Xplore, our initiative along with the EU Delegation to South Africa, facilitates the intercultural exchange between South African artists and European peers.
The selected artists Modise Sekgothe (poetry), Flex Of He & I (poetry/music), Wandile Mbambeni (music), Bonj (music) and Khayalethu (poetry), are now in Gdynia, where they will explore the city, participate in workshops and masterclasses, network with their Poland-based counterparts and meet with the organisers of Globaltica.
The festival starts on the 14th of July. Check below what our South African collective is up to during this week:
13 July
• Introduction and encounter with festival leadership. Hosted by Piotr Pucylo (Director) and Michał Guć (Vice-President, City of Gdynia).
• Visit to Gdansk: visit the Cultural Department of Gdansk City Hall. Orientation about cultural programming and focus on literature/spoken word, hosted by the City Cultural Officer for Literature, Ana Matusevic.
• Visit to the Baltic Sea Cultural Center. Hosted by Larry Okey Ugwu (BSCC Director and also musician). Followed by a discussion with the Literature and World Culture staff at BSCC and with Tomasz Lipski, Chief Specialist for creation and organization/International Department at BSCC. His music group will give a concert followed by a jam session, including the South African artists that would like to join.
14 July
• Cinema: Wąsaty Funk by Oleksandr Kovsh.
• Damir Imamović Trio – Bosnia and Herzegovina / Turkey. Sevdah traditional music.
• Vernissage/exhibition of the visual artist Daria Alyoshkina from the Ukraine.
15 July
• Workshop: SevdahLab – Learn about traditional sevdah singing. Two hour singing session with Damir Imamovic.
• Cinema: Le Mali 70 by Markus CM Schmidt.
• TROYE ZILLIA – Ukraine / Poland (Main Stage – Kolibki Park). The real Ukrainian fusion.
• BAB L’BLUZ – Morocco / France (Main Stage – Kolibki Park). The Moroccan-French quartet is bringing blues to North Africa.
• CIMARRÓN – Colombia (Main Stage – Kolibki Park). Two-time Grammy-nominated music of the broad plains of the Orinoco River.
• LIRAZ – Israel / Iran (Main Stage – Kolibki Park). Private revolution.
• KAPELA BRODÓW – Poland (Festival tent – Kolibki Park). Old polonaise, sophisticated mazurka, wild oberek, surprising polka.
16 July
• Cinema: Sevdah – An intimate journey through the Bosnian blues.
• GIL ACEYTUNO – Spain (Main Stage – Kolibki Park). Canarian tradition married to jazz.
• CHRISTINE SALEM – France (Reunion) (Main Stage – Kolibki Park) The voice of maloya.
• Le Mali 70 – Germany / Mali (Main Stage – Kolibki Park) Time travel to golden years of Malian big bands.
• KUMBIA BORUKA – Mexico (Main Stage – Kolibki Park). The new face of Mexican Cumbia.
• MUKAMBO – Belgium (Festival tent – Kolibki Park). All night long afterparty with the best African music.
17 July
• Workshop: Touring in Eastern and Central Europe. An overview with Chris Torch followed by de-brief with Xplore coordinators and artists.
• Visit to the European Solidarity Centre (Gdansk).
18 July
• Artists depart Gdynia.
