"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.
"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.