Afro-Diasporic Ocean Festival

A free event and a vibrant celebration of Afro-Diasporic music and culture, featuring the captivating rhythms of Tambacum and other groups on their 2024 U.S. tour.

Headlining the event was Tambacum, an Afro-Colombian traditional music group, joined by Grupo Cultural de Capoeira Angola do Acupe — a local Brazilian Capoeira group that delves into the rich musical and philosophical aspects of Capoeira Angola — and Adriana Devers, the award-winning Afro-Caribbean writer and poet who celebrates her ancestry through her literary works. The Festival was followed by an afterparty at The Surf Lot with DJ Madame Vacile, whose DJ sessions are a mix of African rhythms in different genres.

The Afro-Diasporic Ocean Festival brought together the richness of Afro-diasporic cultures around the spirit of the ocean. The day went deeper into African descendant art and culture through thought-provoking panel discussions and a special music workshop for Black and Brown youth led by experienced musicians.

LiberArte's CEO and founder Yura Sapi said, "We have been working to support the Afro-Colombian group Tambacum over the years, from Nuquí to New York, now welcoming them as our first artist-in-residence as a nonprofit organization. In line with our vision for a thriving planet where all beings experience joy and harmony with each other and Mother Earth, we believe the Afro-Diasporic Ocean Festival is a powerful manifestation of this future world in the present moment. Through connections fueled through the arts, held by the ocean and the beautiful community of Rockaway Beach, Queens, we are bringing forth our harmonious future into today."

Partners

The nonprofit LiberArte co-produced the Afro-Diasporic Ocean Festival at Rockaway Beach Amphitheater in collaboration with Laru Beya Collective, afrolatin@ forum, Casa Finca NYC, R&E Ocean Community Conservation, Buena Onda Collective, Los Herederos, The Surf Lot, Reel Works, and NYC Parks.

Support

This project was supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program, with support from Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, administered by Flushing Town Hall. This engagement of Tambacum was made possible in part through the ArtsCONNECT program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Tambacum's tour was supported by the Municipal Administration of Nuquí.