Lagos , Nigeria
Where was World Festival of Black Arts taking place in 1977?
World Festival of Black Arts The World Festival of Black Arts ( French : Festival Mondial des Arts Nègres ) , also known as FESMAN , is a month-long culture and arts festival that takes place in Africa . The festival features poetry , sculpture , painting , music , cinema , theatre , fashion , architecture , design and dance from artists and performers from around the African Diaspora . History . The festivals were planned as Pan-African celebrations , and ranged in content from debate to performance — particularly dance and theatre . Dakar , 1966 . The First World Festival of Black Arts or World Festival of Negro Arts was held in Dakar , Senegal , 1–24 April 1966 , initiated by former President Leopold Senghor , under the auspices of UNESCO , with the participation of 45 African , European , Caribbean , and North and South American countries , and featuring black literature , music , theater , visual arts , film and dance . It was first state-sponsored festival to showcase the work of African and African diasporic artists , musicians and writers to a global audience . Participants included historian Cheikh Anta Diop ; dancers Arthur Mitchell and Alvin Ailey ; Mestre Pastinha , a Capoeira troupe from Bahia ; Duke Ellington ; Marion Williams ; singers Julie Akofa Akoussah and Bella Bellow ; writers Aimé Césaire , Langston Hughes , Wole Soyinka , Amiri Baraka , and Sarah Webster Fabio . The filmmaker William Greaves made a 40-minute documentary of the event entitled The First World Festival of Negro Arts ( 1968 ) . Italian journalist Sergio Borelli produced Il Festival de Dakar ( 1966 ) a 50-minute documentary for RAI . Lagos , 1977 . In 1977 , from 15 January to 12 February , the Second World Festival of Black Arts or Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture — known as FESTAC 77 — took place in Lagos , Nigeria , under the patronage of President Olusegun Obasanjo . Attended by more than 17,000 participants from over 50 countries , it was the largest cultural event ever held on the African continent . Among artists who took part were Stevie Wonder , the Sun Ra Arkestra , and Donald Byrd from the US , Tabu Ley and Franco from the Congo , Gilberto Gil from Brazil , Bembeya Jazz National from Guinea , and Louis Moholo , Dudu Pukwana , and Miriam Makeba from South Africa . Dakar , 2010 . The 2010 World Festival of Black Arts took place 10–31 December 2010 , and was initiated by Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade with the theme of African Renaissance . In President Wades 2009 address at the UN , he said : I call all Africans , all the sons and daughters of the Diaspora , all my fellow citizens , all the partners that are ready to walk by our side , all States , all international organizations , foundations , firms , etc . for a shining success for this Festival , and for the rise of a new Africa . It was curated by Kwame Kwei-Armah , and participants at the opening ceremony included Youssou NDour , Baaba Maal , Angélique Kidjo , Toumani Diabaté , Wyclef Jean , Euzhan Palcy , Carlinhos Brown and the Mahotella Queens . As well as music and cinema , the festival featured art exhibitions , theatre and dance performances , fashion shows , photography and other events , with the participation of artists and intellectuals from dozens of African and African diaspora countries , including the US , Brazil , Haiti , France and Cuba . External links . - Facebook site for the 2009 festival - US FESMAN Committee - Black World Festival , Funnelme . - Festac 77 - Lagos Festival , UNESCO . - Festival mondial des arts nègres- World Festival of Black Arts by Sergio Borelli , 50 min . Report made for television of the Dakar Arts Festival of 1966 . Featuring Senghor , Duke Ellington and Langston Hughes .