BBC launches new Africa Beyond website
Tuesday 06 March 2007 saw the launch of the new BBC website Africa Beyond celebrating African arts in the UK. Africa Beyond casts its net right across the African continent to illustrate the diverse and complex cultures of the 54 African nations and the Diaspora – in cinema, television, photography, literature, music, architecture, visual art, history, craft, design, performing arts, workshops and debate.
The website will be a hub for information, discussion and exploration of African arts, beyond the geographical borders of the continent, and beyond any preconceptions about Africa and its culture. The new site brings under its wing the BBC’s existing music website Africa on your Street, with its interviews, features and CD reviews covering everything from Afrobeat to Hiplife to Mbalax, plus gig listings from across the UK.
Coinciding with Ghana’s 50th year of independence there will be a special focus on Ghana’s impact on the UK arts scene over the past 50 years. DJ and music promoter Rita Ray kicks off the new website with her preview of Ghana-related events this year. There’s an interview with playwright Ama Ata Aidoo whose classic play Dilemma of a Ghost will be revived in London later in the year. You can browse a photo gallery of Max Milligan’s extraordinary images of Ghana and read about innovative Ghanaian company Theatre for Change. Coming soon will be features on Ghana’s up-and-coming new writers, and more Ghanaian music from old-style highlife to reggae to hiplife.
Africa Beyond carries on the BBC’s African web coverage where the Africa 05 festival left off. Africa 05 left its mark with many high profile events such as Africa Remix at the South Bank, Back to Black at the Whitechapel Gallery and Africa Live at the British Museum, and even incorporating commercial partners such as Time Out, Starbucks and Borders and Books Etc.
The Africa Beyond programme will also include live events, including the Word from Africa festival, a week long celebration of African languages which launches on 02 June 2007 with an event at the British Museum featuring musicians, poets and storytellers in the galleries and theatre halls. Further events will be happening in African restaurants around London.
Africa Beyond is supported by the BBC and Arts Council with other core partners including inIVA (Institute for International Visual Arts), the British Museum and South Bank Centre.
