Lutte Contre Le Silence Burundi 2013 Photograhpy w orkshop in

Transcription

Lutte Contre Le Silence Burundi 2013 Photograhpy workshop in Bujumbura © Atelier Agaciro
Left page: Buja Sans Tabou Burundi 7 February 2014 La Troupe Lampyre performing the play ‘Déchirement’ at the Institut Français in Bujumbura © Julia Kneuse
Last page: Femmes En Scene 2013 Ivory Coast and Mauritania 2013 Theatre workshops in Abidjan and Nouakchott © Sokan Theatre
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Previous page: Talking Doors At Mtn Bushfire 2013 Swaziland May–June 2013 ‘The White Room’ by Dane Arsmtrong © Dane Armstrong
Dfa Photography Workshop Series Ethiopia A workshop participant in action © Desta for Africa (DFA)
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Yeyokun (Let’s Bond Together) Ivory Coast April 2014 The Thian Tere Band performing in Bouaké © Teteh M
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Previous page: Buja Sans Tabou Burundi 7 February 2014 La Troupe Lampyre performing the play ‘Déchirement’ at the Institut Français in Bujumbura © Julia Kneuse
/A.R.I.A/ Algeria 2013 Installation by Algerian artist Amina Menia © Thierry Bal
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Following page: Film Festival: Image Of Liberia Liberia 21 February 2014 Setting-up for the opening night of the festival in Monrovia © Kriterion Monrovia
Ciné-Fil Algerie Algeria 2013 Audio-visual workshop in Timezrit © Association Cinéma et Mémoire
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Wax And Gold Ethiopia Summer 2013 Work by Ethiopian artist Tesfaye Bekel © Peterson Kamwathi, Hermela Abayneh, Leykun Nahusenay & Boniface Muangi
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Living Legacies The Gambia 18 May 2014 Tunde Jegede (left) and Sunara Begum (right) during the recording session of Laemon Jatta (center) © Saul Njie
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Yeyokun (Let’s Bond Together) Ivory Coast April 2014 ‘Balafon’ (xylophone) performance in Bangolo © Teteh M
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Azmari Filmmaking Workshop Ethiopia April 2014 Filmmaker Abenezer Tesfaye capturing one of his scenes with actress Betty © Elias Aba Milki
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Wax And Gold Ethiopia Summer 2013 Ethiopian artist Mulugeta Gebre Kidan © Peterson Kamwathi, Hermela Abayneh, Leykun Nahusenay & Boniface Muangi
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Lutte Contre Le Silence Burundi 2013 Photograhpy workshop in Bujumbura © Atelier Agaciro
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Previous page: Femmes En Scene 2013 Ivory Coast and Mauritania 2013 Theatre workshops in Abidjan and Nouakchott © Sokan Theatre
Trans-African Photography Master Class Sudan September 2013 Nigerian photographer Emeka Okereke in Khartoum © Shihab Diab
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Mobile Cinema: Taking Film To The Margins In Sudan Sudan 14 December 2013 Film screening and discussion
at the Nuba Women for Education and Development Association (NuWEDA) in Omdurman © Midhat Afifi
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Previous page: Talking Doors At Mtn Bushfire 2013 Swaziland May/June 2013 The first day of ‘Talking Doors’, a community outreach program © Dane Armstrong
Wax And Gold Ethiopia Summer 2013 Ethiopian artist Henok Getachew © Peterson Kamwathi, Hermela Abayneh, Leykun Nahusenay & Boniface Muangi
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Ciné Droit Libre Abidjan Ivory Coast 2013 Film screening at the SOS Children’s Village in Abidjan © Ciné Connexion
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Previous page: Lutte Contre Le Silence Burundi 2013 Evening show in Bujumbura © Atelier Agaciro
Long Live the Girls Addis Ababa, Ethiopia August 2013 Poetry reading during a street performance © Amanda Leigh Lichtenstein
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Buja Sans Tabou Burundi 9 February 2014 Musical concert by ‘Lion Story’ at Sabemeli Bar, Bujumbura © Julia Kneuse
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Previous page: Talking Doors At Mtn Bushfire 2013 Swaziland May/June 2013 Installation at the Bushfire Festival © Gia Armstrong
The Wikiafrica Project Ethiopia and Malawi 2013 WikiAfrica Kids in the Lower Shire of Malawi © The Africa Centre
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Introduction
Geographical Call 2013:
Africa
In this Review the Prince Claus Fund is proud to present
the results of the 2013 Geographical Call for Proposals
in Africa (henceforth Africa Call). The Prince Claus
Fund and Mimeta, Centre for Culture and Development,
published this call together.
The Prince Claus Fund supports artists, critical thinkers
and cultural organisations in spaces where freedom
of cultural or artistic expression is restricted or absent.
