Luanda’s creative community, government and diplomatic corps came together at Africell Angola’s head office for an evening on creativity, tourism and the future of African storytelling.
Africell’s Galeria 10A hosted Angola in Motion, an evening dedicated to the country’s creative economy and its growing reputation as a tourism destination. The event was co-hosted by the Africell Impact Foundation, The Akuna Group (the global media company founded by Sir Idris Elba) and Visit Angola.
One hundred and fifty guests attended, including members of the diplomatic corps, government representatives, filmmakers, musicians, visual artists, curators and cultural institutions from across Luanda.
The keynote address was delivered by Allícia Santos, Director General of Angola’s Ministry of Tourism, who set out the national ambition for tourism and the role Angola’s creative sector can play in bringing international attention to the country.
Creativity and tourism, in both directions
The panel discussion that followed explored a single idea from two angles: how Angola’s creative culture can drive its rise as a tourism destination, and how tourism can in turn bring attention and investment to Angola’s creative economy.
Speaking in a mix of English and Portuguese, the panel was moderated by Africell’s Sued Oliveira and brought together:
- Joy Williams, a British-Ghanaian creative director, producer and cinematographer, who is directing a house music campaign being produced by Africell, Sound International and Visit Angola
- Katra Sambili, who leads public affairs for The Akuna Group, on the group’s mission to ensure Africa’s creativity is seen, valued and invested in on its own terms
- Lwana Bartholomeu, cultural manager, artist and Project Manager at the KinoYetu Association, on the story behind the KUDURO VISUAL – DEMO 1 exhibition and the role visual arts can play in cultural tourism
The KUDURO VISUAL – DEMO 1 exhibition was on show throughout the evening, with guests viewing the work on arrival and hearing from the curator and exhibiting artists.
A week of storytelling
The event took place in the same week that Africell and Sound International, an electronic music record label also co-founded by Sir Idris Elba, were working together in Angola on a filming project celebrating the country’s landscapes and its house music culture. Further details of this project will be announced soon.
Luanda from above
The formal programme gave way to a live DJ set and reception on the rooftop of the Africell building, with its panoramic views across the Bay of Luanda and the city’s iconic Marginal.
Angola in Motion reflected Africell’s continued investment in Angola beyond connectivity, offering a valuable platform for the artists, filmmakers and entrepreneurs who are shaping how the country tells its own story to the world to tell their own story too.
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