Iris De Brito
Event Manager / Creative Director
Together with her team, Iris has created numerous social, community and club events in the UK as well as partnering with associations abroad with the sole incentive of promoting Afro-Luso culture. In 2006 Iris successfully created and directed “El Barrio” - a theatre production with Song, Salsa and Live percussion, which completely sold out three London dates.
She has been the Show director for BATUKE! Festival from the start with great public acclaim. She is also the lead director of Studio Afro Latino - a dance school dedicated to developing and promoting Afro-Luso culture managing a team of 8 people and 3 volunteers.
BATUKE!
festival started out of our passion for the music and dance of Lusophone countries. We realised that there is a special rapport and connection between all the portuguese speaking countries, a recognition of common experiences through music and dance. We had been doing events, inviting artists, but, there was no place in the UK, no platform, where these artists could meet, young and old, and share their common heritage. That's when we decided that we should just go ahead and do it! We financied it through our events. It was very risky, but all of our shared experiences made us believe in it so much that we just went for it. We are now in our 8th year and our aim is to improve it further, increase standards and make it the event not to be missed in your cultural calendar!
Feka Sam
Liason Officer
Feka is a liaison officer that brings extensive voluntary sector experience from his time managing funded creative educational projects to children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Feka has delivered a variety of projects during his 5 years managing a community arts charity, including projects funded by nationally recognised Trusts and donors such as Children In Need, Lloyds TSB and John Lyon’s Charitable Trust.
As the project’s Liaison Officer, Feka leverages his skills on BATUKE! Festival to engage minority ethnic communities, deliver creative educational content and build strategic networks.
Kemi Sangowawa
PR Officer & Event Administrator
Kemi is BATUKE! event administrator and go to person for all press and PR related matters. She has worked in the festival for the past 4 years. Kemi also works closely with Kizomba UK, on their press presence.
Having a professional background in creative design, marketing & PR, Kemi has developed a rich portfolio of UK contacts, which spans from fashion & beauty, food and drink, events, and the publishing industry.
JV Chardon
Marketing
From French West Indian descent, JV has a long held passion for the complex history & culture of the Caribbean and its influences on its diasporic communities around the world.
Directly working in the area of advertising and digital media, he brings in-depth knowledge of how to reach the press and form relationships with media partners.
As one of the original members of Kizomba UK, his professional background has added another perspective to the organisation’s profile and help reach a wider audience.
