decolonizing the narrative

Hamilton World Music Festival

Breaking Through Southern Africa & The Americas

FEBRUARY 25th  - March 1st   2025

HAMILTON, ONTARIO

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CALL FOR APPLICATION IS NOW OPEN

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Artists

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bipoC creative

registration now open

ROOTS EN ROUTE ARTS Festival

Originally created to celebrate Black History Month, the festival has evolved to foster a deeper understanding of the diverse cultural arts and identities in Hamilton. We recognize the various histories that shape the experiences of different community, arts and cultural groups in the area. Proudly, we are a BIPOC- Black, Indigenous, People of Colour - 75% Festival.

ROOTS EN ROUTE EXCHANGE NETWORK

We aim to enhance the skills and opportunities for academics and professionals in creative industries through the development of a network and exchange program. By fostering collaborations between the Americas, Southern Africa  & CPLP, we present Exchange initiatives alongside Artists in Residence and conferences, creating an annual meeting point for innovation and dialogue in both regions.

Join the movement
ARCHIVE
View Gallery
May 4th  7:30 PM
Theatre Aquarius
Music of South Africa in 2024 (Celebrating 30
Years of Freedom in South Africa)

Lorraine Klaasen & Lua Shayenne

In partnership with:
Music & Dance
May 5th 7:30 PM
Theatre Aquarius
À MESA (LAST SUPPER) LEONARDO DA VINCI

NELSON MONFORTE

Theatre
In partnership with:

BIPOC
Queer Cabaret

In June 2013 we launched the Queer Cabaret, an annual celebration of the lives and art of LGBTQ2S+ people of colour. The Cabaret came out of recognition that LGBTQ2S+people of colour experience marginalization in both LGBTQ spaces and explicitly “cultural” spaces. The Cabaret was, to our knowledge, the first event of its kind in Hamilton, and has since set the precedent for more culturally diverse programming in theLGBTQ2S+ community. The Cabaret will be integrated to Roots En Roots Arts Festival and continue to serve as an annual event around which anLGBTQ2S+-of-colour community can coalesce.
November 26th – December 1st, 2024
More info soon

Hamilton World Music Festival

We promote a complex, nuanced understanding of 'World Music' and expose local audiences to artists few would hear of otherwise or experience locally.  

There are festivals that exist in Hamilton that present excellence in arts and culture, there are no arts festival that connect these specific communities to their heritage or that foster other people's knowledge of their culture and history. An outdoor festival that promotes arts for cultural minorities in the Hamilton community while engaging artists globally provides entirely new ways of understanding our community.
Save the Date!
July 11-13, 2025
Hamilton, ON
More info soon

5th
Roots En Route
Arts Festival

Created with the intention to celebrate Black History Month the Festival has grown to develop a more nuanced understanding of the diversity of cultural arts and identities across Hamilton and provide recognition of the different histories that shape different experiences of community, arts and cultural groups. Roots En Route Arts Festival is set to become the 75% Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC) Arts Festival & Conference in 2024.
Save the Date!
November 26th– December 1st, 2024
Hamilton, ON
More info soon

Strategic Plan

2024-2028
The Matapa Music and Arts Organization Strategic Plan will help us build on the successes that we have achieved since our founding in 2012.
keep reading

Activities & Goals

Matapa World Music Series (now in its 6th season)
+
Hamilton World Music Festival (now in its 5th season)
+
Roots En Route Arts Festival (now in its 5th season)
+
BIPOC Creative Industries Conference
+

WE Ackowledge the support of

Get Involved

For Sponsorship & Partnership Opportunities
‍Filimone Mabjaia
info@matapa.org
‍
‍Sponsorship & Community Partnership
Shefali Liyanage
‍Operations@matapa.org
‍
‍Roots En Route Exchange CPLP
‍Cassia Andrade  
d.executiva@machavenga.org

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