Felabration 2025 in Hull

Felabration 2025 – Shakara: Bold Expressions of Afrobeat
This October, Hull joins cities around the world in celebrating Felabration, the annual global festival honouring the life, music, and legacy of Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti.
Now in its 25th year, Felabration 2025 will take place across key city venues as part of Black History Month, presented by The Gidi Vibes™ and Morpheus Multimedia in partnership with Hull Museums and PQ Event Space. The theme for this year’s edition — “Shakara: Bold Expressions of Afrobeat” — celebrates the energy, activism, and artistic influence that continue to shape African and global music today.

Programme Highlights

The Underground Spiritual Game Exhibition
Wilberforce House Museum
1 October – 2 November 2025
Opened on 1 October, Nigeria’s Independence Day, this evocative exhibition explores Fela Kuti’s life, music, and social impact through photography, art, and archive materials. Hosted in the home of William Wilberforce, the exhibition connects two powerful histories — one of abolition and freedom, the other of resistance and creative liberation through music.

Thought Leadership Panels & Workshops
Ferens Art Gallery
18 October 2025 (afternoon)
A day of talks and workshops featuring academics, artists, curators, and industry voices, including Rikki Stein, Fela’s long-time manager. Sessions will explore Afrobeat’s influence on global music, culture, and identity, and examine how festivals like Felabration strengthen cross-cultural understanding in modern cities like Hull.

Sauti Sessions Block Party
PQ Event Space
18 October 2025 (evening)
A night of Afrobeat, highlife, and fusion music, featuring performers from Nigeria and the UK. This vibrant concert will bring people together to dance, connect, and experience the heartbeat of Afrobeat — a sound rooted in rhythm, resistance, and joy.

Why Felabration Matters
Fela Kuti’s legacy goes beyond music. His fearless stand against corruption and oppression made him one of Africa’s most influential cultural figures — a voice for justice whose message still resonates globally. Felabration in Hull offers a chance to engage with that legacy through art, conversation, and community celebration.
It also reflects Hull’s commitment to inclusion and creativity. Taking place in venues like Wilberforce House and Ferens Art Gallery, the festival bridges cultures and generations, contributing to the city’s ongoing journey as a City of Music — a place where diverse stories and sounds find common ground.
Join us this October as we celebrate freedom, rhythm, and the power of music to unite us all.
More information and tickets available at: https://bit.ly/felabrationhull2025
www.morpheusmultimedia.net/shakara