The Art: A tool for sustainable job creation and promotion of tradition, culture and the SDGs

Act For Change is an NGO that uses interactive theatre, creative arts and other participatory methods to advocate for social issues affecting young people, women and children. Its mission is to bring about behavioural change and improve the quality of life of young people by empowering them through training and self-esteem building programmes.

The project aims to address the problem of unemployment and advocate for the creation of a sustainable city in Accra. In addition to launching the James Town Arts Festival platform (a contemporary art event) to promote art and cultural works to a wider population, the project plans to involve students in an art exhibition on the theme of "Sustainable Cities: Through my Eyes". Students from the selected schools will participate in creative art workshops led by professional artists.


"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".


"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.


"The Arts Bridge", Support for the professionalisation of the craft sector

The Arts Bridge project aims to preserve, professionalise and promote the work of weavers in the North-West of Ghana, a region where the local economy depends heavily on this craft. By seeking to collect and transmit this know-how, pool tools and design new patterns, The Arts Bridge hopes to professionalise the art of weaving and thereby protect the livelihoods of communities. A dedicated digital platform will present a database of contemporary craftsmen and artists, offer teaching modules and an online shop. These digital drivers will contribute to raising this Ghanaian craft tradition to the level of a world-renowned art.

Overview of expected productions

- registration of 3 weaving collectives with the World Crafts Council each year
- organisation of an annual weaving festival
- training of 5 master weavers (with more than 5 apprentices and more than 5 years experience). They will in turn train 50 weavers per year for two years
- hosting 5 contemporary artists in residence

Focus on Nubuke Foundation

Based in Accra since 2006, this NGO's mission is to promote, record and preserve the visual arts and culture of Ghana. Over the past 15 years, the Nubuke Foundation has propelled the careers of 150 contemporary artists. Based in Wa (North West Ghana) since 2010, it works to develop and enhance the tradition of tape weaving.


"SARGAL", promotion of musical heritage

Produced in partnership with the Institut français in Dakar, the "SARGAL" project ("pay tribute" in Wolof) is an artistic television programme that aims to raise awareness of the great names in music by reinterpreting classics from the Senegalese and pan-African musical heritage. By allowing the public to benefit from experience of the creative process and by giving a chance to new talents, "SARGAL" wants to share the taste of live music but also to reveal and train up-and-coming artists in the art of composition, arrangement and musical production. More broadly, this project aims above all to give visibility to the audiovisual sector and its various professions, and to encourage digital inclusion by developing diversified content accessible to all.

A look at planned productions
- creation of 180 jobs
- recruitment of 45 women in production
- 60 people trained after 3 years (20 people per season)
- 45 programmes produced
- 50 international collaborations

Focus on Studio Sankara
Studio Sankara was founded in Dakar in 2003 by rapper Didier Awadi, who was looking for autonomy to carry out his artistic projects. Today, Studio Sankara is a phonographic and audiovisual production agency recognised on the national and international market for its skills, expertise, technical resources and capacity to innovate.


"Sahelles connect", promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries

The “Sahelles connect” project consists of a programme to structure the cultural and creative industries in Mauritania, targeting youth, education and women, and in cooperation with the other countries of the G5 Sahel, West Africa and North Africa. Through this new scheme, the association is committed to opening a vocational training course in the arts and culture (“Mauritalent”), and to setting up an incubator for 15 cultural businesses run by Mauritanian women. In this perspective of economic and social development, education on rights, freedom and the place of women in the Islamic Republic remain major challenges for strengthening democracy.

Overview of expected productions

– Development of artistic products by young Mauritanian artists in cooperation with female artists from the G5 Sahel region, – Development of a “Green Festival” label
– Development of a new format for the Journal Rappé “Chitaari”
– Promotion of digital accessibility and development of new content

Focus on Assalamalekoum Cultures

Chaired by the Mauritanian artist Monza, Assalamalekoum Cultures is an association focused on cultural innovation in Mauritania. It has been working with the Assalam Alekoum festival since 2014, in consortium with ZAZA Productions, an independent music label. This multidisciplinary festival has been hosting artists from the world of music, cinema, dance and fashion for 14 years.


"Les Récréâtrales", pan-African platform for contemporary theatre

Initiated in 2002, the contemporary theatre festival Les Récréâtrales struggled to find its audience. In 2006, it decided to go out and meet them and set up in the Gounghin district of Ouagadougou. Les Récréâtrales set up its stages in family courtyards, instantly involving the local communities. It was an instant success. Thanks to the ACP-EU Culture (West Africa) - AWA programme, Les Récréâtrales intends to develop a digital platform for its creative and educational content and thus support the spread of pan-African contemporary theatre internationally, always with a view to including non-French-speaking theatre (initially Lusophone, Arabic-speaking and English-speaking) and a project for South-South and South-North artistic cooperation.

