ARTS#ALitFest19: Abuja Literary and Arts Festival 2.0 To Hold July 11-13

As the second edition of Abuja Literary and Arts Festival (ALitFest) organized by Abuja Literary Society (ALS) draws closer, many activities are lined up for the 3-day event.

Having held its hugely successful inaugural festival in early July 2018 as a celebration of the Society’s twentieth anniversary, ALitFest19 promises to be even more fun and educating this year.

Themed “Arts and Social Consciousness, ”ALitFest19 is aimed at introducing and encouraging discussions surrounding different aspects of the society thereby interrogating role of art in the shaping of societal narratives. The festival is slated to run from July 11-13 at the Abuja Exhibition Pavilion, Garki Area 10.

Parts of the activities of last year were retained such as: The Grand Slam competition (with a cash prize of N200, 000), a Film Screening (4th Republic), Children Creativity Workshop, Hike and Dance Aerobics and Art Exhibition by I Can Draw Africa.

Other activities include a 4-day Prose Writing Workshop facilitated by the IWP Lines and Space Program. It will run from 8th to 11th of July. The workshop will be facilitated by four renowned writers and creative writing tutors in the names of: Tom Sleigh, January Gill O’Neil, Christopher Merrill, and Emily Raboteau. Successful graduates from the workshop will feature in an anthology on gender and ideational conflicts in Nigeria, and continue with its panel discussions.

The 2019 edition of the Abuja Literary and Arts Festival #ALitFest19 has a sophisticated line-up cutting across various Industries. Individuals who have used and are using their works to comment on or influence social narratives such as Toni Kan, Dapo Olorunyomi, Chika Oduah, Segun Adeniyi, Ayodele Olofintuade, Chuma Nwokolo, Chris Ngwodo, Abdulkareem Baba Aminu , Editi Effiong, T. J. Benson, Eketi Edima Ette, Osasu Igbinedion, Tunde Leye, Oyinkan Braithwaite, Esther Mirembe are some of the guests in the line-up.

The festival promises to identify several aspects of contemporary social concepts and how literature and art interact or counteract such concepts. Panel topics include: Satire, Advocacy and Civic Engagement; Political Reportage, Press Freedom and Responsibility; Art and Activism – Environmental degradation and Nigeria’s Theaters of War; 21st Century Nigerian Man – Navigating Success through today’s Gender Expectations; #NigeriaToo – Sexual Harassment in Nigeria’s Public and Private Spaces, Conflicts, Resentments and Historical Narratives; and lots more.

Musical performances by Abuja’s foremost rock band The Isomers and Abuja-based artist, Jarrell Ebuka will mark the opening ceremony followed by spoken word performances by various poets.

With a film screening as well as a re-enactment of Zulu Sofola’s play – Wedlock of the gods – a festival bar, dance aerobics and yoga, as well as a poetry grand slam with pricey cash prizes on the agenda, and a festival after party is in the works to mark a successful end, ALitFest19 plans to live up to its name and pledges to illuminate the mind, exalt the soul, exercise the body and of course, provide the society with a chance to exhale, relax and enjoy some of the simple things of life.