For BEETA Arts Festival 2022, Abuja Comes Alive

Yinka Olatunbosun

Nigeria’s leading arts festival for telling authentic African stories, the BEETA Arts festival is returning this year to connect communities and creators through a three-day convergence of theatre, exhibitions, film, music, dance, food and lifestyle events. The event is set to run from December 2 to 4 at NAFIL Arcade and Waterpark Abuja.

Built on the mission to be the largest art incubator event in Africa, the BEETA Arts festival made its debut in 2021 and has featured participants from six African countries.
With the theme ‘Art Connects’, this year’s edition is in collaboration with the Multichoice Talent Factory, EbonyLife Creative Academy as well as TASCK, a social impact organization founded by Nigerian rapper, Jude Abaga popularly known as MI. There are workshops and conversations to include Olivier and Al Fargon winner, Dipo Agboluaje; author, Michael Afenfia and Su’eddie Vershima Agema as well as other creators , performers and exhibitionists from several countries across the continent with the festival itinerary including stage plays, film screenings, music concerts, spoken word and poetry, festival markets, lifestyle events and competitions.

The founder of the festival, Bikiya Graham-Douglas revealed that this edition would be the most immersive experience to reach a wider audience physically and digitally.
“With the new global positioning of Africa and Africans, now more than ever, young Africans are focused on their identity. We have witnessed this with the increase in consumption of African arts and culture with concentration on Nigerian content.

Our goal is to reach over 10,000 festival goers and participants with a concentration on Gen-Ys and Zs, the millennials and a sub-concentration of retirees. These will also include online attendees through virtual streaming.’
While fielding questions from journalists as regards the security of the festival venue, Graham-Douglas reassured the public that the venue will be secured by the Nigerian Airforce, police as well as private security.

“We can’t live in fear. Yes, we have to be cautious but we have to keep on living,’’ she responded. On why Abuja is the choice destination for this massive festival, Graham-Douglas who was a former festival director for the Lagos Theatre Festival remarked that Lagos is already saturated by different arts festivals while Abuja is a burgeoning cultural scene.
“Abuja is a meeting place for people all over the continent. Lagos has many festivals already but if we are not deliberate about expanding, then we are doing ourselves a lot of disservice.’’
For the festival producer, Mr Olarotimi, the festival is a creative campaign curated to encourage interaction and collaborations in African creativity, showcasing existing talent, bridging the gap between new and the new existing players and creating new audiences for our rich African stories.

The BEETA Arts Festival is sponsored by Tiger Beer, Zagg Energy Drink, Brains and Hammers, Paperworth Books and Chairborne Global services Limited.