"La NEUF", training, creation and production
The Malian cultural industry offers a plethora of stakeholders but is cruelly lacking in scriptwriters, costume designers and other entertainment professionals without whom works cannot exist. In response to this shortage, "La NEUF" (Nouvelle École Usine et de Formation) offers a system of training, both face-to-face and at a distance, including workshops, masterclasses and internships for dialogue with professionals. This proposal for training in the performing arts will ultimately lead to the creation of new shows to be presented during a tour of 8 cities, already established by the association. Acte SEPT also intends to involve communities in order to establish a sustainable and culturally endogenous funding mechanism, a factor in sustainable development.
A look at planned productions
- Creation of a digital platform for training
- Establishment of 16 workshops on the performing arts professions
- Creation of 8 plays
- Distribution of the 8 plays in the 8 cities of the Sirabo network
- Creation of a partner network
- Organisation of a festival
Focus on Acte SEPT
According to Acte SEPT, the project leader, "everyone must be able to participate in the cultural life of their choice and exercise their own cultural practices within the limits imposed by respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. " Driven by this vision, the association has been working in Bamako since 1994 and has been moving to the rhythm of its Festival du Théâtre des Réalités since 1996.
« Consolidation de l'industrie Théâtrale en Afrique de l’Ouest » (CITAO)
The ICAO initiative aims to consolidate the existing collaboration between the Espace Culturel Gambidi (ECG) and its national and international partners. It is also a question of reinforcing previously established cultural actions such as the "Route des Arts" or the famous International Theatre and Puppet Festival of Ouagadougou (FITMO) now held in 6 West African countries. With the help of marketing plans and digital tools, ICAO seeks to involve young people more, encourage a wider distribution of works and generate more revenue that will allow it to perpetuate its theatrical activity.
Overview of expected productions
- training of 60 cultural operators
- creation of a web platform dedicated to the communication and marketing of content from the West African theatre sector
- production of a video documentary on the capitalisation and sharing of the project's experiences and good practices
Focus on Espace Culturel Gambidi
Born from the determination of the artists of the Théâtre de la Fraternité (a famous troupe in Burkina Faso) to have a headquarters that would be both a space for rehearsal and creation, the Espace Culturel Gambidi brings together a number of organisations including: The Centre de Formation et de Recherche en Arts Vivants (CFRAV), the Atelier International des Arts Plastiques (AIAP), the first exclusively cultural private radio station in Burkina Faso, a Media Library, a 500-seat theatre and a guest house.
"ELAN", Art of storytelling and recital
Tales, myths, initiation stories, legends and other oral poetry exist to tell and be told. These oral works convey the language, modes of thought, habits and customs specific to each people. It is with the aim of giving new impetus to this ancient cultural heritage, recognised as "intangible heritage" by UNESCO, that the ELAN project has taken shape. By respecting parity and relying on the solid relationships already established by the Naforo-Ba Company with 8 West African countries, ELAN aims to accompany 16 storytelling artists from the 8 partner countries throughout the production cycle.
Overview of expected productions
- 80 diverse stories collected at a rate of 5 stories per Artist in a perspective of contemporary exploitation
- 5 collections of 16 illustrated stories, produced in the "Ziri Collection" and printed at 5,000 copies each for retail
- contribution of 8 Illustrators (1 per country) to the above mentioned collections
- 3 capacity building workshops for stakeholders in the storytelling sector organised over 3 years (1 per year)
- production of 80 audio tales made available for digital downloading and listening platforms for a fee
- production of 80 brief audio tales or proverbs, to be broadcast on telephones by the mobile network operators in the 8 countries of the action
- participation in the Nuit du Conte en Famille (NCF) organised each year as both a live and a ticketed online event
Focus on the Naforo-Ba company
The Naforo-Ba Company was founded in 2000 in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) with the aim of promoting African oral literature, both ancient and contemporary, and to promote its knowledge and practice. With extensive experience, the association of professionals has been able to forge special links with Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, Mali, Togo, Guinea and Senegal.
"De l'Homme vers l'Homme", contemporary dance
Specialised in the field of contemporary dance, the Don Sen Folo association anchors its project in the transmission and dialogue between ancient traditions and contemporary gestures. Its distribution in public spaces increases the visibility of the artists' work among the public and local authorities, and is also a good way of getting around the difficulties of distribution in traditional infrastructures, the networks for which are often lacking in this region. In order to improve the production of African dancers and choreographers and to promote this art form at national and continental level, "De l'Homme vers l'Homme" will focus on strengthening artistic skills, activating South-South cooperation, and setting up an African network for contemporary dance in public spaces.
A look at planned productions
- Training of 14 young artists in dance and choreography
- Choreographic residencies in public spaces (2 months) involving 32 artists
- Presentation of the artists and their work in the online catalogues of the residencies and on the Numéridanse TV website
- Production, recording and broadcasting of contemporary choreographic works in public spaces
- Production of a "Guide to good practice in contemporary dance in public spaces in Mali".
Focus on Don Sen Folo
The Don Sen Folo association has been working since 2010 on the issue of access to culture, formerly in the Kalaban Coro district of Bamako and currently in the rural commune of Bancoumana. With the firm belief that Art and Culture can become the economic engines of tomorrow's society, the association works to make the work of artists known and understood by the population.
