The 25th edition of the annual Lagos Book & Art Festival (LABAF) is scheduled to hold from Monday November 13 to 19, 2023 at Freedom Park, Campbell Street Lagos. This hybrid event- physical and virtual- has been designated as the largest cultural picnic in Lagos.
The theme for this year “THE RESET: History and the Darkling Plain’ is designed to reflect on the various critical points in the history of Nigeria-and by extension the histories of rest of Africa and the world- through written texts and performances in drama, music, poetry and the visual art.
LABAF was birthed in 1999, the year of the nation’s return to civil rule. The festival has since emerged as a literary feast of ideas and life in outlook. Also, it has morphed to being a Campaign for LITERACY devoted to heightening interest of the populace to be active participants in the knowledge economy that currently rules transactions in global political, economic and cultural affairs. The festival is focused on three thematic elements: education, enlightenment and empowerment.
LABAF’s main programme iterations include conversations around ideas contained in the books of the festival – relevant to the theme of the festival. Expectedly, there will be readings, reviews and sessions on writing and publishing. Alongside exhibitions of books and art works, there will be workshops and mentoring sessions for young people.
Arthouse celebrations of eminent artistes and culture workers who have registered their names and footprints in the cause of nation building – the idea is to set them up as role models for both old and young people – to inspire hope, motivate them to aspire to greater accomplishments in their chosen careers or vocation.
Green Festival – devoted to students in Junior and Senior Secondary schools. This is in partnership with Children and The Environment, CATE. CORA Youth Creative Club which yearly congregate youths and young adults from different parts of the countries for mentoring and training in their natural talents and acquired skills.
The Reset: History and the Darkling Plain
This thematic guide illuminates the choice of books and the discussions in the curse of the festival. With The Reset, LABAF continues the debate around the national question through reviews and discussions of selected books that speak to the theme. The basic tenet is that a nation is imagined at the level of ideas before it is physically constructed.
The conversations at every LABAF since 2005 have been a set of reviews of arguments about the nation building project and the current status of our collective humanity.
