Beeta Arts Festival: Enhancing multi-genre showcase of African talent

Abuja the seat of power is about to experience an explosion of creativity and cultural expression of African talent as Beeta Arts Festival (BAF) returns for its 5th edition.

The festival founded by award-winning actor, producer, and cultural advocate Bikiya Graham-Douglas, has grown into a premier platform for theatre, film, music, dance, visual art, and cultural expression.

This year’s edition themed ‘Connected Voices’ scheduled to hold between December 5th to 7th, 2025 in Abuja, will welcome participants from African countries aimed at nurturing talent and fostering meaningful collaborations across the continent.

Speaking on the 5th edition, Bikiya Graham-Douglas said the Beeta Arts Festival was created to amplify the power of storytelling across Africa and to create pathways for emerging talent.

According to her, the theme for this year reflects the organiser’s belief that art not only entertains, but also unites and empowers.“We look forward to welcoming artists and audiences to Abuja for an unforgettable celebration of African creativity, ” she said.

Graham-Douglas further said that Beeta Arts Festival is a proudly African campaign signature event for the consumption of Arts, fostering collaborations and exchanges in arts across borders, adding that it is designed to focus on impacting lives through storytelling, talent development and content creation.

The festival taking place at the prestigious Abuja Continental Hotel will feature stage plays by dynamic storytellers including Ivie Okujaiye, Habiba Zock-Sock, Goodness Emmanuel, Ame Aiyejina, Daniel Okosun, Tony Edet (Thin Tall Tony), and Abiodun Kazeem, alongside exciting new emerging voices. Ola Rotimi Fakunle returns as producer of the theatre segment, bringing his signature depth and excellence to the BAF stage.

The film programme curated by Mandela Washington Fellow and Film maker Priye Diri will showcase compelling work from emerging filmmakers across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Tunisia, Morocco, and Côte d’Ivoire, including alumni from the Multichoice Talent Factory. This year, BAF will also introduce the Audience Choice Award for both Film and Theatre, giving festival-goers the opportunity to celebrate and vote for their favourite performances.

Music and entertainment will feature performances by upcoming artists, with a special guest appearance by rapper and DJ Muna Abi, adding energy and excitement to the festival’s vibrant community.

There will also be creative and impactful conversations featuring respected personalities such as Dimbo Atiya, Biodun Stephen, Lyndsey Efejuku, Rahama Sadau, Utee Rone, Prince (Aboki) Daniel, Malik Afegbua and others, exploring trends, opportunities, and insights in the creative industry in collaboration with the UNDP X Jubilee Fellows Program.

BAF 2025 will host Social Impact Dialogues on Gender-Based Violence, in collaboration with UN Women, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, and National Assembly Library Trust Fund, featuring speakers from Tech Her, Gender Mobile and Dr. Bukky Shonibare of Invictus Africa; the Festival Market & Lifestyle Experiences, in collaboration with UNDP’s #HerAFCFTA programme, will showcase fashion, crafts, books, food, wellness, and cultural activities.

Literacy Segment is returning this year with curated conversations by African authors, organised in partnership with Paperworth Books Limited.

Attendees should also expect The Bridge Room by Beeta,a pitch session in collaboration with the Creative Catalyst Fund by Chapel Hill Denham, connecting creative businesses with investors to foster trust, collaboration, and funding opportunities.

Beeta Arts Festival 2025 is supported by Abuja Continental Hotel, Chairborne Global Services, UNDP, UN Women, Chapel Hill Denham, Creative Economy Practice by CC-Hub, Leadway Assurance, PaperWorth Books, Five 2 Media, National Assembly Library, Botswana High Commission, Wigwe & Partners, Century Group, Nigerian Breweries, Jura Whisky, CoolFM, Wazobia FM, Inspiration FM, Bella Naija.

BAF is powered by Beeta Universal Arts Foundation Nigeria’s premier Organization focused on talent development and creative entrepreneurship.

Chisom Michael is a data analyst (audience engagement) and writer at BusinessDay, with diverse experience in the media industry. He holds a BSc in Industrial Physics from Imo State University and an MEng in Computer Science and Technology from Liaoning Univerisity of Technology China. He specialises in listicle writing, profiles and leveraging his skills in audience engagement analysis and data-driven insights to create compelling content that resonates with readers.

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