Urban Voices International Arts Festival 2009 promises again
to deliver original, diverse and cutting edge spoken word to the South
African aficionados of the arts.
This year’s festival will feature dance, song and
performance poetry eclectically influenced from Ghana, USA, Jamaica,
Puerto Rico and South Africa. “Urban Voices 2009 continues with our
programmes of mutual learning with Africans in the Diaspora talking with
artists and people in South Africa. This is particularly important as we
prepare for global events such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and others
which present opportunities for people to connect, to enjoy and work
together to building solidarity through culture and the arts for a just
world and a vibrant and democratic Africa” said Moonsammy.
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Talented young and emerging South African poets from the
three cities will show their mettle on stage and proudly display the
diversity that has become synonymous with our country’s image.
Staceyann Chin will be a big draw card this year, having
performed at Urban Voices in 2003 to sold out audiences in all three
cities. Staceyann Chin has been an “out poet and political activist” since
1998 and returns to our shores with vibrant poetry that always pushes
boundaries and challenges social norms through her work on sexuality,
gender justice and against homophobia.
Chin will be sharing the stage with Ghanaian poet/singer and
storyteller Abena Koomson; Willie Perdomo (USA/Puerto Rican) an
accomplished academic with a style that merges Hip-hop and Shakespeare;
and Marc Bamuthi Joseph, who brings a unique performance structure to the
stage as a talented dancer, choreographer, poet, educator and community
worker.
The Urban Voices International Arts Festival is a programme
of the SAAE, and has been running since 2001 when it hosted amongst
others, Tony Award winning poet/actor Sarah Jones and various other award
winning poets, theatre performers and musicians. In addition, Urban Voices
has since brought various national and international greats to grace the
Urban Voices stage, and these included artists such as Linton Kwesi
Johnson, Saul Williams, The Last Poets, Mutabaruka, Jean “Binta” Breeze,
Dr. Don Materra, Staceyann Chin, Prof Willie Kgotsisile, Lebo Mashile and
Mak Manaka.
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