• Children
• Documentaries
• Entertainment
• Film & Drama
• Music & Arts
• News & Current Affairs

Music & Arts
Hugh Quarshie - Audio diary
Local Radio
Date: tbc
Hugh Quarshie (Dr Rik Griffin from Holby City) provides an insightful audio diary into his experiences of returning to Ghana for the first time in 13 years. The Holby City actor was born there and spent his early childhood in the West African country. His powerful account brings to life Ghana’s vibrant culture and poignant history.

Night Waves: Landmarks
Radio 3
Date: 7 July 05: 9.30pm-10.15.pm
A special programme celebrating an African cultural landmark.

Book of the Week: On Being African
Radio 4
Date: 23 May 05: 9.45am-10am
A reading of an autobiographical work by a writer from an African country. The Dark Child by Camara Laye.

Book of the Week: On Being African
Radio 4
Date: 24 May 05: 9.45am-10am
A reading of an autobiographical work by a writer from an African country. Ibadan - a Memoir by Wole Soyinka.

Book of the Week: On Being African
Radio 4
Date: 25 May 05: 9.45am-10am
A reading of an autobiographical work by a writer from an African country. A Woman Alone by Bessie Head.

Daily Service - LW Only
Radio 4
Date: 25 May 05: 9.45am-10am
Prayers and reflections with an African perspective.

Front Row: African Arts
Radio 4
Date: 25 May 05: 7.15pm-7.45pm
Including Kirsty Lang's investigation into how museums around the UK are rethinking their displays and collections of African work.

Book of the Week: On Being African
Radio 4
Date: 26 May 05: 9.45am-10am
A reading of an autobiographical work by a writer from an African country. Call Me Woman by Ellen Kuzwayo.

Twenty Minutes: African Reading
Radio 3
Date: 26 June 05: 8:00pm-8.20pm
A series of short stories about street life in Lagos by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Read by Susan Aderin.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Book of the Week: On Being African
Radio 4
Date: 27 May 05: 9.45am-10am
A reading of an autobiographical work by a writer from an African country. Black Gold of the Sun by Ekow Eshun.

Twenty Minutes: Throne of Weapons
Radio 3
Date: 27 May 05: 7:45pm-8.05pm
Hassan Arouni meets the Kester, creator of the 'Throne of Weapons', a sculpture which marks the end of the Mozambique civil war. The artwork is made from decommissioned and decomposed Ak-47s and is touring the UK.
Throne of Weapons

World Routes: Somali Concert
Radio 3
Date: 28 May 05: 3pm-4pm
An afternoon of Somali music live from Cardiff Bay, including Congolese group Konono No 1 and the Shego Band.

Performance on 3 - BBC SO African concert
Radio 3
Date: 29 May 05: 6:30pm-8.10pm
The BBC Symphony Orchestra perform a special concert, with the BBC Symphony Chorus, the Macusi Players and young local musicians. Presented by Fiona Talkingdon.

Andy Kershaw: Nomad Festival
Radio 3
Date: 29 May 05: 10:15pm-midnight
DJ Andy Kershaw discovers the Festival of Nomad Music in Mauritania.
Festival of Nomad Music

Night Waves: Anthropology Discussion
Radio 3
Date: 30 May 05: 9:30pm-10.15pm
Are traditional European views of Africa being changed by the current focus on it's art and media? Philip Dodd chairs a discussion, which explores how anthropology grew out of Europe's engagement with Africa.

Night Waves: African Universities
Radio 3
Date: 28 June 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
Series on the state of African universities continues.

Night Waves: African Universities
Radio 3
Date: 29 June 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
Series on the state of African universities continues.

The Verb: Great African Books Masterclass (1/4)
Radio 3
Date: 11 June 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
Ian McMillan presents the writing and performance programme. This week features Diana Evans, author of 26a and winner of the inaugural Orange award for young writers. Plus, the poet Nii Parkes launches his Verb guide to great African writers with a look at Tayib Saleh.

The Verb: Great African Books Masterclass (2/4)
Radio 3
Date: 18 June 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
Ian McMillan presents the writing and performance programme. The Verb guide to great African writers continues.

