As we move through 2025, the Africa Centre continues to champion culture, creativity, and critical discourse as tools for fostering inter-cultural understanding, challenging neocolonial legacies, and shaping a more just and equitable future. In this month’s update, I highlight the role of the creative industries in reducing barriers and prejudices, celebrate political and economic innovations across Africa, reflect on lessons from history, and share a glimpse of our upcoming programme. To this end, this Friday we launch UVUYO – a new music & dance event celebrating contemporary African culture.

Culture as a Bridge: The UK/Kenya Season of Culture

The Africa Centre has long understood and championed the power of culture in bringing people together, dismantling racialised power structures, and building mutual understanding. In supporting these aims, we are thrilled to announce our partnership with the British Council for the UK/Kenya Season of Culture. The Season will feature a vibrant programme of events highlighting the depth and dynamism of contemporary Kenyan creativity in the UK from May – November 2025. These events are the culmination of months of extensive bilateral collaborations between Kenyan and UK creatives, and (my first) whirlwind and eye-opening trip to Kenya in December 2024 (pics below). Mark your calendars for these key moments:

· 21st May: Season Launch! – An evening of talks, art, music, and food to celebrate the opening of the UK/Kenya Season.

· 21st May – 16th June: Opening Exhibition – In Transit Under Another Sky – Curated by Rosie Olang (KE) & Mirembe (UG), this exhibition explores the poetics of home and space, featuring works by Jackie Karuti, Kabi Kimari, SCARLETMOTIF, and Larry Achiampong.

· 11th June: Afropolitan Ecologies – A London Architecture Festival event spotlighting Kenya’s role in climate action and the Afrocentric ecological agenda.

· September Onwards: Manyatta Mengi Mashariki – A short film festival celebrating East African cinema, touring London, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.

Political and Economic Innovation: The End of Neocolonial Legacies?

Outside culture, our 2025 programme explores innovative ways Africa is challenging the political and economic legacies of colonialism, through the Beyond Berlin programme launched in February 2025. Across Africa, nations are taking bold steps to reclaim economic sovereignty and reshape their futures. Burkina Faso’s recent nationalisation of two gold mines and its decision to refine gold domestically mark a pivotal shift away from European dependency I favour of national & regional industry. Similarly, its support for dairy and cotton farmers underscores the growing focus on self-sufficiency and industrialisation.

Botswana offers a compelling precedent—its 50% ownership of the diamond industry enabled its transformation from one of Africa’s poorest countries to its 4th richest by GDP per capita. These stories demonstrate the power of national ownership and strategic resource management in securing a better future for African citizens.

We continue to explore these themes in our Beyond Berlin programme, which critically examines the legacies of imperialism and colonialism: · 24th April: In the Wake of Decolonisation: The Case for the Chagos Islands – A film screening and panel discussion on the Chagossian struggle for sovereignty. · 29th April: Anticolonial Reading Group – Fanon, Anticolonialism & Revolution – A deep dive into Frantz Fanon’s theories and their relevance to today’s struggles.

The Importance of Learning from the Past

The case of Momodou Taal, a British-Gambian student at Cornell University, who faced a federal hearing for supporting protests against Israel’s occupation of Palestine and war on Gaza, serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing racialised repression of African and Diasporan students and ‘expats’ in the global North. Taal, represented in court by Professor Mukoma wa Ngugi (yes, the son of legendary Ngugi wa Thiong’o), ultimately chose to leave the U.S. before being deported. His attorney’s words ring clear: “It doesn’t end with Momodou Taal; it starts with him. Next, it will be you.”

The suppression of critical voices, especially those speaking out against global injustices, demands collective resistance and strategic organising. We are open to collaborate with individuals, organisations and companies committed to defending free expression and African agency.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for 2025?

On a more positive note, we will soon announce our programme for the rest of 2025, featuring an expansive lineup of events spanning art, culture, politics, business, innovation, music, advocacy, and rights. We invite you to join us, whether as an audience member, partner, or supporter.

If you or your organisation would like to collaborate, sponsor, or contribute, we’d love to hear from you!

Stay tuned for more, and get in touch if you’d like to support our collective vision celebrating African excellence.