Belfast International Arts Festival, the city’s longest-running international celebration of arts and culture, will for its 62nd edition this autumn with performances from Les Amazones d'Afrique and Paul Jones and Dave Kelly.

Back from 16 October – 20 November and ahead of its full programme reveal later this summer has announced a series of 2024 festival highlights across the visual arts, music, dance, and theatre.

Festival Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Richard Wakely, says: “Belfast International Arts Festival is a window to the world. This year’s programme is hugely diverse, which we believe really reflects a contemporary and cosmopolitan Belfast.”

Performing at Mandela Hall on 28 October, coming from West Africa to West Belfast, will be Les Amazones d'Afrique, a collective of talented female musicians renowned for their unique blend of traditional African rhythms and contemporary sounds.

The band’s two previous albums have garnered considerable acclaim and their latest record, Musow Danse, was released earlier this year.

Founders and lead vocalists of The Blues Band, Paul Jones and Dave Kelly, and masterful Irish singer-songwriter Freddie White, will  present an evening of Blues & Ballads on October 29, at the Grand Opera House.

Following a hugely successful off-Broadway stint, an epic tale of friendship and adventure that features extraordinary on-stage puppetry, The Vanishing Elephant by Charles Way for Cahoots will run at the Grand Opera House from October 31– November 2.

Showing throughout the festival at the Ulster Museum is Threads of Empowerment: Conflict Textiles’ International Journey.

The exhibition, which opens to the public from June 21, displays 29 textiles from individuals and communities across the world who have experienced violence and conflict, human rights violations, poverty, oppression, and environmental issues. The artworks highlight how important a resource artistic expression can be as each piece is based on personal and poignant testimonies.

Belfast International Arts Festival is also presenting partner of 'Belfast 2024' Belfast City Council's cultural celebration of the city.

The collaboration includes Touch, Hear, Feel, an ambitious new project by dancer/visual artist and current festival Artist in Residence Helen Hall and will open at 39 Corporation Street in October.

Also as part of Belfast 2024 and Belfast International arts Festival is 'North Star', taking place October 24-25 at the Telegraph Building.

North Star will be presented by Solab, a new collective led by Kwame Daniels.

The  live show that will feature music and literature, all deeply rooted in Black music and cultures.

The immersive live performance is inspired by the historic speech given by orator, writer and abolitionist Frederick Douglass in Belfast in 1845 and is led by Grammy Award winner Kaidi Tatham, award-winning poet Nandi Jola, rising stars Leo Miyagee and Winnie Ama, alongside a host of talent including nearly 100 pupils from four schools across Belfast.

The show will also feature special commissions by acclaimed actor Colin Salmon and Ivor Novello winner Hannah Peel.

Belfast Lord Mayor, Councillor Micky Murray, says: “We’re always proud to support Belfast International Arts Festival, but this year is particularly special for Belfast City Council as the festival is presenting three of our signature Belfast 2024 events.”

The full programme for this year’s Belfast International Arts Festival will be announced on August 13.

In the meantime, further information can be found here.