African Rock 'n' Roll Years - Part 1: West Africa
BBC FOUR
Date: 21 June 05: 9pm-10pm; 1am-2am; 25 June 11.30pm-12.30am
The full story of African Music is told in this six-part series, beginning with the praise singers and superstars of West Africa. Includes music from Youssou N’Dour, Baaba Maal and Salif Keita.

Youssou N'Dour
BBC FOUR
Date: 22 June 05: 3am-4am (Tuesday morning)
N’Dour performs the last night of his 2003 European tour in London.
BBC Music: Artist profile

Night Waves: South African Cinema
Radio 3
Date: 24 June 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
Feature about South African cinema.

World Routes: Fez Festival
Radio 3
Date: 25 June 05: 3pm-4pm
Music from the Fez festival of sacred music in Morocco.

The Verb: Great African Books Masterclass (3/4)
Radio 3
Date: 25 June 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
Ian McMillan presents the writing and performance programme with a guide to great African writers.

Glastonbury Live: Baaba Maal
BBC FOUR
Date: 25 June 05: 11.30pm-12.30am
Live set by the singer with the thrilling voice.
BBC Music: Profile of Baaba Maal

Andy Kershaw: Africa Oye
Radio 3
Date: 26 June 05: 10:15pm-midnight
Music from Africa Oye, Europe's biggest African music festival.
Information on Africa Oye

Night Waves: African Universities
Radio 3
Date: 27 June 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
First of a week-long series of letters about African universities. Featuring Nawal el Saadawi on University of Cairo, Patrick Wilmot on Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria, Mohamed Gibril Sesay on Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone and Moses Isegawa on Makerere University in Uganda.

African Rock 'n' Roll Years - Part 2: South Africa
BBC FOUR
Date: 28 June 05: 9pm-10pm; 12.55am-1.55am
The full story of African music continues with South Africa’s rhythms of resistance. Features musicians including Hugh Masekela, Abdullah Ibrahim and Thandiswa.

Night Waves: African Universities
Radio 3
Date: 30 June 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
Series on the state of African universities continues.

Annie Nightingale Show
Radio 1
Date: 1 July 2005: 1am-3am
Africa-themed mix show with Dreadzone, one of the most influential live dance acts of the last two decades.

Music Review - 1st, 2nd, 8th & 9th July
World Service
Date: Starts 1 July 2005: 8.32am-9am GMT
On the 1st and 2nd July, Music Review looks to Paris to explore the impact of African music in the early 20th Century. On the 8th and 9th July Music Review reports on the 'Sahel Opera' - the first opera to be staged by the Sahel Countries. (the semi-arid region of Africa between the Sahara to the north and the savannas to the south, extending from Senegal, on the west, through to Ethiopia on the east). All programmes 8.32am-9am GMT.

Night Waves: African Universities
Radio 3
Date: 1 July 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
Last in the series of letters about Africa's universities

The Blue Room
Radio 1
Date: 2 & 3 July 05: 5am-7am
Africa Lives with Rob Da Bank and Chris Coco in The Blue Room! Mr Scruff goes back to his teenage DJing days to give us an Africa mix taking in favourite tracks from Ghana , Nigeria, Tanzania, Egypt, Cameroon and Guinea. Dub Africa explodes in the Dub Club with African inspired reggae beats, plus the usual favourites The Milkmans Tune, Freezer and Soundtrack get tinged by the whole African chill experience...

The Ticket
World Service
Date: 2 July 2005: 7.06pm-7.30pm GMT
The BBC World Service's weekly arts and entertainment programme presents a special report from the British Museum with leading artists from across Africa talking about what's new in their fields. New music, poetry, theatre, literature and art from right across the continent.

The Verb: Great African Books Masterclass (4/4)
Radio 3
Date: 2 July 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
Nii Parkes concludes his Great African Books masterclass, there is the world premier of Jack Mapanje's poem, Altar Boy at 60, and a run down of the 2005 Caine Prize for African Writing shortlist.

In Praise of God
World Service
Date: 3 July 2005: 9.32am-10am GMT
In Praise of God's Alison Hilliard goes to Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya and one which is largely Muslim. It's also a traditional Islamic society, but as she discovers, people there are finding new constructive ways of making their faith work for the 21st century.

