No LoS festival in 2017
The annual Lake of Stars (LOS) Festival, has been postponed to 2018.
The news comes after September 2016 marked an exciting Chintheche homecoming for Malawi’s biggest and internationally acclaimed festival.
Instead, LoS will this year focus on empowering and promoting other activities which it shares ideologies with.
“In keeping with its mission to diversify its projects and build capacity of creative industries and youth programmes, Lake of Stars will be giving its main festival a break in 2017.
“The focus this year will be on supporting other Malawian festival organisers and starting LOS events in London and Scotland that can act as platforms for Malawian talent and create promotional opportunities for Malawian tourism,” reads a statement from the festival organisers.
The project team last postponed the LOS festival in 2012 when they worked to secure a Funktion One sound system for Malawi and prepared for LOS at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Instead, in 2013 it hosted aspin-off City of Stars Festival in Lilongwe bringing a new version of the world famous lakeside arts and cultural weekend to the city.
The project team also will take advantage of the break to take the festival to the international world in a different manner.
“Last year was amazing as we went back to our roots in Chintheche and we are thankful for all the support from our audience and partners. However we have decided to postpone the festival to 2018
and hope that people will be open to this, as we want to focus on supporting other Malawian arts projects and build LOS events in UK so that Malawian talent, products and culture can be promoted
there.
“We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the people who support the festival, our sponsors and team who work tirelessly to ensure that the festival is a success. And also artists and audiences who make the festival what it is. The festival will return to Lake Malawi in September 2018 for our 15th anniversary,” said Will Jameson, Lake of Stars Director.
The project team kicked off this year with a special youth focused Festival of Ideas on 28th January at the Kamuzu Institute for Sports in Lilongwe.
In the months ahead, according to the statement, there will be workshops and continued support for creative projects such as the Tumaini Festival.
“LOS seeks to see a thriving and successful festival industry in the country, by supporting other arts events, and providing Malawian artists with
opportunities to perform at festivals and events in Africa and Europe,” adds the statement.
Over the last five years, LOS has held numerous capacity building events such as the international event management course, artist management workshops, culture policy and advocacy just to name a few.
Apart from managing one of the country’s flagship tourism festivals, LOS also produces the Children’s Future Festival, Lilongwe Shorts Film Festival and the newest brand – Festival of Ideas among other events.
