Call for entries: Felabration 2021 art and dance competitions

Felabration is the brainchild of singer and dancer Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti. It was established in 1998 in memory of her father and Afrobeat founder Fela Kuti. This year’s edition, slated for 11 to 17 October at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, will run under the theme, Viva Nigeria Viva Africa. Over the years, Felabration has hosted international music stars such as Hugh Masekela (South Africa), Seun Kuti (Nigeria), Femi Kuti (Nigeria), Awilo Logomba (DRC), King Sunny Ade (Nigeria), Asa (Nigeria), 2Baba (Nigeria) and Sauti Sol (Kenya).

Afrobics Dance Competition

The Felabration 2021 Afrobics Dance Competition aims to promote Fela’s music and legacy and the Afrobics style of dance pioneered by Yeni Kuti. It allows contestants to showcase Afrobeat dance routines with any song of their choice from Fela Kuti’s discography.

Eligibility

• The dance contest is open to applicants who are 18 years or older, provided that applicants under the age of 18 must obtain written permission from their parents or guardians before submitting entries.
• The dance contest is not open to professional dancers, i.e. persons who earn a living from dancing or offer dancing as a service for a fee.
• The dance contest is not open to employees of the Felabration Organising Committee (FOC), their close relatives or anyone otherwise connected with the FOC or the judges of the dance contest.

Read more eligibility rules here.

How to enter

• All applicants must download a form here. The completed form must be sent as an attachment, along with a three-to-five minute audio-visual recording of themselves performing dance routines to a mixtape of their choice, which will include the song ‘Viva Nigeria’, to dance@felabration.net.
• The email subject line should be ’Felabration 2021 Afrobics Dance Contest’. Failure to comply with the application procedure may result in an application being disqualified. 

The winning submissions will be exhibited by the FOC on the Felabration website, social media platforms and any other platforms determined by the FOC at a time to be confirmed by the FOC. 

Entries close on 30 September.

Felabration Art Competition

Applicants are to create an original piece that interprets the theme through art. The artwork may be a drawing or a piece of artwork drawn and/or created by the applicant and submitted in electronic form.

Eligibility

• The competition is open to applicants who are 18 years or older, provided that applicants under the age of 18 must obtain written permission from their parents or guardians before submitting their entries.
• The winners of two previous, consecutive, artwork competitions are not eligible to win in any subsequent artwork competition. 
• The competition is not open to employees of the FOC and their close relatives, or anyone otherwise connected with the FOC or judges of the competition. 

Read more eligibility rules here.

How to enter

• To participate in the Felabration 2021 Art Competition, interested artists can download an application form here. 
• The completed form with the artwork must be sent via email to artwork@felabration.net with the subject line ‘F21 Artwork Competition’.
• The artwork must be a piece that best describes this year’s theme. 

The submission deadline is 15 September. 

Read the original calls here.