Sonic Pluriverse Festival

In 2026, the annual Sonic Pluriverse Festival is dedicated to the rich musical culture of the Gnawa. The Sahelian roots of the Gnawa and their traditions form the starting point for exploring transcultural connections between North Africa, West Africa, Southern Europe, and the Afro-diasporic world. Over five weekends curated by Alaa Zouiten, internationally acclaimed Gnawa artists engage in dialogue with practitioners of flamenco, tarantella, Santeria, Vodou, and Candomblé. These connections are expressions of a shared history that has taken different forms across different traditions. Special attention is given to the contemporary voices of women within Gnawa music culture who are shifting historical expectations of gender roles.   

In addition to concerts, the festival encompasses parades, rituals, DJ sets, workshops, panels, and artistic residencies. The focus is on how musical and spiritual practices that emerged from experiences of migration, enslavement, and colonial oppression endure and find new forms of expression in the present.  

Dates
Fri., 26 June, Salif Keita & Sat., 27 June, Justin Adams & Mauro Durante
Thur., 2 July, Baaba Maal & Sat., 4 July
Fri., 10 July, Asmaa Hamzaoui & Bnat Timbouktou & Sat., 11 July, Moonlight Benjamin, Bab L'Bluz
Fri., 17 July, Gnawa Diffusion & Sat., 18 July 
Sat., 1 August as part of Bwa Kayiman 

The extensive programme will be announced in the course of the spring.