Faustin Linyekula

I’m known as a dancer, choreographer, but I call myself a storyteller.

I tell my stories through writing, theatre, dance, still or moving images. I live and work in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo, former Zaire, former Belgian Congo, former Congo Free State, the private property of Leopold II, King of Belgians.

In 2001, after 8 years of traveling and working around the world, I returned to the ruins of my country and founded Studios Kabako in Kinshasa, first only as a space for theatre and dance. Six years later we moved to Kisangani, in Eastern DRC, and Studios Kabako opened up to music and film. Because freeing ourselves from the colonial gaze to shape our lives in our own terms is the first step towards the future our children can be proud of. And for that, no creative energy shall be left out, whatever their art form. Studios Kabako has since been a refuge for young Congolese and African artists, offering long-term accompaniment, from training to production and touring.

I have toured in theatres, festivals, and museums across Europe, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas; I was the associate artist (Artista na Cidade) for the city of Lisbon in 2016, and co-associate artist for Holland Festival in 2019. I received the 2007 Principal Prince Claus Award, the 2014 CurryStone Design Prize and the 2019 Tällberg / Eliasson Global Leadership Prize.