"Afropolis", virtual performance space
The idea of this organised virtual performance space was born out of the pandemic. In April 2020, the annual "DanceGATHERING" dance event was threatened by the Covid crisis. Instead of cancelling it, the association decides to maintain it in a virtual edition. The event was a resounding success, with 10,000 visitors from 300 cities around the world. Consequently, the "Afropolis" project has become a reference platform for Afro urban culture and a resource centre for educational and creative content from various backgrounds. This digital artistic offering that defies distance, reduces its carbon footprint, aims to broaden its audience and increase interactivity, also functions as a laboratory where the performing arts are combined to create new cultures.
Overview of expected productions
- Registering over 100,000 subscribers
- Reach new digital audiences and generate new interest in creative works online
- To have significant growth in the creative community
- Facilitate access to creative and cultural content regionally and internationally
- Encourage participation in the creation of new cultures regionally and internationally
Focus on Creative Culture Support Foundation
A genuine creative incubator, this association acts as a arts and innovation skills factory. Creative Culture Support Foundation is a committed organisation that has become a recognised driving force in the Nigerian creative scene over the years.
Togo Art Connection
Arterial Network Togo is a dynamic network of committed artists, cultural activists, associations and cultural and creative institutions. Its mission: to promote and defend cultural diversity through an organisational framework of national operators and stakeholders from all sectors of the arts and culture.
By bringing together international and local stakeholders in the performing arts for the first time via a (physical and digital) platform for networking stakeholders in the performing arts sector, the Togo Art Connection project aims to strengthen the production of quality artistic creations in Togo, to further engage local audiences in a dialogue with the performing arts and to grant more economic and structural independence to the Togolese cultural scene.
SOMETHING by Something We Africans Got
April27 is an independent publishing company and arts management consultancy that promotes and supports African art, culture, education and excellence through the SOMETHING WE AFRICANS GOT review and the magazine SWAG high profiles.
After 5 years of existence, 14 issues of the review and 7 of its magazine version, "Something We Africans Got" has become an alternative space, a space for exhibitions dedicated to the moving image, to the rediscovery of African cinema, to dialogue and the development of critical thinking. This project materialises the continuation of the exploration of the Arts of Africa and the Black World and the cultural links between the different countries of the continent and the rest of the world.
Basketteuses de Bamako
The NAMA Company keeps ancestral traditions alive, ensuring the survival of the art of puppetry and offering young people the opportunity to work in the cultural sector. Among its training courses, some are specifically aimed at women, a first in Mali where the art of puppetry was traditionally reserved for men.
The "Basketteuses de Bamako" project seeks to increase the number of women artists in Mali and to develop their contemporary artistic capacities through professional training, awareness-raising and mediation with the public. The project aims to offer a new mixed and popular artistic practice, an art that restores the traditional know-how of Malian women by innovating it through the practice of juggling.
"YOBAAL", Access to the Gambia's creative industries
While the Gambian economy is largely dependent on tourism, the "Yobaal" ("gift" in Wolof) project aims to contribute to the development of the creative market through its e-commerce platform. ACE Communications Executive plans to exhibit up to 100 companies in the creative industry selected according to the interests and habits of international consumers. This matchmaking between local creative industry professionals and prospects allows artisans to promote and sell their products beyond the tourist season. In order to support creativity within the creative industries in the Gambia, "Yobaal" plans to give priority to businesses run by young entrepreneurs and designers.
Overview of expected productions
- provide global visibility for Gambian artisans
- générer des revenus durables grâce aux ventes e-commerce
- contribute to the increase in quality of products and services manufactured in the Gambia while guaranteeing customer satisfaction
Focus on ACE Communications Executive
ACE Communications Executive, a strategic communications and public relations company, has established the first Cultural Centre for the burgeoning creative industry in the Gambia. With a wide range of consultants, since 2009 it has established itself as an expert in visibility for companies, NGOs and state institutes.
"Les Arts-Liances", pan-African contemporary theatre platform
This project responds to a difficulty in distributing theatrical and choreographic works in Africa, while the public's enthusiasm for these performances is still growing. The aim is therefore to create and trace a professional touring circuit for productions that will enable arts performances to tour regularly and meet their audiences. Thus, the "Arts-Liances" project promotes synergy of action between 15 performance spaces in 5 partner countries (Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo) and encourages co-production, the sharing of best practices and the programming of works created. With an eye on sustainable development, the project aims to be inclusive. It aims to mobilise artists and build audience loyalty.
A look at planned productions
- creation of 15 theatre and choreographic performances
- 180 performances
- consolidation of skills for 75 artists, 30 performance technicians and 30 employees of the performance spaces
- strengthening of technical resources of the 15 partner venues
Focus on Sokan Théâtre
After 20 years of activity, Sokan Théâtre is a cultural association recognised for promoting the arts in general and the performing arts in particular. An organisation in constant evolution, it favours and develops collaborations between artists from the South and the North. Through its achievements and in line with its objectives of inclusion, Sokan Theatre is the initiator of the Pan-African Women's Dramatic Writing Workshop "Femmes en scène".