About
Africadelic is a non-profit organization dedicated to the programming and promotion of African and African diasporic cultural creativity, diversity and activism in the Netherlands and beyond through concerts, films and talks.
ABOUT OUR FESTIVAL AND EVENTS
Established in Amsterdam in 2016, Africadelic is a cultural non-profit organization dedicated to the programming and promotion of African and African diasporic cultural creativity, diversity and activism in the Netherlands and beyond through concerts, films and talks. Our flagship event is the annual Africadelic Festival, held each year around International Africa Day (May 25). In addition, we organize a wide range of other events throughout the year promoting culture, community, and connection among Afrodescendants in the Netherlands and beyond.
The Africadelic Festival 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 program 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 share the various historic and current issues at play on the continent and in the diaspora.
With our festival, as well as with our other events, 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 Africadelic is to raise awareness about the colonial past and to challenge inequality, exclusion, and racism in contemporary Dutch and global society. Through our festival and other events, we aim to contribute to healing, empowerment, and joy for Afrodescendants in the Netherlands and beyond.
Last year, in 2025, the festival celebrated its 10th edition, running from May 21-31 with a special focus on the 50th anniversaries of independence (1975) of five African nations (Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, and the Comoros) as well as Suriname. In 2026, the 11th edition took place from May 20-27, spotlighting Ghana and the Caribbean.
ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION AND TEAM
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.