Live Culture
Concerts, showcases, dance, spoken word, art, craft and fashion.
Roots · Resilience · Reunion · Renewal
ReconnectFestival 2026
A cultural, creative and economic movement bringing Nigeria and the African diaspora together across Lagos, Badagry and Oyo State.
Why Reconnect
Culture becomes a meeting place.
More than a music or arts festival, Reconnect is a platform for diaspora engagement, creative-industry development, tourism and community building.
Through performance, exhibitions, fashion, culinary experiences, workshops, panels, networking and heritage journeys, the festival creates meaningful space for talent, institutions and markets to meet.
Global Exchange
Canadian and Nigerian artists building new work and relationships.
Creative Economy
Market access, mentorship, investment and enterprise networking.
The Journey01 02 03 04
Past, present and future in conversation.
Roots
Honouring traditional rhythms, stories, colours, craft and ancestral memory.
Resilience
Celebrating the journeys, struggles and triumphs of African communities everywhere.
Reunion
Creating encounters between home communities, returning diaspora and global partners.
Renewal
Imagining new cultural, social and economic futures together.
Schedule At A Glance
Five days. Three destinations. One shared story.
Wed · Dec 16
Culture & Identity Summit — Lagos
Panels, workshops, developing artist sessions, opening reception, red carpet and spotlight showcases.
Thu · Dec 17
Experience Canadian Arts
Institutional meetings, diaspora identity summit, collaboration workshops, craft exhibition and official showcases.
Fri · Dec 18
Badagry Heritage Journey
Visit the Point of No Return and other significant historical and cultural sites.
Sat · Dec 19
Oyo Palace & Creative Economy
Artisan exhibitions, local business and corporate networking, concerts and spoken-word performances.
Sun · Dec 20
Reunion & Renewal
Community reconnection, cultural celebration and closing experiences.
Festival Energy
The people are the pulse.
Patronage & Endorsements
Supported across borders.
Alaafin of Oyo
Patronage for cultural preservation and cross-border engagement.
Mayor Jim Diodati
Support for cultural exchange between Canada and Nigeria.
MP Tony Baldinelli
Recognition of AWA's international cultural contribution.
Edo Creative Economy
Endorsement of Edo Matter, artist development and the creative hub.
Presented by AWA & Reconnect Island