Since it was founded, almost twenty years ago, the
Prince Claus Fund has worked throughout the African
continent. Both the Prince Claus Fund and Mimeta
(www.mimeta.org), have a special interest in projects
that focus on freedom of expression and censorship.
Dramatic events over the last few years on the African
continent – from the Arab Spring to the passing of
Nelson Mandela, and a recent explosion of cultural
and creative activity in the visual arts – make this call,
supporting cultural and artistic undertakings,
particularly timely.
The Prince Claus Fund supports projects that have
a profound impact, both cultural and developmental,
in the contexts in which they operate. This impact
continues beyond the timeframe of the supported
project; grantees enter into the Fund’s wider net
work of cultural operators around the globe, working
together to support and foster culture. Whilst this
Review records the actions of the projects that the
Fund has supported, it hopes also to capture a sense
of the cultural contexts in which they operate, and
the wider themes that are shaping the continent today.
Given the wide scope of this call, priority was given
in selecting projects to those in contexts where sup
port was particularly absent. The call for proposals
was closed on 18 February 2013; in total the Prince
Claus Fund supported twenty-one projects across
the continent, in Algeria, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia,
The Gambia, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mauritania, Sudan,
and Swaziland. Six of these projects were supported
jointly with Mimeta.
The goal of this Review is to provide an interesting
overview of contexts, projects and grantees. The idea
is not only to show the diversity of the projects that
have been supported but also the people behind them,
the context in which they take place, their impact,
legacy and their relevance to our work in Africa. A short
account of each country precedes the description
of each of the twenty-one outstanding grantees. We
conducted three in-depth interviews with particular
participants to give more detailed personal accounts
of their challenges and tribulations the projects faced
working in some of the most challenging contexts
in Africa. Finally, the Prince Claus Fund approached
five critical thinkers from Africa to share their views
on working in Africa, and on current trends and
urgencies facing the continent: the Review thus includes
essay contributions from: Renee Akitelek Mboya,
Mike van Graan, Jok Madut Jok, Emeka Okereke,
and Joe Osae-Addo.
This Review hopes to highlight the excellent work
exceptional cultural organisations are doing across
the continent of Africa, and to underline the vital
importance of culture in its transformative power
to generate positive social and economic change
worldwide.
Christa Meindersma, Director, Prince Claus Fund
SELECTION PROCESS
Of the 112 proposals received during the Africa Call, twenty-seven
reached the research phase and twenty-one projects were financially
supported. One of the supported projects from the Ivory Coast had
to cancel their project due to contextual circumstances. The selection
of these projects was made under a number of criteria, namely, quality,
innovation, engagement and development relevance, costs, contribution
to freedom of expression, and culture in conflict areas. The selected
proposals were then researched in detail, and second opinions were
gathered from independent experts both in, and from, Africa. Although
all applicants provide references, independent and objective opinions
are always sought for every project. Based on the results of this research,
the programme committee approves or rejects each project. Each
grantee is then notified of the amount of financial support they will
receive. Upon completion of each project supported, the Prince Claus
Fund evaluates and documents the objectives and successes. Exemplary
projects are then shared on the website and through the Fund’s
international network.
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RE
Themes and disciplines
In evaluating the proposals that the Prince Claus Fund received as part of the Africa Call certain recurrent themes
and disciplines emerged among the twenty-one grantees. While the Review does not claim to conclusively categorise
the many current cultural, technological and artistic trends within the Africa Call, there is a large degree of topical
and thematic overlap in the initiatives supported by the Prince Claus Fund. Furthermore, the general focus of
the call was on freedom of speech and censorship, and this is in evidence in all of the grantee projects.
We hope that the following brief summary of these recurrent themes and disciplines will contribute to a compre
hensive overview of the projects that make up the Africa Call.
Themes
DEVELOPING THE ARTS
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
With a growing international interest in contem
porary art from Africa and the awareness of the
continent’s creative potential, many projects in this
call have not only valued the arts as a vector of
development, they have also shed light on vibrant art
scenes. Considering the meagre support these scenes
receive from national institutions in the supported
countries and artists’ confinement through censor
ship and restrictions, our partners have sparked and
enhanced creativity in their local context, strengthened
international partnership, and revived cultural
traditions and heritage.
Freedom of expression is at the heart of the Prince
Claus Fund’s Africa Call. For the Fund, freedom of
expression opens debates, allowing projects to
engage with sensitive issues, and thus, foster develop
ment. Every project supported through this call
pertains to this concept in one way or another. The
projects reviewed in this Review have defied censor
ship to present their causes in a conscious and
structured form of activism that, in many cases,
clashes with national repression and sanctions.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Human rights should be a universal priority. In many
of the projects’ countries, individual rights are
threatened, restricting the emancipation, and scope of
action, of certain communities. Specifically, projects
supported by this call acted as advocates of human
rights, whether addressing children’s rights in Ivory
Coast, the rights of young girls in Ethiopia or the
rights of LGBT people in Burundi.