Rolf on African Art
BBC ONE
Date: 3 July 2005: 7pm-7.35pm
Rolf Harris goes on a fascinating journey to discover the diversity of African art, from painting and sculpture to textiles, beadwork and pottery. Rolf continues the tradition of rock art, using techniques similar to those which the San Bushmen used thousands of years ago and also produces a painting that reflects the African people and landscapes that have inspired him.
BBC Arts

Worldwide with Gilles Peterson
Radio 1
Date: 3 July 05: 11pm-1am
A two hour African special, featuring a 30 minute mix from Osunlade and a 30 minute Ethiopica Jazz special with link up with producer Malatu. The last hour's called the Tales of Fela with guests such as Common choosing their favourite Fela Kuti moments and tracks.

:: Oneclick / record box
Radio 1
Date: 4 July 05: 3am-5am
12 Radio 1 DJs pick their favourite African inspired tracks. The full 12 are: Zane Lowe, Annie Mac, Westwood, Edith Bowman, Ras Kwame, Huw Stephens, Trevor Nelson, Chris Coco, Vic Galloway, Rob Da Bank, Gilles Peterson and Goldfinger.

Zane Lowe: Session in the Nations (1/4)
Radio 1
Date: 4 July 05: 7pm-9pm
Zane will be catching up with Ras Kwame ahead of his shows this week from Ghana.

Language Programmes - 4th to 8th July
Asian Network
Date: Starts 4 July 2005: 7.30pm-10pm
Each weekday night the Asian network brings you a different language programme, with features on the Making Poverty History campaign and how Africa's been exploited by the developed world/capitalists for their own gain. All programmes Monday to Friday 7.30pm-10pm.
BBC Asian Network: Africa Lives mini-site

Night Waves: Justice and Africa
Radio 3
Date: 4 July 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
Special debate about justice and Africa. The panel discuss the International Criminal Courts' investigation into human rights abuses in Congo, Uganda and Sudan.

Late Night with Adi Ray - 4th to 8th July
Asian Network
Date: Starts 4 July 2005: 10pm-12.30am
Daily weeknight show presented by Adi Ray, with the the latest music from UK and global Asian artists. During Africa Week the show features African elements in British Asian music.
BBC Asian Network: Africa Lives mini-site

The Breezeblock - The Africa Show
Radio 1
Date: 5 July 2005: 1am-3am (Monday night)
Cape Town label African Dope are in charge of the sets and putting together 20 minutes of the best hip hop and breaks to come out of Southern Africa. Plus London techno bod Oliver Ho puts together an exclusive mix of African traditional sounds and techno. Oliver lived in Africa for years and did hundreds of hours of field recordings that formed the basis of his debut album.

:: Oneclick / magazine
Radio 1
Date: 5 July 05: 3am-5am
Part one of Afropop. Nigerian DJ JJC travels through Africa assessing the state of pop music; in particular hip hop.

Zane Lowe: Session in the Nations (2/4)
Radio 1
Date: 5 July 05: 7pm-9pm
Zane will be catching up with Ras Kwame ahead of the first of his One Music shows tonight live from Ghana.

African Rock 'n' Roll Years - Part 3: The Highlife Zone
BBC FOUR
Date: 5 July 05: 9pm-10pm; 12.40am-1.40am
The effect of calypso on the 'palmwine' styles that developed in Sierra Leone and Nigeria. How music from Sierra Leone and elsewhere affected the massively popular 'highlife' dance styles of Ghana. Featured artists include Femi Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Angelique Kidjo and Manu Dibango.

Night Waves: Caine Prize
Radio 3
Date: 5 July 05: 9:30pm-10.15pm
Interview with the winner of the 2005 Caine Prize for African writing.
Information on the Caine Prize

One Music with Ras Kwame (1/3)
Radio 1
Date: 5 July 05: 11pm-1am
Ras Kwame and rising UK grime star Sway, broadcast live from Joy FM in Ghana, and launch R1's part of the African Connection competition, where you can wind the chance to collaborate with top names in UK and African music. (1 of 3)
BBC Collective: Grime music feature

Glastonbury Live: Femi Kuti and the Positive Force
BBC FOUR
Date: 6 July 05: 1.40am-2.40am (Tuesday night)
Exuberant Nigerian singer with a modern Afrobeat sound.
BBC Music: Femi Kuti, album review

:: Oneclick / open
Radio 1
Date: 6 July 05: 3am-4am
Edith Bowman's audio diary from her travels around Rwanda with Save The Children, plus music from the region.

