Bilimankhwe Arts - Connecting Cultures

Bilimankhwe Arts was set up in 2005 by Kate Stafford, who had previously founded Nanzikambe, an award-winning theatre company in Malawi in Central Africa.

Nanzikambe is chichewa (Malawi local language) for chameleon; Bilimankhwe also means chameleon, a creature central to Malawian culture, appearing in many traditional folk tales. It also changes its outward appearance to fit in with its surroundings - echoing the methods used by Bilimankhwe Arts in creating art from bringing cultures together, collaborating to find a new form of expression.

The bilimankhwe also moves slowly and carefully - pang'ono pang'ono - to make sure that the ground is secure before moving forward, which is perhaps something worth emulating!


Kate Stafford, Artistic Director
Kate Stafford is the founder and Artistic Director of Bilimankhwe Arts, which she has been running since 2005, working on inter-cultural projects and working with young performers on training and performance projects with funding from various sources (including Arts Council England, the Commonwealth Foundation and the National Lottery). She also works as a coach for the TAI Group, a New York based consulting firm working in the field of executive leadership and organisational change. She travels widely for the company, delivering training programmes throughout Europe. Prior to 2006, Kate also ran an NGO which she set up in Malawi, specialising in theatre and communications (www.nanzikambe.org). As part of that organisation she provided training in communications and active learning techniques in Malawi and Kenya , as well as producing and directing shows that toured in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Kate's training work included working with the Paralegal Advisory Service set up by Penal Reform International, training paralegals working within the prisons of both Malawi and Kenya in participatory and active learning techniques, transforming their practice and improving their facilitation skills. She also trained MPs and prospective Parliamentary Candidates through Women's Campaign International, the IRI (International Republican Institute) and the NDI (National Democratic Institute). Kate also created and led training workshops with a disability group, funded by the Malawi government working with them to help develop income-generating projects, including providing educational and awareness-raising dramas. And, in the middle of this, Kate also trained actors and facilitators to work alongside her, and ultimately to take over running the company upon her return to the UK. In the 1980's, Kate worked with The Actors Institute, (the precursor of the TAI Group), where she co-led workshops, but parted ways with the Institute when her acting career led her to tour abroad and then to a post-graduate acting course at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. After theatre school (and before Malawi) she worked as an actor and acting coach and also spent 4 years as a local politician in North London.

Kate Stafford, Artistic Director

Kate Stafford is the founder and Artistic Director of Bilimankhwe Arts, which she has been running since 2005, working on inter-cultural projects and working with young performers on training and performance projects with funding from various sources (including Arts Council England, the Commonwealth Foundation and the National Lottery).

She also works as a coach for the TAI Group, a New York based consulting firm working in the field of executive leadership and organisational change. She travels widely for the company, delivering training programmes throughout Europe.

Prior to 2006, Kate also ran an NGO which she set up in Malawi, specialising in theatre and communications (www.nanzikambe.org). As part of that organisation she provided training in communications and active learning techniques in Malawi and Kenya , as well as producing and directing shows that toured in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Kate's training work included working with the Paralegal Advisory Service set up by Penal Reform International, training paralegals working within the prisons of both Malawi and Kenya in participatory and active learning techniques, transforming their practice and improving their facilitation skills. She also trained MPs and prospective Parliamentary Candidates through Women's Campaign International, the IRI (International Republican Institute) and the NDI (National Democratic Institute). Kate also created and led training workshops with a disability group, funded by the Malawi government working with them to help develop income-generating projects, including providing educational and awareness-raising dramas. And, in the middle of this, Kate also trained actors and facilitators to work alongside her, and ultimately to take over running the company upon her return to the UK.

In the 1980's, Kate worked with The Actors Institute, (the precursor of the TAI Group), where she co-led workshops, but parted ways with the Institute when her acting career led her to tour abroad and then to a post-graduate acting course at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. After theatre school (and before Malawi) she worked as an actor and acting coach and also spent 4 years as a local politician in North London.

Some footage and photos of shows directed by Kate Stafford:

Macbeth (Malawi tour and Harare International Festival of the Arts)

Nanzikambe is now run locally in Malawi: Bilimankhwe Arts was set up as its sister company , to work on inter-cultural collaborations both across continents and within the local community in North London.

Bilimankhwe Arts is a registered charity with a board of Trustees. Current trustees are:

Tracey Clark-Edwards (chair)	Matthew Rich
Lord Toby Harris	Ann Ward (secretary)