EMPOWERMENT AND PARTICIPATION
Given the Africa Call’s focus on freedom of expression
and censorship, and the track record of many of
these countries in these regards, empowerment and
participation of local communities is an important
concept that recurs in many of the supported
projects. Many of the projects supported through
this call sought to establish platforms that would give
a voice to women, youth and the LGBT community.
In a context in which these communities are
marginalised, repressed or stigmatised, culture
provides a space for self-expression and dialogue.
STRENGTHENING LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURES
Even though many of the supported projects have
culminated in major events in the form of festivals,
exhibitions and performances, the development
phases of these projects often included workshops,
trainings and residencies to insure the sustainability
of the project and of local organisations. In carrying
out their initiatives, our partners have insured that
skills are passed on and that the relevance of their
work continues.
EVIEW
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Artistic disciplines
FILM
With seven projects relating to this discipline, film is
high on this call’s agenda. Film is a medium that perfectly
serves the purpose of raising awareness and stimu
lating change. Many screenings occurred with the sup
port of the Africa Call. The SUDAN INDEPENDENT FILM
FESTIVAL, for example, shed light on the quality of
local film productions and MOBILE CINEMA:TAKING FILM
TO THE MARGINS IN SUDAN reached remote areas of the
country. In addition to these public events, the AZMARI
FILMMAKING WORKSHOP has demonstrated the importance
of the art of filmmaking in specific social contexts.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography is a medium that enables reportage
and testimony, as well as giving the photographer the
opportunity to capture a singular moment. The DFA
WORKSHOP SERIES and the TRANS-AFRICAN PHOTOGRAPHY
MASTER CLASS organised respectively by Desta for
Africa and the now well-known Sudanese Photogra
phers Group provided a myriad of interesting insights
into contemporary African societies, showing the
growing potential of African photographers.
VISUAL ARTS
‘Art for art’s sake’ is a powerful credo in the world
of African visual arts today. Tainted with a long history
of social engagement, contemporary African visual art
is detaching itself from preconceptions and is finding
new ways to integrate international trends and
circuits while staying rooted in local contexts. Many
projects in this call claim an autonomous and
independent space of creation and expression,
without dismissing the possibilities of partnership and
transcultural exchange. Many of our partners work
to improve the quality of visual productions, offering
young and talented artists opportunities, and giving a
contemporary and relevant perspective on visual art
from the continent, notably the Arete Foundation and
the project /A.R.I.A/, initiated by Zineb Sedira.
LITERATURE
In the words of Maya Angelou, poet and a prominent
figure within the American Civil Rights Movement:
‘words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes
the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper
meaning.’ Creative writing, imagination, and critical
thinking open up debate and change public opinion.
The projects CAFÉ LITTÉRAIRE and LONG LIVE THE GIRLS:
A MANIFESTO! both explored the discipline of writing
not as an end in itself, but as a tool through which
freedom of expression can be achieved.
PERFORMING ARTS
Stage arts and performances are an important part
of the African artistic and cultural landscape. From
dance to theatre and music, live performances create
a direct relationship with the audience, stirring emo
tions, reviving cultural heritage and traditions, and
offering entertainment where it is not always evident.
FEMMES EN SCENE and BUJA SANS TABOU, respectively
organised by the Sokan Theatre and the Troupe
Lampyre, both use theatre as a means of expression
to empower women and denounce censorship.
Performance is a social and collective act that binds
communities together, nurtures culture and
inspires change.
Distribution of themes
Distribution of disciplines
Developing the Arts
12
Film8
Empowerment and Participation
8
Literature4
Freedom of expression
10
Performing Arts
Human Rights
4
Photography3
Strengthening Local Infrastructures
6
Visual Arts
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7
3
ALGERIA
Capital: Algiers
Population: 38,087,812 (2013)
Projects supported: 3
Historical Context Thirty years after independence
from France, Algeria was rocked by a civil war
of intense violence from 1992 –1998, following the
success of an Islamist party in the 1991 elections.
In 1999, with the support of the military, Abdelaziz
Bouteflika became President of Algeria – a post he
continues to hold. Today, Islamist opposition parties
perform poorly in elections. Following a wave of
protests in the wake of popular uprisings during the
Arab Spring, the government lifted its nineteen-year
state of emergency on 24 February 2011.