Zane Lowe: Session in the Nations (3/4)
Radio 1
Date: 6 July 05: 7pm-9pm
Zane catches up with Ras Kwame in Ghana.

Bobby Friction and Nihal
Radio 1
Date: 6 July 05: 9pm-11pm
Featuring DJ/producer Mentor from Tanzania.
BBC News: Profile of Tanzania

One Music with Ras Kwame (2/3)
Radio 1
Date: 6 July 05: 11pm-1am
Ras and Sway's second broadcast live from Joy FM in Ghana's capital, Accra. (2 of 3)
BBC Collective: Grime music feature

Trevor Nelson's Soul Nation
Radio 1
Date: 7 July 2005: 1am-3am (Wednesday night)
Featuring Congo quintet Zap Mama; pinpoint the African origins of RnB, funk, hip hop, gospel & blues in Sat Nav map fashion!

:: Oneclick / film
Radio 1
Date: 7 July 05: 3am-4am
Including an introduction to African cinema.

The Music Biz - 7th & 9th July
World Service
Date: Starts 7 July 2005: 8.32am-9am GMT
Two broadcasts, featuring a rare interview with Baaba Maal, the internationally accalimed singer-Songwriter from Senegal, and reports on Paris as the Gateway for African Musicians. All programmes 8.32am-9am GMT.

Zane Lowe: Session in the Nations (4/4)
Radio 1
Date: 7 July 05: 7pm-9pm
Zane will be catching up with Ras Kwame before his final One Music show tonight live from the Accra, the capital of Ghana.

Twenty Minutes: The Merlin of Ghana
Radio 3
Date: 7 July 05: 8.20pm-8.40pm
Hugh Quarshie investigates the myth and meaning of Okomfu Anokye.

One Music with Ras Kwame (3/3)
Radio 1
Date: 7 July 05: 11pm-1am
Ras and Sway's last broadcast live from Joy FM in Ghana's capital.
BBC Collective: Grime music feature

:: Oneclick /comedy
Radio 1
Date: 8 July 05: 3am-4am
The show that experiments with music, comedy, movies and speech, comes with an African twist. (5 of 5)

Westwood: The Radio 1 Rap Show
Radio 1
Date: 8 July 2005: 9pm-11pm
Nothing but big things with guests JJC from Nigeria, and Gambia's X Soliders.

Reggae Dancehall Night with Chris Goldfinger
Radio 1
Date: 8 July 2005: 11pm-1am
Featuring live performances and interviews from various clubs, on Goldfinger's recent tour.

Later...Africa
BBC TWO
Date: 8 July 2005: 11.35pm-12.45am
A retrospective compilation of the many great performances by African artists on Jools Holland's musical showcase featuring artists from all over the continent, including Senegal's Youssou N'Dour, Benin's Angelique Kidjo, Mali's Ali Farka Toure, Salif Keita and Baaba Maal, North Africa's Khaled and Souad Massi, South Africa's Ladysmith Black Mambazo and many more.

World Routes: Ethiopia Concert
Radio 3
Date: 9 July 05: 3pm-4pm
Live broadcast concert from Ethiopia featuring major musicians including Gigi.

The Verb: My Africa
Radio 3
Date: 9 July 05: 9.30pm-10.15pm
Rommi Smith talks to ex-pat Africans living in Britain.

Africa Bloodlines
Radio 3
Date: 10 July 05: 8pm-9.30pm
Spoken word artists celebrate the lyrical rhythm of Africa.

Andy Kershaw: Rise Kagona
Radio 3
Date: 10 July 05: 10:15pm-midnight
A session with Rise Kagona, guitarist with the legendary Zimbabwean band of the 1980s, the Bhundu Boys.

African Rock 'n' Roll Years - Part 4: Central Africa
BBC FOUR
Date: 12 July 05: 9pm-10pm; 12.40am-1.40am; 16 July 0.35am-1.35am
Some of the most infectious dance music in Africa came from Kinshasa on the Congo river, as guitarists and band-leaders mixed local and Cuban influences to create the rumba and soukous styles. Featured artists include Franco, Pepe Kalle, Konono No 1 and Corneille.

World Routes
Radio 3
Date: 16 July 05: 3pm-4pm
African-themed music review programme.

