About the Festival

Inkundla Arts Festival is our yearly invitation to let creativity lead change.

The inaugural edition unfolded across Freetown from 31 October – 2 November 2024, turning venues such as Aurora Foundation, Mango Peak, Hotel Barmoi and a pop-up stage “to be announced” into a three-day circuit of ideas and performance.

Day 1 opened with festival remarks and networking sets, followed by keynote talks from Aurora Foundation, Mango Peak and DJ Granville—framing art as both livelihood and civic duty. 

Day 2 drilled deeper: a panel on diversity in Sierra Leone’s creative sector, a funding-strategy discussion, the launch of I (an SL–Zimbabwe poetry anthology), a hybrid open mic that linked local voices to poets abroad, and an evening theatre piece tackling kush addiction by Wan Roof Theatre. 

Day 3 pushed from page to stage. A morning writing workshop fed straight into the Rise & Riot Poetry Slam grand finale; sunset ushered in “Soundz of Salone & Beyond,” where Sierra Leonean musicians shared the bill with Irish singer Evin, and DJs S’phongo, Bangs, Ceci (IT) and Granville kept the after-party alive till dawn.

All events were pay-what-you-can, proving that access needn’t bow to privilege.

What the festival does

Spark Change – discussions on diversity, addiction, funding and inclusion turn applause into action plans.

Create Space – unites poetry, music, theatre and visual art under one adaptable roof, whether that’s a gallery stairwell or a car-park stage.

Connect Voices – hybrid tech and cross-border guests (Zimbabwe, Canada, Ireland) blend local stories with global echoes.

Equip Talent – Story Labs, Kreative Workshops and business clinics hand creatives the tools to publish, perform and profit.

What’s next? Inkundla Arts Festival 2025

2025 edition (in the works):
Running 31 Oct–2 Nov under the theme Mind Matters – Stories That Heal, this year we’re paying artists and building the work from lived experiences.

We’re expanding Story Labs into neighbourhood schools with our friends at Safe Minds, and hosting free Creation Workshops in Lunsar, Kenema, Freetown and Foredugu to shape new poems, songs, stories and visuals before festival weekend. On site, expect a pallet-built pop-up gallery, two intimate conversations (no definitions—just real stories), a poetry slam, a playful festival trivia, family colouring on Sunday morning, and a closing concert (Sun 5–9pm).

Accessibility stays central: priority seating, a calm/quiet corner, content notes, step-aware layouts and clear signposting to support. Day sessions begin 11am. Want in? Artists, partners and volunteers—reach us at inkundla444@gmail.com (and if you can, please support the work via our fundraiser).

Each year will keep the festival roaming, growing and widening its welcome—while staying rooted in the donation-based model that made 2024 possible.

Join us: donate, partner, volunteer or simply take your place in the crowd.  Together we’ll keep turning individual stories into a collective roar that lights up Sierra Leone’s cultural future.