Week of 29th July: Africa Centre Summer Festival, African Fashion Week London, The Epic Adventure of Nhamo the Manyika Warrior, Q&A with Tim Campbell MBE, Brixton Summer Weekender, Ghana Party in the Park, Brixton Splash

You’re Welcome

Yeah I said it!

Because when you see how much stuff there is this week you will be saying 'Thank you Proud to be African!!!' and taking sick days from work, inventing and killing long lost relatives to avoid lectures to attend all the super groovy events lined up for this week. You better stock up on kola nut and pack your running and dancing shoes because you will be spoilt for choice.

The Africa Centre completely ruins all my plans for this weekend by holding their summer Festival in Covent Garden on Saturday and Sunday, headlined by Nneka and DJ Edu with Venus Bushfires (watch out for her unusual hair and even more unusual percussion instrument!!), Bumi Thomas etc visual arts, cinema, stalls and much groovy grooviness

African Fashion Week London 2013 runs from Thursday all the way to Saturday with fun, fashion, fine girls, trendy guys, press, TV and all manner of grooviness. Going from strength to strength they are taking over the Truman Brewery, with catwalk shows, Red Runways and traders stalls. It is going to be epic

African Theatre continues its renaissance with Tiata Fahodzi’s The Epic Adventure of Nhamo the Manyika Warrior and his sexy wife Chipo opening at the Tricycle Theatre. Watch the trailer for this Zimbabwean comedy here. 

The Brixton Summer Weekender takes place in Brixton. At the Weekend. In Summer (excellent naming strategy!) and features cakes, enterprise, films, Lovers Rock and so much more.

Also in Brixton is the Brixton Splash on Sunday a groovy free community festival.

Tim Campbell MBE winner of the first Apprentice TV show talks enterprise. 

The legendary US jazz, hip hop, band the Robert Glasper Experiment is in town. Ghana Party in the Park will be holding a party. Full of Ghanaians. In a park 

(this naming thing is catching oh!)

And then there is networking, speed dating and so so much more.

Don’t exhaust yourselves!!!

Monday 29^th July

At 6.30pm the London Chamber of Commerce hosts a Business Q&A with Tim Campbell MBE at the London Chamber of Commerce, 33 Queen Street, EC4R 1AP. The winner of the inaugural Apprentice TV show as well as the owner of the Bright Ideas Trust an entrepreneurial social enterprise will be discussing business leadership, social enterprise, youth opportunities and how to change the world. Come with your questions ready! Tickets are £20.00 (£12.00 for JCI members and £8.00 for students) from here. 

At 7.00pm Serious presents The Robert Glasper Experiment at Village Underground, 54 Holywell Lane, Shoreditch, EC2A 3PQ. This Avant garde musician who is unbounded by genres be they jazz, hip hop, RnB or rock will be performing their Grammy Award Winning material at what promises to be another sell out show. Tickets are £17.50 from here.

At 10.15pm we have Naturally 7 at The BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP. This unique acapella group draws on gospel heritage with a unique style known as vocal play with unique musical arrangements. Tickets start from £6.00 from here.

Tuesday 30^th July

At 6.00pm Inspirational YOU presents IY Talks Global – Enterprise and growth in the UAE and Africa: The Rise of Generation X and Y , this live interactive studio debate about enterprise and career FREE tickets here.
opportunities in Africa and the UAE will be hosted by Garry Green (Tooks Chambers), with Rozan Ahmed (International PR consultant), Hamet Aguemon (VTB Capital), Ashley Chin (UK actor), Sarah Asafo-Agyei (Director Bank of Singapore UK) and special guest COO of an International Bank. This event will support students and entrepreneurs looking to set up in these markets and looking to network, register for your

At 7.30pm Olivier Award Winning actor Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in A Season In the Congo at the Young Vic, 66 The Cut, Waterloo, SE1 8LZ. This fascinating drama by Aime Cesaire, directed by Joe Wright and choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui charts the rise and fall of the pioneer Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba and his passionate determination to free his people from Belgian rule. Filled with brilliant performances, dance and music as well it runs till 14^th August. Tickets start from £10.00 here. 

