Superwoman Arts Fest back

With Women of Distinction Awards (Woda) just gone by, March is becoming an exceptional month for women in the arts -and it appears there is no better way to exit it than the second coming of the Superwoman Arts Fest.

The calendar event, which started with a workshop by German group Les Soeurs at Music Crossroads offices in Lilongwe on Thursday, jolts into full gear this Friday night with a cocktail to launch an exhibition at La Galleria in Old Town Mall, Lilongwe.

Today, the Germanic duo and Merlyn Chakwera from Hannover will continue training women and girls in vocals, performance techniques, flute and djembe drum workshops -quite a countdown to the star-studded exhibition, themed “Kwathu (home) is where art is”.

On display will be works of multitalented visual artists Eva Chikabadwa, Regina Woeste and Maria Thundu.

“Kwathu is the first ever all female art exhibition in Malawi at La Galleria,” says Zilanie Nyundo, president of Cream Women in the Arts (Cream) which have organised the event.

There will be a free community concert at Majiga in Area 23 from 10am to 1pm Saturday, an announcement from the network of creative women shows. Apart from sets by Les Souers, Fortress, Martha Mituka and the collaborative workshop participants, there will be theatre performances by Theatre for Change and a motivational talk by Women of Distinction Award winner Thembi Thadzi.

The Les Souers will regroup at Crossroads Hotel with Sisters with Voices, featuring poetess Maclean and Japanese pianist Yuki Asano.

 

‘No business like show business’

The crew will use the same stage as Lilongwe’s divas-in-making Fortress, women drummers called Djembe Connection, Musicians Association of Malawi women desk chairperson Martha Mituka and Woda award-winner Grace Chinga.

“There is no business like show business,” says Nyundo. “Cream celebrates the diversity of Malawian female talent in the annual Superwoman showcase designed to uplift, empower and to inspire creative girls and women to careers in the arts. We are proud to have a specific visual arts segment this year, interaction across cultures with Les Soeurs and Yuki Asano as well as a  great deal of collaborations and fusions.”

The event is sponsored by the German Embassy, Crossroads Hotel, La Galleria, Theatre for a Change and Music Crossroads.