September 2026: 27 Unmissable African and Afro-Diasporic Cultural Events
In September 2026, a variety of cultural events celebrating African and Afro-diasporic heritage will take place worldwide. The Venice Film Festival, running from September 2 to 12, will present 'La Maison du vent' by Bernard Auguste Kouemo Yanghu and May el-Toukhy's 'Woman Unknown.' Johannesburg's top art fair, FNB Art Joburg, occurs from September 4 to 6. Paris will host the Festival International des Films de la Diaspora Africaine (FIFDA), featuring 'The Foolishness of God.' Notable gallery exhibitions include Sungi Mlengeya (September 5 to October 24) and Emma Prempeh (September 5). The Parcours des mondes fair (September 8-13) will emphasize African arts, while Toronto's film festival (September 10-20) will showcase African cinema. Additional events include Rio's Mostra de Cinemas Africanos (September 17-23) and Lyon's Biennale (September 19). The RFI Theatre Prize will be presented in Limoges on September 27.
Key facts
- Venice Film Festival runs Sept 2-12, featuring 'La Maison du vent' and 'Woman Unknown'.
- FNB Art Joburg takes place Sept 4-6 in Johannesburg.
- FIFDA in Paris opens with 'The Foolishness of God' on Desmond Tutu.
- Sungi Mlengeya's first French solo exhibition at Les filles du calvaire runs Sept 5-Oct 24.
- Emma Prempeh's 'The Domain of the Stranger' opens at Perrotin on Sept 5.
- Miranda Forrester's new works are at Kristin Hjellegjerde until Sept 12.
- Parcours des mondes in Paris runs Sept 8-13, focusing on African arts.
- Visa pour l'image in Perpignan until Sept 13 includes African stories.
- Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 10-20) includes African films.
- Barthélémy Toguo's 'The Nomadic Studio' opens at Galerie Lelong on Sept 10.
- Magnin-A's 'Tolika Mtoliki' opens Sept 16 in Paris.
- Mostra de Cinemas Africanos in Rio runs Sept 17-23.
- Kerry James Marshall retrospective opens at Musée d'Art moderne de Paris on Sept 17.
- Willie Birch retrospective opens at California African American Museum on Sept 17.
- African Film Festival Cologne (AFFK) runs Sept 17-27.
- Biennale de Lyon opens Sept 19, featuring African artists.
- Monika Emmanuelle Kazi at Centre culturel suisse on Sept 20.
- Hassan Hajjaj exhibition at Philharmonie de Paris on Sept 22.
- Impakt Festival in Bujumbura runs Sept 21-25.
- Zébrures festival in Limoges runs Sept 24-Oct 4.
- Laila Soliman's 'Story of…' at MC93 Bobigny Sept 24-27.
- Bordeaux arts festival features Maghreb artists on Sept 26.
- Prix Théâtre RFI 2026 awarded in Limoges on Sept 27.
- Institut du monde arabe opens 'Vive la mariée !' on Sept 28.
- Namur Francophone Film Festival runs Sept 30-Oct 4.
Entities
Artists
- Bernard Auguste Kouemo Yanghu
- May el-Toukhy
- Sungi Mlengeya
- Emma Prempeh
- Miranda Forrester
- Barthélémy Toguo
- Kerry James Marshall
- Willie Birch
- Akwasi Bediako Afrane
- Serwah Attafuah
- Leilah Babirye
- Monika Emmanuelle Kazi
- Hassan Hajjaj
- Laila Soliman
- Léonora Miano
- William Kentridge
- Catherine Nichols
- Hervé Lequeux
- Abdulmonam Eassa
- Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
- Darren Dale
- Shandra Apondi
- Manana Cissé
- Georges Monboye
- Ahmed El Attar
- Malick Sidibé
- Seydou Keïta
Institutions
- Venice Film Festival
- FNB Art Joburg
- Festival International des Films de la Diaspora Africaine (FIFDA)
- Les filles du calvaire
- Galerie Perrotin
- Kristin Hjellegjerde
- Parcours des mondes
- Visa pour l'image
- Toronto International Film Festival
- Galerie Lelong
- Magnin-A
- Mostra de Cinemas Africanos
- Musée d'Art moderne de Paris
- California African American Museum
- African Film Festival Cologne (AFFK)
- Biennale de Lyon
- Centre culturel suisse
- Philharmonie de Paris
- Impakt Festival
- Zébrures
- MC93
- Festival d'Automne
- Institut du monde arabe
- Festival International du Film Francophone (FIFF)
- RFI
- Bozar
- Théâtre de la Colline
- Les Ballets Africains
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Johannesburg
- South Africa
- Paris
- France
- West Palm Beach
- United States
- Perpignan
- Toronto
- Canada
- Rio de Janeiro
- Brazil
- Los Angeles
- Cologne
- Germany
- Lyon
- Bujumbura
- Burundi
- Limoges
- Bobigny
- Bordeaux
- Namur
- Belgium
- Brussels
- Kinshasa
- Geneva
- Larache
- London
- Kenya
- Benin
- Guinea
- Egypt
- Morocco
- Tunisia
- Algeria
- Soudan
- Rwanda