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(NYASATIMES) Malawi Lake of Stars top 20 world best festivals

Malawi Lake of Stars top 20 world best festivals – UK paper
By Nyasa Times
Published: October 27, 2010

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A British newspaper The Independent named Malawi Lake of Stars one of the 20 best festivals in the world and organizers say it has drawn over 10,000 attendees since 2004 and pumped US$750,000 into Malawi’s economy.

The 2010 vinspired Lake of Stars Festival attracted over 3,000 people and organisers have announced that they are now looking for partners to support all their strands of activity throughout next year.

Festival Director Tom Porter said in statement made available to Nyasa Times: “We are looking for partners to secure a sustainable future for the festival in Malawi. We also want the festival to grow in its impact on Malawi arts, culture and tourism.”

2010’s festival featured the best line up yet, with more than 50 Malawian acts and over 20 artists from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Australia, Burundi and the UK, giving the 3000-strong audience a weekend of foot-stomping, soul-cleansing entertainment.

There were so many great moments, however one of the weekend’s highlights was Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi’s performance on Friday night. Speaking after his performance, Mtukudzi said “this was my best performance in Malawi yet – will do it again.”

There were also incredible performances of a record number of Malawian stars including Young Kay, Dan Lu, Tigris, Rina, Dikamawoko arts, Agorosso and Peter Mawanga among many more talented local artists.

According to Hip Hop Queen Rina the festival was “extremely beneficial to the youngsters as it gave them their first ever opportunity to showcase their talents on a global platform at an international festival right on their doorstep.”

Echoing these sentiments UK-based Malawian artist Mwai-Hazel of Khandi Floss was both impressed and honoured to be a part of this festival which is “pioneering Malawian music at its embryonic stage” and hopes the vinspired Lake of Stars Festival will continue to inspire and engage itself with local talent towards a more stable and recognisable music industry in Malawi. “We already have the talent we just need to build it together.”

Porter says that this year we are particularly proud of the engagement and support from the local community of Chipoka and Mangochi, who participated in many of the activities which took place around the festival.

“With artists and media undertaking visits to local development programmes, guests are exposed to a side of the community not represented by the festival. It also gives local organisations the opportunity to approach potential partners through this media exposure,” says Porter.

Working with local sport and development organisation Mangochi Youth Sports Academy (MYSA), Founder and Director, Louis Kamundi, has set up a fundraising partner organisation in London to strengthen links between Malawi and the UK. So far forging partnerships with the English Football Association, he hopes to develop similar partnerships in the future.



Lake of Stars organiser Will Jameson and Malawi’s Minister of Tourism, Dr. Ken Lipenga, who opened the festival by skydiving tandem onto the pristine beach of the Sunbird resort in beautiful Mangochi. PHOTO by Sam Colman. Courtesy of Lake of Stars

Kamundi said “Working with the festival has been great for the youth. Exposing them to new people and sports and allowing us to meet new contacts.”

Porter says in the last year they reached more than 24 million people through international media coverage, this year they expect to beat that with CNN, BBC, Marie Claire, Company and the UK Guardian and Independent newspapers all covering the festival.

“We were also fortunate to have strong representation from the local media as well as facilitating Monkey Bay-based Dzimwe Community Radio’s live broadcast from the festival. We thank our all of our colleagues in the media for their continuing support of the festival,” says Porter.

In its seventh year, the vinspired Lake of Stars Festival project relied on more than 300 Malawian and UK staff, volunteers and supporters who have given their time and services – for a reduced fee or, in many cases, for free.

The organisers the thanked all its partners in Malawi and the UK including vinspired, Kenya Airways, Access, Gecko Lounge, Wickerman Festival, DHL, Funktion1, Audile, Studiocare, Skyband, Barlow World, Wellspring and Alternative Marketing.

Others are Capital Radio, Daily Times, Mabuya Camp, French Cultural Centre, STS, Comic Relief, Pathe International, British Council (The Selector Show), Brentwood, Wilderness Safaris, Puma, The Book Bus, Sunbird, The Ministry of Tourism, Zain, STA Travel, The Big Issue, UK Malawi Association, Malawi Tourism Marketing Consortium, Dzimwe Community Radio, Art Moves Africa, Beatnik PR, Tandem PR, Audiofarm, Globe Jam, Mercy Design, Music Crossroads and many more.

Labels: ENTERTAINMENT, MALAWI

posted by MrK @ 3:38 PM