About
Africadelic is a non-profit organisation that, since 2016, is committed to the programming and promotion of African and African diasporic cultural creativity, diversity and activism in the Netherlands through concerts, films and talks.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Africadelic is an annual festival around International Africa Day (May 25) celebrating African cultural creativity, diversity and activism. Africadelic is an ode to the African continent and its worldwide diaspora, and features a showcase of the cultural wealth and profound influence that Afrodescendants have on global culture and society.
The festival’s programme always focuses on cultural expression and social critique through the arts. In addition, each edition casts a critical eye on the state of the continent in the form of talks. At our festival, artists, activists and other changemakers come and talk about the various historic and current issues at play on the continent and in the diaspora.
In particular, with our festival we want to discuss the Afrodescendant experience of (de)colonization, racial (in)equality and (anti-)racism – and place this experience in the historical context, happening present and hopeful future. One of the main missions of the Africadelic Festival is to raise awareness about the colonial past and to challenge inequality, exclusion and racism in contemporary Dutch and global society. Through a week full of concerts, films and talks, we aim to contribute to healing, empowerment and joy for Afrodescendants in the Netherlands and beyond.
This year, 2025, the 10th edition of the festival will be held from May 21-31, with a special focus on the 50th anniversary of independence (1975) of five African countries (Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, São Tomé & Príncipe, and the Comoros) as well as Suriname. In addition, we (co-)organise one-off concerts, films and talks within this focus throughout the year.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Otiniel da Silva aka Mano is the founding artistic director of Africadelic. He is a socio-cultural activist, cultural producer and programmer who divides his time with his creative agency Mano a Mano produces between Amsterdam and Luanda, the capital of his native Angola. Mano is also special programmer of Paradiso and their Ticket to the Tropics program in particular.
Mano has been annually organizing the Africadelic Festival in Amsterdam since 2016, and in 2020 Africadelic was officially founded as a non-profit organization together with a team of like-minded volunteers. Besides Mano, the team of Africadelic consists of Emiel Martens (managing director and film programmer), Amandla Awethu! (project manager), and a six-strong statutory board: Kayode Gomes (chair), Marlouze Vooijs (secretary), Mayomona Dombele Jone Lunda (treasurer), Ama van Danzig, Eunice Jones, and Adriaan Kauffman.