We’re thrilled to welcome three incredible ensembles to the Midwest as part of World Fest this year. Take a look below to learn more, and then see them in person in a community near you!
Okra Playground
Okra Playground plays traditional Finnish music with a fresh approach, combining classic folk with modern instruments to create unique tunes with hypnotic beats and a homegrown feel. While rooted in the traditions of their homeland’s music, the project also serves as a musical “playground” for its members to experiment with new instruments and techniques, just as the group’s name suggests!
Learn more about Okra Playground
Pamyua
Pamyua is Alaska’s most famous Inuit band. Founded in 1995 by brothers Phillip and Stephen Blanchett, the group includes Ossie Kairaiuak and frequent guest member Karina Moeller. Their performances honor and share indigenous Inuit cultural traditions through ceremony and songs passed down through generations. Their unique performances blend traditional Inuit drum/dance melodies with contemporary R&B and soul music, often referred to as “tribal funk” or “Inuit soul.”
Learn more about Pamyua
Okaidja Afroso
Okaidja Afroso follows his family’s tradition of storytelling by creating genre-defying music that calls back to his upbringing in a village on the western coast of Ghana. His music speaks to a spectrum of experiences deeply connected to the traditions of the African diaspora. He is devoted to bringing together diverse modes of expression in pursuit of global harmony through his signature performances that blend percussion and dance.
Learn more about Okaidja Afroso
Meet the Ensembles
Learn more about our current World Fest ensembles, through interviews with the groups themselves.
A program of Arts Midwest, the 2022 World Fest artist tours are generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies. Arts Midwest is also generously supported by the Illinois Arts Council Agency, Indiana Arts Commission, Iowa Arts Council, Michigan Arts and Culture Council, Minnesota State Arts Board, North Dakota Council on the Arts, Ohio Arts Council, South Dakota Arts Council, Wisconsin Arts Board, 3M, Crane Group, and individual donors and partners.