World Festival of Black Arts

The opening ceremony for the World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures, which runs from Friday through Dec. 31 in Dakar, Senegal, will feature performances by Angélique Kidjo, Youssou N’Dour, Carlinhos Brown and the Mahotella Queens.

“The first festival in 1966 in Dakar, Senegal, was to make a statement about the newly independent African states,” said Kwame Kwei-Armah, a British playwright and actor who is the festival’s artistic director. “This is the third one, and the theme of this festival is the African Renaissance. It’s about the Africa we want to create for tomorrow. It’s about artists across disciplines talking about the future of their art form.”

Agradecimentos à Maria Vlachou