Wednesday 31^st July

At 7.00pm Words of Colour Productions presents Literary Bites with Courttia Newland and Alex Wheatle at Yum Yum, 183-187 Stoke Newington High Street, N16 0LH. This new initiative seeks to connect ascribing writers with established authors for networking, tips and a bite to eat. Featuring Courttia Newland (The Scholar, A Book of Blues, The Gospel According to Cane) and Alex Wheatle MBE (Brixton Rock, East of Acre Lane, Brenton Brown). Tickets are £25.00 from here 

Thursday 1^st August

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At 11.00am African Fashion Week London 2013 begins in F Block, The Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL. As Europe’s largest African fashion event enters its third year, it will feature over 100 designers and exhibitors hosted by the renowned artist Yinka Shonibare MBE and architect and business woman Mrs Fifi Ejindu. As well as exhibitors and runway shows there will be a Red Runway where you can be a star for the day and work your stride in your finest African attire for the cameras. 

There are 3 shows on the opening day; the 4.00pm show features LollyAde, Luciano Couture, Huda Dagnew, CN designs, Veronique, Ngozi, Agata of Barnets Creative Enterprise Social Club and Tumisola Ladega. The 6.00pm show featuring Elevation Networks Designers and finally at 8.30pm features Eldimaa Fashion, Sa4a Designs, Adopted Culture, LNK Designs, Zandy B Designs, Bello Designs, Afrolucious Designs and Mtofo Designs. Tickets are £15.00 from here. 

Proud to be Zimbabwean

From 6.00pm to 11.00pm Lelas Lounge presents Talk To Me at Biagio Bankside, 32 Southwark Bridge Road, Southwark, SE1 9EU. Hosted by Mika this speed dating evening ainmed at black singles between 21 and 29 off with a free platter, entertainment and light networking, before settling down to the dates with tunes from the resident DJ. Tickets are £10.00, more details here.

At 7.30pm Tiata Fahodzi presents The Epic Adventure of Nhamo the Manyika Warrior and his sexy wife Chipo at the Tricycle Theatre, 269 Kilburn High Road, NW6 7JR. This Zimbabwean comedy of epic epicness involves creating the ultimate African fable in 24hours unfortunately the hero is missing from the superstar cast; the sudden appearance of a goatherd on the horizon could be the saviour. Could he be the one.....? Running till 17^th August written by Denton Chikura and directed by Lucian Msamati, tickets start from £14.00 from here. 

Friday 2^nd August

Born in the UK Made In Africa

At 11.00am African Fashion Week London 2013 continues at The Truman Brewery, with the Red Run Way, exhibitors selling original African creations, celebrities and 3 runway shows. The 4.00pm show features Giberky, O’mak Designs by Uche, Moofa, RYA-V Jewellery, House of Jola and Crown Rose. At 6.30pm the show will have Halleros, Sally Intiego, Steve Mandy Designs, Ruutz Art and Creation, M shade, Sluu by Sluvin Designs wrapping up with the 8.30pm show with our good friends and stockists at Vou Brown, Alabi Coutrem Fay Designz, Liiber London, Asake Oge and Thula Sindi. Tickets are £20.00 from here

From 11.00am to 1.00pm the Inaugural Brixton Summer Weekender begins with the Food Makers and Bakers Competition at the Ritzy Cinema, Brixton Oval, SW2 1JG, where you can get business advice from a panel of business experts through a fun competition. Register for this FREE event here.

Proud To Be African Sweatshirt

At 2.00pm is the Young Creative Challenge (part of the Brixton Summer Weekender) at the Ritzy Cinema, for young people aged 18-30 with a creative business idea to come and compete with the best business idea winning prizes and cash. Register here for FREE entry.

At 5.00pm is Become a Conscious Millionaire (part of the Brixton Summer Weekender) at the Ritzy Cinema, in which the AKNA Business School seeks to search, select, train and mentor prospective business people in a progressive business model. Get your FREE tickets here

Born in the UK Made in Nigeria T shirt

From 5.00pm to 10.00pm The African Peoples Advocacy hosts the 1^st African Diaspora Summer Festival at Amnesty International Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, EC2A 3EA. There will be a screening of the multi award winning documentary Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai, a 3 course dinner by African caterers, performances by the dancer, singer and story teller Usifu Jalloh, a debate on the topic ‘The vision of the African Diaspora for Africa in the 21^st Century’ with Rolake Akinkugbe (Ecobank), Sylvie Aboa-Bradwell (African Peoples Advocacy), Washington Kapapiro (Association for African Owned Enterprises) and Oba Nsugbe £75.00 each (£40.00 for groups of 2 or more) from here. 
(Pump Court Chambers) with Henry Bonsu (Colourful Radio) as the MC. Special guest is HRH Queen Naa
Tsotsoo Soyoo I of Ghana. Tickets are

