It is not a coincidence that our festival programs are covered with jasmine flowers this year.  Just like in earlier years we have arranged once again Clandestino Talks. These are within the theme of the current revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa. A number of activists, researchers and artists will participate in discussions and panels which will be continued this autumn at Clandestino Institut.

Foto: Saif Chaabane.

It is a lot of fine polishing for us just now. The festival program will be released in a number of days. So yes, everything is quickly approaching with large steps. The first warm-up night we have arranged together with Secret Garden at Nefertiti where dEbruit makes his first Swedish concert ever on May 20th 2011. And no one wants to miss when José González gives a unique solo concert at Världskulturmuseet the 3rd of  June2011. To finish off we will occupy the corner Andra Långgatan-Nordhemsgatan on Andra Långgatandagen the 4th of June 2011. So see you soon in the crowds!

Prior to this year’s festival edition we have had a delicate problem of luxury – to choose where Clandestino Festival will take place the 10th-12th of June. We have now decided to place the entire festival program at Stora Teatern (Storan) in the middle of Kungsportsavenyn in central Gothenburg. In other words, the festival will not take place at  Röda Sten as it has the last two years.  In collaboration with  Göteborgs Stads Kulturförvaltning who has temporarily taken over the management of the building, we have the new possibility of presenting an incomparable genre crossing musical experience from various parts of the world. We are extremely happy to make a new mark on the enriched theater building where we have arranged a program for both sitting and standing public and will have created a  unique festival atmosphere for outdoor serving. Gothenburg’s inner city with all its tourist clubs along the avenyn needs Clandestino and the immense nuanced variety that  this years line-up offers. Otherwise there is a risk that the distorted pictures of the world will simply be reproduced. Note that at Clandestino this year there will not be camels or elephants as there were during  Children’s Day 1946 (see above picture) outside Stora Teatern.