Current situation Algeria’s government is using the high
prices of oil and natural gas to improve the country’s
infrastructure and in particular to develop industry
and agriculture. The government maintains tight re
strictions on freedom of expression, association and
assembly, and on the practice of religious beliefs.Women
continue to face discrimination in law, and in practice,
and are inadequately protected against gender-based
violence, including within the family. Reporters Without
Borders ranks Algeria 122 out of 179 countries
concerning its press freedom. Radio broadcasting
and television networks work under government
supervision. NGO work is limited – international
NGOs cannot be legally registered in the country.
Algeria has one of the strictest visa regimes in the
Arab world.
Arts and Culture Algeria’s cultural policy has been
dictated by the state since independence and is
formulated according to a centralised model based
on the domination of the Ministry of Culture, which
controls most cultural and artistic activities in the
country through its financial resources. In 2007,
Algiers was the Arab Capital of Culture. However,
a boost of the local intellectual arts scene did not
occur at that time, as the government continued
to support a top-down approach to the arts with
emphasis on official culture. Major cultural events
in Algeria tend to be traditional cultural festivals
with traditional dance performances, crafts markets
or camel races.
Supported projects The Prince Claus Fund has been
active in Algeria since 1999. Two of the larger projects
the Fund has supported were carried out by Al-Jahiziya
(in 1999), an independent non-governmental cultural
institution founded in 1989 by a group of intellectuals
to promote ‘liberty of thought and freedom of opinion’;
and PEN International (in 2008), through a series of
inter-regional literary events and exchanges in Africa,
Latin America and the Caribbean. Besides these
projects, two Algerian cultural actors have received
the Prince Claus Award: Mohamed Fellag in 1999 for
his acting and writing (www.fellag.fr/), and the publisher,
Barzakh Editions in 2009 (www.editionsbarzakh.dz).
CAFÉ LITTÉRAIRE
Cine+ is an up-and-coming organisation run by a very
active group of volunteers in Bejaia, on the coast
of Algeria. Their project, CAFÉ LITTÉRAIRE, consisted
of a series of conferences on literature that aimed
to connect Algerian and non-Algerian writers in Bejaia
with the public, as a reaction to the high censorship and
limited freedom of expression writers in Algeria face.
According to Mohamed Ait Amraoui, project manager,
Ciné+, ‘in Algeria, many writers see their work censored
by the government for daring to denounce the social and
political situation in the country or when they openly criticise
crooked and corrupt leaders.This project is an initiative that
wants to break the barrier of fear and encourage writers and
artists to create and innovate with freedom of expression.’
Subsequently, they produced a literary bulletin that
reflected on the conferences and provided a more
extensive analysis, by eminent critics, of the works
presented. Many of the meetings took place in the
Théâtre Régional de Bejaia, amongst other locations.
The Prince Claus Fund supported the transport
and lodging of the invited writers.
Many of the authors involved in CAFÉ LITTÉRAIRE
had experienced censorship by the state first hand,
for openly reflecting on, and denouncing, taboo subjects
in Algeria such as corruption. This project created
a platform for writers to discuss and critically debate
sensitive subjects that can be more easily touched
on through literature than spoken about openly in
society. ‘These literary events have concretely contributed
to the opening of the minds in the region of Bejaia,
and the awakening of critical thinking among the public
who leave each meeting with new perspectives on society
and social relations,’ says Amraoui.
These conferences and debates took place in
December 2013 and it is hoped that the project will
help to foster a culture of discussing both literature
and social taboos in public. As Amraoui puts it,
‘we hope to have more experience in organising such
events and we hope that the number of participants
in these meetings will increase. As we also hope that this
project will succeed in mobilising more funding for its
durability, last in time and become a major regional event.’
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Kiwanga (born in Canada, lives and works in Paris,
France) were hosted in Algiers for a period of four
weeks. During this project /A.R.I.A/ researched and
developed their network and partnership oppor
tunities with universities, art institutions and art
magazines. Looking to the future, /A.R.I.A/ is, ‘hoping
to develop an alternative education programme in order
to respond better to the demands and needs of artists
from Algeria and the wider region of the Maghreb.’
Literature
www.fr-fr.facebook.com/cineplus7
Project partner: Ciné+ (Association Culturelle et Cinématographique)
This project was supported jointly with Mimeta, Centre for Culture
and Development.
Developing the Arts
Visual Arts
www.ariaprojects.org
Project partner: /A.R.I.A/
/A.R.I.A/
(Artist Residency in Algiers) is an informal
platform that designs, develops and delivers a oneyear residency programme in Algiers, Algeria. /A.R.I.A/
also provides advice, facilitates introductions, and
encourages collaborations on behalf of art practitioners
and organisations based in Algeria and elsewhere.
/A.R.I.A/, through hosting international artists,
projects positive awareness and visibility of Algeria
and its surroundings to global audiences. In the words
of Yasmina Reggad, /A.R.I.A/’s Programme Curator,
‘we want to develop a local audience within the community
of Algerian artists as well as giving more visibility to
a small but growing art scene.’