 At 8.00pm is the premiere of Labo..Life is a journey at the Odeon Cinema Greenwich, Bugssby Way, SE10 0QJ. This latest Nollywood offering is the first ever trans cultural African movie that interplays transitional cultural values through the trajectory of The Caribbean, Nigeria and English customs. Tickets start from £20.00 from here. 

Saturday 3^rd August

From 11.00am to 3.00pm Rich Visions hosts How To Start Your Own Business at 1st Floor, Towpath House, 3-11 Limehouse Court, Dod Street, Limehouse, E14 7EQ. This workshop is intended to get attendees to turn their passions into profits and become their own bosses in 6-12 months. Hosted by Mavis Amankwah, this will cover writing a business plan, drafting a cashflow forecast and how to apply for a Start Up Loan amongst other things. Register for your FREE ticket here 

At 12.00pm is the Africa Centre Summer Festival 2013 in the Covent Garden Piazza, WC2E 8JT.

Curated by Yinka Shonibare MBE (hmmm is this guy cloning himself?) it will showcase the best of contemporary African arts and culture (including Proud to be African Clothing!), headlined by Nigerian superstar Nneka, DJ Edu.

Other Musical acts include The Venus Bushfires, Tunde Jegede, Celloman, Wale Ojo and the Kalakuta Express, Kasai Masai, Bumi Thomas and DRB Las Gidi, a fashion show and visual arts exhibitions by Safaa Erruas, Otobong Nkaga and Nathalie Mba Bikoro. 

A film Screening of La Petite Vendeuse de Soleil (The Little Girl who sold the Sun) and a pop up kitchen by Zoes Ghana Kitchen. Running till Sunday and till 10.00pm both days, this collection of awesomity is FREE!!!! More details here 

12.00pm – The Little Girl Who Sold the Sun (Certificate U)

 12.45pm – Official Welcome Message and Music programme start

 13.00 – Tunde Jegede and The Griot’s Tale – Dance performance

13.45 – Henry Bonsu to introduce Wale Ojo and the Kalakuta Express

14.30 – The Venue Bushfires

15.00 – Kasai Masai live set

15.40 – Bumi Thomas live set

16.05 – DJ Edu fashion show warm-up

16.20 – Africa Fashion Week London catwalk show (Part 1)

16.50 – 17.05 – Break DJ Edu Set Screening of  photography

17.05 – 17.35 – Celloman live set

17.45 – Afrikan Boy live set

18.05 – DJ Edu & photography screening

18.35 – Africa Fashion Week London catwalk show (Part 2)

18.35 - 19.05 DJ Edu 30 min set

19.05 – Wale Ojo and the Kalakuta Express live set

19.35 – DJ Edu live set

20.45 – 21.45 – Headline act: Nneka live

21.45 – Summer festival closing messages

22.00 – Close

Pink PTBA Ladies T shirts

At 11.00am African Fashion Week London 2013 continues at The Truman Brewery. There are 5 shows today in addition to the exhibitions with the 12.00pm show featuring Zarita Kouture, Arachnid Creations, Fee Uhssi, Kaveke and Sasha.

The 2.30pm show features Baah by Jessica Baah, Metisse, Monis Fashion House, Killian de Burgh, Bpink, House of Opiam Rouge Vallari, Otuedon and AAMAA ala mode.

At 6.30pm there is a solo show by Ella & Gabby

The 7.30pm show features Elegante by Tiannahstyling, Afro Fashion, Didi Creations, Yutees and Mademoiselle Anglia

The final show at 9.30pm features House of Farrah, Zizi Cardow, Simogieme, Alicia Mulllings, AFT (African Fashion Today) and our friends at Vou Brown again to round it all off in style

Tickets are £25.00 from here. 

