By Adeola Ogunlade
A leading event organiser in Benin and the sub-region, The Empire Group, has announce the second edition of the Benin International Arts Festival (FInAB), which will take place at the Palais des Congrès in Cotonou from 23 to 28 April 2024.
After a first edition that attracted over 100,000 visitors and brought together more than 200 exhibitors, the festival is back with a reinforced ambition to celebrate the wealth of African creativity. The theme of this year’s event is “Identity and Multiculturalism: Impacts on Africa’s Creative Cultural Industries”.
Building on the exceptional success of its first edition, this new edition promises an enriching cultural experience, without the carnival but with exclusive masterclasses in music and cinema, as well as two brand new fashion shows.
The 2024 edition will offer a unique opportunity for artists, cultural players and the general public to exchange ideas. The festival aims to exceed the number of visitors from the previous year, thanks to the presence of over 100 African artists and an exceptional programme.
On the menu: live performances and a celebration of the culinary and visual arts through the Tokp’art market. FInAB will be paying tribute to leading figures in Beninese art and culture, including Gratien Zossou, Nel Oliver, Lolo Andoche, Koffi Koko, and Kiri Kanta. Guest artists include Toofan, Bobo wè, Suspect 95, Ayodélé and Meiway, reflecting the diversity of African talent. This year, FInAB is broadening its range of activities, including a radio platform and an increased presence of voice media such as podcasts, to support exchanges and the dissemination of knowledge.
CEO of Groupe Empire, Ulrich Adjovi, expresses his enthusiasm: “This new edition of FInAB focuses on exploring the synergies between tradition and modernity, the emergence of new artistic voices and the promotion of intercultural dialogue. We’ve calibrated the programme to provide an enriching space for dialogue between artists, cultural players and the public. FInAB emerged as a response to Benin’s desire to position itself as a hub for art and culture in Africa, while stimulating the local economy and strengthening its tourism industry.”
With this in mind, FInAB is fully in line with the national cultural strategy promoted by the government and supported by the vision of the President of the Republic, Patrice Talon. He sees the promotion of the arts and culture as an essential lever for Benin’s economic development and influence on the international stage and has been making vast investments in this area since 2016.