/A.R.I.A/ was the first artist in residence programme
in Algeria. For this reason, exchange and interaction
between artists from the Algerian diaspora, the Maghreb
and the local cultural scene is crucial to support the
country’s arts sector. This project raised awareness
about the Algerian art scene and gave visibility to this
underrepresented country in the international land
scape of contemporary arts. ‘In two years’ time, /A.R.I.A/
has become a major contemporary art platform in North
Africa providing information and advice to international
art practitioners and institutions,’ says Reggad. ‘We have
been able to develop our activities beyond a residency
programme. We are also contributing in the mobility
of Algerian artists outside the country.’
In 2013, with the funding of the Prince Claus Fund,
/A.R.I.A/ selected and invited one Algerian artist living
outside Algiers, one artist living and working in the
Maghreb region, and one artist from the rest of the
world. Mohamed Bourouissa (born in Algeria, lives and
works in Paris, France), Atef Berredjem (born in Algiers,
lives and works in Annaba, Algeria), and Kapwani
/A.R.I.A/
CINÉ-FIL ALGERIE
Association Cinéma et Mémoire is an association in
Bejaia that aims, through its project CINÉ-FIL ALGERIE,
to create a permanent training and audio-visual
resource centre in its current local office. The office
now houses a film archive featuring documentary
and experimental Algerian and international films.
Twelve years after the end of the Algerian Civil
War, the project created a space where the images
and voices of Algerian film are made available to
the public and where the creation of new images
and voices of contemporary Algeria is made possible
through training and coaching. It is a space for reflection,
debates and discussions about the Algerian context.
As well as contributing to the development of
an audio-visual resource centre in Bejaia, the project
organised workshops and screenings in Bejaia and
five different cities throughout Algeria (Alger, Oran,
Setif,Timezrit,Tizi Ouzou). ‘The film industry is completely
marginalised in Algeria, major cities enjoy all the support
and small towns and villages are disregarded.This is why
we focus our work on remote areas,’ say Association
Cinéma et Mémoire. ‘Trends in civil society are obviously
contradictory, between a citizen awakening on one side,
and a strong exploitation of youth and youth movements
on the other.’ And the situation in Algeria is not
improving: ‘since the enactment of a law that restricts
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problem. Burundi was ranked 172 out of 183 countries
surveyed in Transparency International’s 2011
Corruption Perceptions Index, making it the most
corrupt country in East Africa.
Freedom of speech is legally guaranteed, but press
laws restrict journalists in broad, imprecise ways,
and sanctions for defamation and insults include harsh
fines and imprisonment. The government, which owns
the public television and radio stations, dominates the
media; it also runs Le Renouveau, the only daily news
paper. Several private broadcast media outlets also
operate, though most have a limited broadcast range.
Women have limited opportunities for advancement
in the economic and political spheres, especially
in rural areas. Burundi continues to have a serious
problem with sexual and domestic violence, and
these crimes are rarely reported. Burundi passed
a law criminalising homosexuality in 2009.
Arts and Culture Cultural programs have suffered as
a result of poverty and political upheaval. Most cultural
initiatives are funded by foreign individuals or NGOs.
One of the most important cultural events in Burundi
is the Burundi International Film Festival. After the
independence of Burundi, drum tunes became a symbol
of unity. Kidum (Jean Pierre Nimbona) is a Burundian
master drummer and singer. He is based in Nairobi,
and his infectious tunes have hooked legions of fans
across the East Africa region.
Supported projects In 2007, Radio Isanganiro received
a Prince Claus Award for its efforts to dissipate ethnic
tensions within the country (www.isanganiro.org).
The project Buja sans Tabou, supported through the
2013 Africa Call, is one of the first large scale projects
supported in the country by the Prince Claus Fund.
freedom of action, the situation for cultural associations
is very difficult in Algeria.This law was adopted in January
2014. All Algerian associations have been ordered to
comply with the new law.’
The challenge of the project was to teach young
Algerians to own and produce images and thus
participate in the democratisation of knowledge and
citizenship education. The project encouraged the
development of stable film clubs across the country.
It was addressed to students and young people in
remote towns and villages without cinemas. The aim
is ‘to reconnect youth with the act of watching a movie
together in a common space, even if it does not meet
the standards of a real movie theatre.’ Entrance to
screenings was free. The programming was a mix
of Algerian as well as international movies.This project
aimed to instil a sense of ownership over this
creative process in the long term. Often, ‘it happens
that we meet youngsters who watch a movie on the
big screen for the first time in their life.’