Jazz Files: Staying on (1/2)
Radio 3
Date: 16 July 05: 6pm
Part 1 of 2: A history of South African Jazz, focusing on the musicians who stayed on during apartheid.

Andy Kershaw: Senegal Event
Radio 3
Date: 17 July 05: 10:15pm-midnight
Highlights from the Senegal event dubbed 'African Woodstock'.

DestiNation Africa (DNA) Live from Kenya
1Xtra
Date: 20 July 05:midnight-2am
DNA is live from Kenya, with DJ Edu representing the East African music scene.

Destination Africa with DJ Edu
1Xtra
Date: Wednesdays: midnight- 2am
African street music from hip hop to dancehall and drum & bass.
http://dev1.reith.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/1xtra_aod.shtml?1xtra/1xtra_dna]Listen to DNA with DJ Edu[/url]

1Xtra in Africa 2005
1Xtra
Date: 22 July 05: midday-5pm
A five hour, 3-way link looking at African youth culture with Jenna G in South Africa; Iyare in Ghana and Jason in the UK.

Original Fever
1Xtra
Date: 22 July 05: 7pm-10pm
Live from Johannesburg, Rodney P and Skitz look at the African hip hop scene and the effect of international hip hop.

In Search of Fela Kuti
Radio 3
Date: 22 July 05: 9.30pm
DJs Max Reinhardt and Rita Ray profile this influential figure in Nigeria's social and musical history.

World Routes: African Sessions
Radio 3
Date: 23 July 2005: 3pm-4pm
Lucy Duran introduces a variety of specially-recorded African sessions. Musicians include the greatest living kora player Toumani Diabate, and also from Mali the kamelengoni-playing newcomer Kokanko Sata. Plus, as part of Radio 3’s Africa on Your Street, there’s music from Zimbabwe recorded on the London Eye.

Jazz Files: Staying on (2/2)
Radio 3
Date: 23 July 05: 6pm
Part 2 of 2: Continuing the look at South African Jazz during aparteid.

1Xtra Live: From Club K2 in Kenya
1Xtra
Date: 23 July 05: 11pm-2am
Live From Club K2 in Kenya featuring DJ Edu and guest DJ's from the Kenyan music scene.

1Xtra Live: 100% Homegrown
1Xtra
Date: 24 July 05: 5pm-7pm
100% Homegrown with Ras Kwame, featuring live sessions from some of the best UK based African artists.
http://dev1.reith.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/1xtra_aod.shtml?1xtra/homegrown_sun]Listen to 100% Homegrown[/url]

One World: Live from Africa
Radio 1
Date: 25 July 05: 1am-3am
1Xtra's DJ Edu form his homeland of Kenya, with special local muscians.
Radio 1 One Life: Kenya Profile

Masterpiece 28th June & 5th July
World Service
Date: Starts 28 June 2005: 8.06am-8.30am GMT
Masterpiece explores the burgeoning Nigerian video industry and the spread of the finished product across Africa and through the Nigerian diaspora. These creative co-productions with Raypower FM in Lagos answer all these questions and more in a 2-part look at 'NOLLYWOOD'. All programmes 8.06am-8.30am GMT.

The African Rock ‘n’ Roll Years – Part 5: Lusophone Africa
BBC FOUR
Date: 2 August 05: 9pm-10pm; 12.45am-1.45am tbc
Angola, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde were cut off from neighbouring states because the language of their colonisers was Portuguese and not French or English. The musicians developed distinctive styles; from the high-energy rhythms of Angola to the sad-edged blues and European-influenced ballads of the Cape Verde islands. Featured artists include Cesaria Evora, Manecas Costa, Mariza, Bonga and Mabulu.

The African Rock ‘N’ Roll Years – Part 6: North Africa
BBC FOUR
Date: 9 August 05: 9pm-10pm tbc
The careers of rai stars like Khaled and the Arabic rocker Rachid Taha, and also the great female singers who have emerged from Islamic North Africa and from further east in Christian Ethiopia. Featured artists include Tinariwen, Khaled, Rachid Taha, Souad Massi, the musicians of Jajouka Amina and (from Ethiopia) Gigi and Aster Aweke.

Africa Live Concert
BBC FOUR
Date: 9 August 05: 10pm-midnight
Spectacular concert of pan-African music from Dakar, Senegal.