Based on the observation that age-old ways of sharing knowledge and values are gradually being forgotten in favour of rapid urbanisation and the rise of social media, the association “Promotion des Arts au Mali” (Promoting the Arts in Mali, PAM), also known as “Culture en Partage” (“Shared culture”), is dedicated to supporting cultural creation and sharing it with as many people as possible, especially the younger generations.
The work of Culture en Partage consists of bringing together figures from the cultural sector (theatre, dance, music, visual arts, publishing, etc.) and giving them international exposure. Providing employment for culture professionals, making African creation more accessible to as many people as possible and helping to showcase African cultures are just some of the association’s goals.
Its projects include La Maison des Solutions (The House of Solutions), set up in a cultural centre in Bamako, which is best described as a hub for cultural creation and technological innovation.
The two key actions resulting from this project are the Musée initiatique (“Museum of initiation”), which is aimed at cultural institutions and is part of the movement to present African artworks by going beyond the scope provided by traditional exhibition design (through the use of virtual reality, for example) and radio drama, an incubator for audio creations in African languages broadcast on radio and web-radio stations.
Founded in 2019 by Aicha Chighaly, the Mauritanian company ARDINE works on promoting and preserving intangible oral and traditional heritage. Working hand-in-hand with the authorities, it draws up recommendations to enable identity-based, organisational and societal values to be better taken into account.
As a seasoned artist and avid traveller, Chighaly quickly became aware of the importance of museums in preserving heritage and the history of identities. The result was the ARDINE museum and festival, both the fruit of the ART’DUNES project.
These two spaces for expression, one focused on heritage preservation and the other on showcasing traditional artistic creation, are united by a desire to ensure that Mauritanian cultural memory lives on.
The association has already been very successful, with some one hundred women and 300 young people trained in different crafts and the making of instruments, including the ardine, the t’beul and other percussion instruments.
The Association pour le Développement Local et la Protection de l'Environnement (Association for Local Development and Environmental Protection, ADELPE) has set itself the goal of contributing to the promotion of Mauritanian cultural and natural heritage through cultural and educational activities organised in Goural and the surrounding area.
It was not by chance that the town of Goural was chosen as the hub for the NGO’s work: there is already a museum here, opened in 2016, which requires some support in order to improve its services.
In addition to developing the museum through the acquisition of works and objects, the project plans include an annual cultural festival, the organisation of museum tours and development of the website dedicated to its activities, which will also offer virtual tours. A wider audience will be able to follow all these actions on social media.
ARTS PLURIEL is a non-profit cultural association that works throughout Niger to promote activities relating to the production of cultural works and events in ideal conditions for the emergence of new talent in the fields of arts and culture.
The project “Sah’Elle” is an initiative of the Africa Cup of Slam Poetry in partnership with associations from affiliate countries (Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania) to promote freedom of expression and combat violence against young women through oratory art.
Since 2009, the project by the Windepkpe association has centred around preserving Benin’s textile and clothing heritage. The ultimate goal is to showcase Benin’s artistic potential, preserve its heritage, share its expertise and make its culture a real driver for economic and social development.
To showcase this rich textile heritage, the association organises the “Koubourou Fashion Days”, an event that highlights Beninese woven pagnes or wrappers, which are emblematic of the country’s textile traditions.
This Conservatory is a cultural industry in its own right and meets a dual objective: to help the people of Benin reclaim ownership of their textile and clothing heritage through the Museum of Textile Art and encourage reproduction and sales through the craft space, to ensure that these cultural treasures are never forgotten.
The Fondation Zinsou aims to provide solutions for the lack of artistic practice and overcome a lack of awareness of contemporary art. This work meets a dual objective: to support artists and help the public to become accustomed to visiting exhibitions and museums. Among its various achievements, in 2013 the association founded the first contemporary art museum in tropical Africa, and also works on producing and holding exhibitions, organising artist residencies, as well as a host of other initiatives.
Convinced that everything begins at a very young age, the foundation aims to help children become familiar with artworks and try out different artistic activities, with a view to contributing to their cultural awareness as well as uncovering future talents. The “Petits Pinceaux” (“Little Paintbrushes”) workshop is the result of this conviction, aimed at children aged 5 to 13, which gives them an introduction to contemporary art through free creative workshops run by cultural educators and artists.
In order to overcome the obstacle of inaccessibility, the foundation has set up the “cultural bus”, a vehicle acquired thanks to support from sponsors, which provides free transport for pupils of over 300 schools.
“Sete Sóis Sete Luas” (Seven Suns Seven Moons) is a Lusophone and Mediterranean festival organised in 30 towns in 12 different countries to promote the diversity and originality of musical cultures. The association aims to create original artistic productions involving Cape Verdean musicians and to promote international mobility for these musicians.
The project consists of creating 4 cultural centres dedicated to protecting, promoting and disseminating traditional music on all the Cape Verde islands. 16 musicians (4 per island) will be trained to manage the centres as cooperatives and offer programmes featuring traditional music, gastronomy, teaching workshops and cultural tourism.
The dance company “Les Pieds dans La Mare” aims to reintegrate young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods through dance and give them a tool to exist. Every year, the company supports over 23 young people by giving them free comprehensive dance training, as well as general education and art-based work.
The company would like to establish a multidisciplinary research/creation/action programme to reactivate the memory of the slave trade in Côte d'Ivoire. This memory work will involve collecting testimony, working with local artists and traditions and putting on performances and workshops for residents, and will culminate in the creation of a dance show, a documentary web series and a music album.
The “Au Nom Du Slam” collective was formed in 2014 by the 10 finalists of the international slam competition “The Spoken Word Project”. This cultural and artistic association aims to promote slam and raise awareness through this practice.
BABI SLAM is an international slam festival in Abidjan, the 7th edition of which will take place in 2023. It was founded by the “Au Nom Du Slam” collective with a view to elevating the practice of slam and raising awareness on matters of public interest. It aims to promote a change in behaviour among populations for a fairer, more tolerant and more environmentally-conscious society.
The association Africadoc Côte d'Ivoire, founded in 2012, aims to showcase creative documentary film in Côte d’ivoire. To this end, it organises activities tailored to the needs of professionals (workshops, gatherings, masterclasses) and screens documentary films in primary schools, high schools and universities to raise the profile of African documentary cinema.
The project Impala Afrique de l’Ouest seeks to boost the competitiveness of the documentary cinema sector by supporting creation and production, as well as facilitating access to markets. It includes writing and production workshops for 10 young authors and 10 young producers, led by experienced tutors.