Habiba Djahnine, documentary maker and director
of Cinéma et Memoire, received a 2012 Prince Claus
Fund Award for reviving Algerian cinema through her
high-quality documentaries, and her commitment to
educating new generations of filmmakers to freedom
of expression in general.
Empowerment and Participation
S trengthening Local
Infrastructures
Film
Project partner: Association Cinéma et Mémoire
BURUNDI
Capital: Bujumbura
Population: 10,060,714 (2013)
Historical Context Burundi became independent from
Belgium in 1962. In 1993, after only 100 days in office
the country’s first democratically elected president,
Melchior Ndadaye, was assassinated. The subsequent
conflict between rival Tutsi and Hutu ethnic groups
lasted for almost twelve years. A new constitution
was established in 2005 and a new, Hutu-majority
government was elected under Pierre Nkurunziza,
who remains president today.
Current situation Since the 2010 elections, political
rifts and violence are mainly between rival Hutu
groups, and not between Hutus and Tutsis as in the
past. Burundi’s fragile democracy was threatened in
2011 by violence between supporters of the ruling
party and opposition groups that had boycotted the
2010 elections. According to Human Rights Watch,
Burundi is not an electoral democracy, and the
country lacks representative institutions at the national
level, in both the legislative and executive branches
of government. Corruption remains a significant
BUJA SANS TABOU
was a three-day theatre festival with
the principle theme ‘no taboos and censorship at all.
Total freedom.’ The themes of the festival were censor
ship and freedom of expression, and the festival
offered participating artists freedom to express their
artistic and cultural work. La Troupe Lampyre worked
BUJA SANS TABOU
38
in partnership with groups from Burundi, the subregion (Rwanda, Congo), and Belgium.
The implementation of this project enabled the
creation of the first ever theatre festival in Burundi
with a special focus on the issues of freedom of
expression and censorship. ‘Imagine, the first Frenchlanguage theatre festival ever held in Burundi!’ says
Sabimbona Freddy, from La Troupe Lampyre. ‘The
theatre brings colour back to the country and also helps
to forge cultural and human bonds with our neighbours,
our guests, and hence, see the world from a new perspective.’
This project was a passionate attempt to create
a space for regional artists to share work, in order
to bring Burundi out of isolation from artistic activities
within East Africa. The benefits and the need of such
a festival for the local and sub-regional artistic com
munities were tremendous. According to Sabimbona
Freddy, ‘Burundi is unique because it has an unshakable
faith in the future.Whatever happens, a Burundian’s greatest
strength is his ability to never bend.’ Furthermore, ‘within
five years Africa will be essential in culture and for a simple
reason.There is such a desire, such a thirst for knowledge
that at some point it can only explode – in a good sense!’
Freedom of Expression
Human Rights
which were documented and disseminated online.
‘As an individual, the dissemination of information on a small
scale is the means for reducing ignorance. Because, despite
punitive laws, despite homophobia fueled by ignorance,
there is always a space for expression’, says Star Rugori
of MOLI. ‘Although MOLI is not a cultural organisation,
we believe it is essential that people can talk and we
support all forms of expression.’
Collecting and presenting information on the daily
lives of members of the LGBT community presents
a challenge to the country’s culture of silence. This
project encouraged the LGBT community to express
itself through art in order to fight against discrimination,
promote tolerance, and build confidence.
LUTTE CONTRE LE SILENCE initiated six artistic work
shops focusing on poetry, writing, theatre, photography,
drawing and singing under the guidance of established
artists. The results of these workshops were presented
to the audience during a final event to celebrate the
International Day of Human Rights on 10 December
2013. All events were documented and the artworks
published online, to reach out to members of the
LGBT community who wished to remain anonymous.
According to Rugori, ‘the physical safety of the partici
pants, the activities and even the places were reviewed
case by case so we could ensure minimal risk to the partici
pants. For example, the final exhibition could not have
large media attention and be open to the general public.’
There was however some difficulty in finding
enough female workshop participants. It was difficult
to obtain the targeted number of fifteen participants
at each of the workshops but once the announce
ments were communicated in local languages (Swahili
and Kirundi) this improved.
It is interesting to note that when Agaciro
(an independent group based around a blog for the
LGBT community) started to be active in Burundi’s
LGBT community, they would rarely have even twenty
participants at their meetings. Since the launch of this
project, however, they have almost always had over
twenty people present at their meetings, of whom
half are new participants. It is also interesting to note
that they are seeing more and more young people
who speak Swahili, and youngsters from difficult neigh
bourhoods, which was not the case before this
project began.
