"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.
Art is Devel@pment
ADPP-GB works to support and empower the most vulnerable populations in Guinea-Bissau. Adapting to the reality of the country and the needs of its communities, the NGO has developed and implemented projects in 4 principal sectors: education, health, rural and community development.
The aim of the "Art is Devel@pment" project is to provide quality moving image education and creative support for existing and emerging artists who would not otherwise have access to technical or financial support to develop their entrepreneurial initiatives. It will also contribute to the digital transition of the cultural and creative sector for a wider distribution of works. Thus, through the arts, the project will work to combat extreme poverty, always with a view to inclusion and gender equality.
"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".
"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.