The festival will feature international co-productions, workshops, master classes and performing arts, celebrating both traditional and contemporary African art forms.

ADPAF 2024 once again offers a wide range of performances and screenings, focusing on knowledge exchange and audience empowerment. This year's theme is The Power of The Community. Highlights the power of collaboration between artists and companies in the Netherlands. This theme reflects Untold's artistic vision: connecting African and African-Diaspora art forms with Western theatre and dance styles.

Several companies and artists from the Netherlands, such as Untold, Black Harmony and Eternity Percussion, will share their stories and cultural heritage with the audience. This year, ADPAF offers more space for the diversity of companies in the Netherlands to bring out their talents and stories.

Artistic highlights

Major productions during the festival include the theatre performances UMA, Kwasi and Yaw and Kanga. UMA, a co-production by Untold and Black Harmony, recounts the struggles of African women during slavery. Kwasi and Yaw, a performance by Eternity Percussion, focuses on the musical history of two African leaders in the here and now. Kanga, by Black Harmony, deals with the atrocities and lore of the slave plantations in Suriname, focusing on the experiences of children.