The Blackhouse Project's AfroUrban Soundstage had its strongest year yet in 2026 — and we're excited to share that it's coming back in 2027 under a new name: Sankofa Stage, with Eddie Ennion-Dickison stepping up to lead the stage's organization. 

Where it started. AfroUrban Soundstage began in 2025 as a small, community-led idea: a $3,000 Wellington City Council grant, one emerging artist, and four DJs on a reduced stage slot at Newtown Festival. Even on a tight budget, it did exactly what it set out to do — gave African and Afro-diasporic creatives a public platform and a real sense of pride and belonging in Wellington. 

2026: the stage grew up. On 3 March 2026, AfroUrban Soundstage returned to Newtown Festival on Rintoul St with a lineup several times the size of its debut year: 8 artists with live backing plus 3 DJs, running a full day from 10am to 5pm. Imon Starr held things down as MC, with Eddie (DJ Anansi) anchoring the stage on the decks all day. The bill featured Imani-J — back on the AfroUrban stage for a second year — alongside Sascha Rose, Olmecha Supreme, Induna, Tusekah, TK Paradza and Joseph Pod, with DJs Coleoz and KB The DJ rounding out the set. The stage was backed by Te Tari Mātāwaka (the Ministry for Ethnic Communities), WCC's Creative Communities fund and Access Radio. 

2027: Sankofa Stage. Off the back of this growth, the stage is being reborn for 2027 as Sankofa Stage — named for the Akan concept of "Sankofa," reaching back to reclaim and honor what's been left behind in order to move forward with it. Eddie Ennion-Dickison, a DJ on the stage since 2025 and one of the driving forces behind the 2026 lineup, is stepping into leading the organization of Sankofa Stage for 2027. 

We're also looking to grow the marketplace around the stage. In 2026 we had one food vendor alongside the music — for 2027, we want to build that out properly. 
If you're a food vendor, caterer or stallholder who wants to be part of the Sankofa Zone, get your expression of interest in as soon as the Newtown Festival Expressions of Interest for stallholders open to secure your spot next to Sankofa Stage. 
Make sure you include on your application that you want to be next to the Sankofa Stage. 

Thank you to everyone who performed, cooked, crafted, danced, and showed up in 2026 — see you at Sankofa Stage in 2027.