Launch of Somali Week Festival 2026

Kayd Somali Arts & Culture are launching the 18th Somali Week Festival at the Pigott Theatre, British Library on Friday 16 October. It's an evening of conversation, reflection and performance with Somali cultural practitioners, and it kicks off one of the biggest festivals outside the Horn of Africa. The festival brings together artists, academics, influencers and the community to celebrate Somali culture and creativity, and this year's edition is the 18th.

The 2026 theme is making a home and creating spaces that feel like home, which they'll be exploring through literature, theatre, food, research and fashion. The launch brings together a broad cross-section of the people involved: filmmaker Ilhan Abdullahi, chef and author Ifrah F. Ahmed, writer and actor Sabrina Ali, poet and novelist Ubah Cristina Ali Farah, author Fatima Hagi and fashion designer Hussein Suleiman. There's a book launch in the mix too, with Farah presenting her translated book Commander of the River.

Some of the names carry a bit of weight. Hussein Suleiman co-founded the Amsterdam label Daily Paper, known for blending African heritage with contemporary street culture. Ifrah F. Ahmed's debut cookbook SOOMAALIYA was named one of Cherry Bombe's 'Future of Food 50'. Ubah Cristina Ali Farah is a Somali-Italian writer with a PhD from the University of Naples, L'Orientale. Between them, they cover a lot of ground — fashion, food, literature and film — and the evening is built around conversation and performance rather than a single set.

It's an in-person event, though you can also watch it online if you can't make it into the city. Tickets are £12, with concessions available. Doors open at 18:00, the bar opens then too, and the main thing runs from 19:00 to 20:45.