Lake of Stars shifts to the Capital City
It is no longer Lake of Stars. This year, the fun will shift to Lilongwe for a festival dubbed City of Stars.
As part of 10th celebrations of the lake-based event, organisers have decided to host a brand new city-based festival and arts conference from 27 to 28 September in the capital city at a venue to be announced later.
“We feel that now is the time to celebrate 10 years of Malawian creativity by upping the reach and the accessibility of the project, by bringing the experience off the shore and into Lilongwe, the international gateway to the Warm Heart of Africa,” said Will Jameson founder of the Lake of Stars festival.
Featuring diverse skills in the world of arts including live music, poetry, film, theatre, literature, exhibitions and speakers, it is hoped that the City of Stars festival will promote Malawian culture and creativity.
Jameson explained that despite having announced the cancellation of the lakeside festival this year due to lack of funds, the two-day multi-venue arts festival and conference will showcase the best in emerging and acclaimed talent from Malawi and beyond.
“We are proud to be part of the growth of festivals now taking place across the country and encourage Malawians and tourists to take advantage of Malawi’s amazing natural and cultural assets,” he added.
According to the organiser, some artists have already confirmed their participation in the event.
“We have already confirmed some international artists including Swedish/Malawian pop group The Very Best, Brian d’Souza aka DJ Auntie Flo from Scotland and George the Poet—the hottest name in spoken word,” he said.
Other than the entertainment side of the event, organisers have lined up several workshops for Malawian artists to share experiences and gain knowledge on how to improve or perhaps sell their art better.
So far, the organisers have the support of a number of key funding partners including the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Malawi, Lilongwe’s upscale hotel Latitude 13, and Scotland’s David Livingstone 200 Fund for the event that will cost an estimated $100 000. The organisers are
still looking for more partners.