Performing Arts
www.facebook.com/lampyre.troupe
Project partner: Troupe Lampyre
LUTTE CONTRE LE SILENCE
Human Rights
The LGBT community in Burundi has to work under
ground and therefore the development of activities
is difficult and requires a great deal of courage. Women
in particular are difficult to reach. A culture of silence
is still very much present in everyday life. This project
was among the first attempts to build awareness for
the LGBT community through art expression. This
project, LUTTE CONTRE LE SILENCE (fight against silence),
documented hate crimes and abuse based on sexual
orientation, gender expression or identity in Burundi.
Lutte CONTRE LE SILENCE held thematic weekly meetings
Literature
Photography
Performing Arts
moliburundi.org
moliburundi.wordpress.com
Project partner: Mouvement pour les Libertés Individuelles (MOLI)
and Development.
39
ETHIOPIA
Capital: Addis Ababa
Population: 93,877,025 (2013)
Historical Context Despite an Italian occupation in the
1930s, Ethiopia’s monarchy maintained its freedom
from colonial rule, something that remains a source
of national pride. In 1974 a bloody coup deposed
Emperor Haile Selassie, imposing a socialist regime
that was marked by uprisings and refugee crises.
Today, Ethiopia is involved in several border conflicts,
the most important of which has been unresolved
since the 1998 war with Eritrea. Tensions, and
frequent violent outbreaks, are a feature of the
border with Somalia and to a lesser extent with
Sudan. These unstable border situations are reflected
in an increasing number of refugees and displaced
persons from Ethiopia.
Current situation Radio and television remain under
the control of the government. Print media are
limited due to high illiteracy and poor distribution. In
2003 the government suspended the only
independent media organisation in the nation, the
Ethiopian Free Journalists. An Ethiopian journalist and
blogger Eskinder Nega faces life imprisonment after
being convicted of terrorism charges. He was
arrested in September 2011 for publishing articles
online about the Arab Spring and questioning the
Ethiopian government’s use of anti-terrorism laws. In
August 2012, the Ethiopian military was accused by
Human Rights Watch, of conducting a campaign of
arbitrary arrest, rape and torture against villagers in
the Gambella region.
Arts and Culture Netsa Art Village is one of the
standout cultural organisations in the country. As a
membership organisation it stimulates development
of contemporary art in Ethiopia. This art collective
houses some of the most talented and cutting-edge
artists in Ethiopia. Adugna Community Dance Theatre
Company is another cultural organisation that works
with street children, prisoners and young people with
physical disabilities, lifting them from poverty through
dance. The Fekat Circus is a non-profit organisation
aimed at promoting arts as an agent for social change
and development. The Addis Film Festival takes place
in May and is considered to be the biggest annual
cultural event in the country.
active in Ethiopia since 2000 with various smaller
projects. In 1999, sociologist Dessalegn Rahmato
received a Prince Claus Award for his outstanding
work as a writer. Through the Africa Call 2013, the
Fund has supported larger projects in the country.
DFA PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP SERIES
Desta for Africa (DFA) was founded to address the
lack of adequate photographic training in Ethiopia.
It is founded on the belief that through education
and self-sustainable opportunities, Ethiopian photo
graphers can promote a balanced view of their country.
The DFA PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP SERIES offered
four different photography and video training programs
that lasted six weeks. The participants were photo
graphers from Ethiopia. The main aim of the DFA
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP SERIES was to support emerging
photographers by giving them an opportunity to under
stand the technical and creative concepts of photo
graphy. According to Aida Muluneh, founder of DFA,
‘having these workshops is an opportunity for us to learn
the best way to teach in Ethiopia due to the various
social and political challenges of the country.Through the
feedback, reporting and documentation we are compiling
a concise curriculum for the development of the DFA
School of Photography and Media. By establishing an
institution, our objective is to develop the art, craft and
business of photography not only in Ethiopia but also Africa.’
The DFA PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP SERIES was an
intercultural project that reached out to different
generations; it was connected with different areas
of society, driving development and change through
art education. ‘We have the strongest female photo
graphers I have seen thus far,’ says Muluneh.
The success of Addis Foto Fest, organised by DFA,
where photographs from the workshops were
exhibited, even brought discussions to the govern
ment about the successes and challenges that
Ethiopian photographers face in documenting their
country. This illustrated how the project can
contribute to the promotion and stimulation of
freedom of expression in Ethiopia.
The main challenge for the project was harass
ment by police and security officials. Photographers
were taken to the police station. It was worse if the
photographer happened to be Ethiopian. ‘There is
a lot of interest coming from the world as it relates to
contemporary art from Africa,’ says Muluneh, ‘it is a long
road but the journey has begun.’
40
Developing the Arts
public.The girls presented their writings to the audience
on many different occasions and in various ways:
from street poetry to ‘poetry jazz’ performances at
the National Theatre of Ethiopia, from two literary
festivals in Hawassa and Addis Ababa to social media
such as Facebook and Twitter. ‘It took longer than we
expected to break down walls and really get to substantial
and honest conversation, but we did get there,’ says Ejigu.
