Roskilde Festival deepens commitment to Africa-focused cultural collaboration

This declaration was made during a stakeholder gathering on 3 July at the ongoing Roskilde Festival in Denmark, where music and culture professionals from Africa and Europe explored pathways for sustainable, cross-continental partnerships.

The event spotlighted the growing collaboration between Roskilde Festival and Damon Albarn’s Africa Express (AFEX) initiative. Welcoming guests, Kara Djurhuus, head of philanthropy at Roskilde Festival, said: “We are bringing together stakeholders from the music and cultural sectors with a focus on Africa, to share key takeaways from this year’s RF–AFEX initiatives and offer a space to reflect on how we engage in sustainable and ethical practices in cross-continental cultural work.”

Among the attendees were Kenyan artists Noel Kesyoka, Irene Pauline and Njeri Gitungo from The Nest Collective, who are performing at the festival. Their installation, Return to Sender, features massive bales of second-hand clothing exported from Europe to Kenya, offering a powerful commentary on global consumption and waste.

The mixer event provided a platform for professionals to connect, share insights and discuss the future of Africa-Europe collaboration in music, culture and the broader creative industries. Topics ranged from emerging trends in African art and music, to strategies for equitable partnerships between the Global North and South, and the role of festivals in facilitating meaningful cultural exchange.