Proud to be Ghanian Hoody

At 12.00pm the Brixton Summer Weekender continues with Yes! Food Africa/ Food Caribbean at the Vida Walsh Centre, 2b Saltoun Road, SW 1EP, where you can taste and buy the best in new African and Caribbean food products. Register for this FREE event here

From 12.00pm to 8.00pm is Ghana Party in the Park at Trent Park, Cockfosters Road, Cockfosters, EN4 0PS. There will be music, food, a Chiefs Durbar, cultural dancers, a bouncy castle, face painting, fashion show, arts and crafts, dancing, competitions, DJ’s and MC’s. To experience all of this wonderful Ghanaian Ghanianity get your tickets for £10.00 (£20.00 for a family of 4) Azonto your way over here!!

From 2.00pm to 5.00pm is the Caribbean Film Corner Calypso Edition at The Tabernacle, 35 Powis Square, Notting Hill, W11 2AY. Screening Come with it Black Man: A biography of Black Stalin’s Consciousness a documentary about legendary Trinidadian calypsonian Dr Leroy Calliste aka Black Stalin. Tickets are £8.00 (£7.00 concs) from here. 

Born in the UK Made in Jamaica Hoody

At 6.00pm the Windrush Foundation holds a Commemorative Service to mark 175^th Emancipation Day at the Holy Trinity Church, Clapham Common Northside, SW4 0QZ. Guest speakers include Bishop Adrian Newman, (Anglican Bishop of Stepney), Rev Ruth Gee (President of the Methodist Conference) and Rev Ernie Whalley (Baptist Assembly). RSVP this FREE event here. 

At 6.30pm is The Women’s Empowerment Project 10^th Anniversary Fundraising Dinner at The Wesley Hotel, 81-103 Euston Street, NW1 2EZ. This event is to support their Shalom House Project Launch to provide a safe nurturing environment for girls 13-23 in Accra, Ghana who are in the sex trade, providing them with a safe nurturing environment, offering counselling, health screening and vocational training. The event will feature a 3 course meal, raffle draw and items for sale Tickets start from £35.00 from here. 

At 7.00pm Zoes Ghana Kitchen hosts GK Cafe and Beer Launch at The African Centre Cafe, 2 Tudor Grove, E9 7QL. This unique beer tasting will see the launch of 2 new beers Chin Chin Banoffee Pie Stout and Scotch Bonnet Chilli Chaser Ale, with a Ghanaian canapé menu to accompany it. As they say its Ghana be tasty. Tickets are £25.00 from here.

At 8.00pm is Inua Ellams R.A.P Party at the Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX. Curated by Proud to be African Clothing’s designer Inua Ellams, this night of hip hop inspired poems and hip hop songs  will feature Anthony Anaagorou, Patience Agbabi, Tim Clare, Salena Godden, Dan Cockrill, Sabrina Mahfouz, Keith Jarrett, Deborah Stevenson, Bohdan Piasecki and Belinda Zhawi, with DJ Khalil and VJ Dan Fenton Tickets are £12.50 from here

At 8.00pm is the Best 100 African and Caribbean Booklist Launch (part of the Brixton Summer Weekender) at the Brixton Library, this will be a fun night of words, music and literature. Come and propose, defend and debate your favourite books. FREE entry.

At 8.00pm Passing Clouds presents Africa in Motion at Passing Clouds, 1a Richmond Road, E8 4AA. Featuring Adesose Wallace and Ibile this 8 piece band will be playing Afrobeat, funk and highlife. Also playing live is Kevin Haynes and Grupo Elegua, the British – Trinidadian saxophonist will be mixing jazz with Yoruba traditional rhythms in an original sound. On the decks will be DJs Freestyle and Volta 45. FREE before 9.00pm, £8.00 after. More details here.

At 9.00pm Focus Organisation hosts The Best from Africa: Kadialy Kouyate and Band at the Bedroom Bar, 62 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY. The Senegalese kora master will be performing live with his band supported by JP Kairo DJ playing afrobeats, azonto, coupe decale, Afro House and other African urban music styles. Tickets are £6.00 from here. 