A look at planned productions
- broadcasting of at least 19 shows, including 10 creations produced or co-produced by the Récréâtrales and 3 non-French language shows
- translation and subtitling of the works presented
- representation of all regions of the African continent during the next two editions of the festival
- setting up a pan-African and international network for the distribution of works

Focus on les Récréâtales
Today the Récréâtrales – Résidences panafricaines d'écriture, de création et de recherche théâtrale (Panafrican theatre writing, creation and research residencies) – form one of the major events in contemporary theatre in French-speaking Africa. Its festival takes place every two years, from February to November, in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). It fosters open dialogue within the community and enables citizen engagement and empowermen


"Présence Noire dans la Danse", promotion of dance arts

More than ever, École des Sables wants to maintain its educational role and offer development opportunities to young dancers from the continent. This centre of excellence offers participants local and international artistic career opportunities. However, in order to allow black dancers to reveal themselves and to blossom outside the stereotypes of the dance world, it is essential that this course be given by teachers and researchers from Africa, its diaspora and the West Indies, in a spirit of sharing, dialogue and reciprocal exchange. Moreover, the collaborations between Pan-African dancers will be the fruit of new creations offered to festivals and a touring circuit in Europe, the United States and the world.

A look at planned productions
- Access to certified training for 30 dancers from Africa and the diaspora
- creating and nurturing different work opportunities through original choreographic writing rooted in black identity
- establishing communication tools

Focus on JANT-BI- École des Sables
Founded by Germaine Acogny and Helmut Vogt in 1998, Jant-Bi - École des Sables, the International Centre for Traditional and Contemporary African Dance, aims to provide professional training for African dancers and to develop and promote contemporary African dance. It has already trained over 700 dancers from 27 African countries.


"PAPRICAI+", support for capacity building of the creative business incubator

Based on the unique concept of a tri-polar structural device (e-training, e-support and e-financing platforms), the PAPRICAI+ project aims to strengthen the pedagogical and operational capacities of the PAPRICAI incubator. Through a revitalisation of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and an improvement of the institutional framework of the creative and digital sector in Togo, this project will contribute to the improvement of creativity, professionalisation and competitiveness of artists and creators operating in the digital environment. This ambitious project will ultimately benefit project leaders, entrepreneurial support structures and innovative companies and startups in the cultural and creative sector.

A look at planned productions
- strengthening the structural capacities and competitiveness of the incubator
- boosting the competitiveness of 100 digital start-ups
- creating a community of 20 creative entrepreneurship support structures
- helping to finance 100 innovative creative start-ups

Focus on ADEC
The Agence de Développement des Entreprises Culturelles has a vision of culture as a driver for socio-economic development in developing countries. Equipped with state-of-the-art human and technological resources, it excels in cultural engineering, the promotion and development of creative innovation and entrepreneurship.


"Agir ensemble pour grandir"

The Atelier Nomade houses the École Internationale de Théâtre du Bénin as well as several performance spaces, regular venues for Beninese, Togolese, Burkinabe and Nigerian artists. In addition to the establishment of a permanent, multi-purpose troupe of some twenty talents (directors, actors, dancers, puppeteers, circus artists, etc.), the consolidation and expansion project "Agir ensemble pour grandir " includes the creation of a museum of the performing arts. By working on the synergy between 9 sub-regional theatres (6 in Benin, 1 in Togo, 1 in Niger and 1 in Burkina Faso) and the networking of their cultural content, the project intends to take advantage of the income and move towards financial autonomy, a key objective for true anchoring and sustainability.

A look at planned productions
- creation of a permanent troupe
- opening 12 small format residences and 2 large format residences
- development of a network of cultural operators from 4 neighbouring countries
- creation of a digital platform and an online ticketing service with payment of tickets by telephone
- regular animation of the three stages of the Atelier Nomade
- creation and monetisation of a performing arts museum

Focus on Atelier Nomade
Atelier Nomade opened its doors in 1992. It is now home to the École Internationale de Théâtre du Bénin, a higher education institution that prepares students for a state diploma. The two pillars of its mission are professional training and artistic creation, which enable the cultural and artistic education of young people and local communities. The theatre school often works on themes that contribute to human development and good citizenship.