Xplore: our South African collective goes to Poland and Globaltica Festival kicks off

Xplore, our initiative along with the EU Delegation to South Africa, facilitates the intercultural exchange between South African artists and European peers. This year’s programme brings the selected South African artists to the Globaltica Festival, in Gydinia, Poland.

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.