Sunday 4^th August

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From 12.00pm to 10.00pm the second day of the Africa Centre Summer Festival 2013 continues in theCovent Garden Piazza. Curated by Yinka Shonibare MBE it will showcase the best of contemporary African arts and culture (including Proud to be African Clothing!), with music, film, a fashion show and visual arts exhibitions. And yes it’s still FREE!!!! More details here

From 12.00pm to 7.00pm is Brixton Splash 2013 in Brixton Town Centre. This increasingly popular event will feature a variety of sound systems on and around Atlantic Road and Coldharbour Lane. On the main stage there will be the following acts Ras Band, 8 Year Old Singer, ayday, Kid Corleobne, T Dot, Jamie Stimpson, Shelby, Jason Hayles, Cash Heat Ent, Bizzle, CSM, Lance Morgan, Rawpaw, Facetee, Jamila, JB, Brb Sonia, Timbar, Rueben Mystic, Sheeny BNoo, Mikey Foreigner, Keira, Kandake, Big Narstie, Lioness and Jah Meninites, Raw Material, Ram 1, Chicken Wing All Stars, 7 Suns, Cameron Jay and Kromatic.

The Peace Gardens Arts and Family Village will be holding a series of arts and crafts workshops and seminars. This is a FREE event, check out the website for more details of individual sound stages and Afterparties. 

At 12.00pm is Families United at Brixton Library, (part of the Brixton Summer Weekender) a talk and a seminar about how families can cope with mental illness. Register for this FREE event here. 

Proud to be African Childrens Clothes

At 2.00pm is It takes a village to raise a child at Brixton Library, (part of the Brixton Summer Weekender) a relaxed afternoon discussing the ins and outs of adopting a child accompanied by a scrumptious English afternoon tea. Register for this FREE event here. 

From 3.00pm to 7.00pm the Sincere Blog hosts the Fundraising for Carers Event at Lewisham Carers Centre, Waldram Place, Forest Hill, SE23 2LB. The day will feature a brief talk about the brilliant work of carers, the Carers Trust and Carers Lewisham as well as music, tasty appetisers, African and Caribbean food, a professional Nail technician and Massage Therapist, cup cakes and gorgeous jewellery and a Raffle with great prizes. To show your support for this undersung section of society get your tickets at £10.00 for adults (£6.00 for children) here. 

From 3.00pm to 5.00pm is Relocate Caribbean! Relocate African! (part of the Brixton Summer Weekender) at the Vida Walsh Centre, a talk and discussion as to the best way in which to relocate. Register for your FREE tickets here. 

At 4.00pm is Creating Wealthy Families at the Vida Walsh Centre, (part of the Brixton Summer Weekender) a talk and a seminar of how to get the whole family on the right wealth path. 

PTBA-1 Ladies T Shirt

At 4.00pm is the Big Caribbean Fruit Cake Competition (part of the Brixton Summer Weekender)  at Brixton Library, open to anyone living in the UK who can make a Caribbean fruitcake and for 7-18 year olds a Caribbean Cupcake. This will be an afternoon of judging and tasting. Register for this FREE event here. 

At 5.00pm Word Power Festivals presents Akala and Friends at the T-Chances, 399 High Road, Tottenham, N17 6QN. The evening will feature a Health Workshop, Powersis Panel from the Everydaypeopleuk Show, The Incomparable Cezanne Poet performing her latest work I need a man, Jang Jang Bureh and Akala performing live. Tickets are £10.00 (£8.00 concs)

Inua Ellams

At 7.30pm Inua Ellam and Thenublk present T Shirt Stories. Screening & After Party at The Hackney Attic, 270 Mare Street, Hackney E8 1HE. T shirt Stories is a documentary that covers the world as different personalities weigh in on their thoughts about the T shirt, with a special introduction by directors Dimitri Paihe and Julien Potart as well as Proud to be African designer Inua Ellams who will be performing excerpts from his critically acclaimed play ‘Black T Shirt Collection’ ahead of its Edinburgh Festival debut, a tale about how the global T shirt industry affects the lives of two foster brothers in the heart of Nigeria. The after party will feature The Large, DJ Sid Mercutio and DJ Top Rock. Tickets are £5.00 from here £7.00 on the door. 

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At 8.00pm the Brixton Summer Weekender ends with Legendary Lovers Rock Stars at Brixton Library, with pioneers of the unique UK sound of Lovers Rock Carroll Thompson, Janet Kay and Victor Romero Evans and guests ending the weekend. Tickets are £10.00 here or £15.00 on the door.