Through critical analysis, young girls and women
aged from eleven to thirty critiqued and engaged with
women’s rights, gender equality, and the barriers
therein, on both a personal and national level. ‘It is still
very common for girls and women to play a secondary
role in organisations, including arts and culture,’ says
Ejigu, but ‘in the next five years, we would like to grow
Long Live the Girls to be an established and cutting-edge
literary and creative expression project for girls and
women in Ethiopia… We would like to host conversations
between men and women on gender equity issues and
truly create new thinking and action to make this country
a more open and tolerant place to express ideas without
fear or degradation.’
Photography
www.dfaplc.com
Project partner: Desta for Africa
LONG LIVE THE GIRLS: A MANIFESTO!
Interview with Kidest Tariku Ejigu t page 58
has the ambitious
and unique objective of tackling and discussing
important gender issues in Ethiopia with girls and
young women in order to develop and produce
a manifesto that can be shared around the country
at public events. ‘We realised that girls and women
in Ethiopia had very little awareness about the gender
policies that impact their lives and thought that creative
writing could help demystify this language while building
creative and critical thinking skills,’ says Kidest Tariku
Ejigu, Executive Director, AYCC. ‘It is important
to create platforms for dialogues, conversations, literary
events, and other ways to share ideas in a respectful
and thriving work context.To work toward freedom of
expression, we have to live these values everyday through
our behaviour, and not just on paper.’
LONG LIVE THE GIRLS focussed on gender equality
not only in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa but also in
the Southern Awassa region, which is often overlooked.
The project was highly relevant to recent develop
ments in Ethiopia, where the government had just
reviewed and revised gender equity policies to mini
mise the gender gap and promote development.
According to Ejigu, ‘most of the girls who went to Addis
had never been before, had never seen a gallery, a national
theatre or the national museum. Doing street pottery was
a totally new experience for everyone. No one had heard
about Article 35 of the constitution (on women’s rights)
and here they were shouting and teaching about it on the
streets of Arat Kilo!’
For three months, during a series of workshops,
thirty-two participants between thirteen and twentyfive years of age were asked to address important
socio-political issues such as family, health and
education, allowing them to develop their analytical
skills, their writing skills and their performance in
LONG LIVE THE GIRLS: A MANIFESTO!
Empowerment & Participation
Human Rights
Literature
www.facebook.com/longlivethegirls
Project partner: Action for Youth and
Community Change (AYCC); Break Arts
WAX AND GOLD
Netsa Art Village is one of the very few independent
arts organisations in Ethiopia that focuses on contem
porary art and activism. This project, WAX AND GOLD,
consisted of discussion workshops by Ethiopian artists,
curators, politicians, and activists about many of the
issues currently affecting Ethiopia.
One of the concrete outcomes of the programme
was an exhibition in the Alle School of Fine Arts and
Design Gallery in Addis Ababa with work from all the
41
participants, which sought to serve as an inspiration
both to current arts students and to the public.
Twenty artists (sixteen local and four international)
were directly involved in the WAX AND GOLD work
shop, but they also participated indirectly by assisting
and collaborating on the projects. The artists worked
together intensively over a relatively short period
of time and focussed on how the arts can be used
for self-expression. According to Mihret Kebede,
Director, Netsa Art Village, ‘different art practices and
festivals are flourishing on our continent. And also a newly
developed trend of using our own professionals like curators,
writers and critics will open up our artistic practices to
the outside world… it is important to have international
exchanges and exposures for the wider development
of the art practices in our continent of Africa.’
Exhibiting three-dimensional art in public space
in Ethiopia is almost unheard of. Having realised this,
the project raised a great deal of interest and inter
action from the public and the local community.
A large number of the activities were open to the public;
more than 150 people attended presentations and
talks by local and international professionals and
experts from the art scene of Ethiopia. ‘We learnt a lot
by working with different professionals, artists and experts
involved in the project itself. And most importantly, we found
out that we have the potential to do such kinds of big
projects as a collective if we just give it a try. Now our belief
in ourselves is much stronger than before,’ says Kedebe.
Developing the Arts
According to Elias Aba Milki, Workshop Tutor and
Organiser, Azmari Films, ‘the main motivation behind this
project was the need for a more inclusive film industry
where people from all walks of life have the access to tell
their stories and that of others through film.The govern
ment still tightly controls our media landscape here in
Ethiopia. By giving our participants the tools and skills of
filmmaking, we hope to make them less dependent on
the very regulated traditional media landscape to tell stories.’
Through a workshop and an outreach program,
the project aimed to make new media such as videojournalism and filmmaking more accessible to young
men and women. By working in a youth centre in one
of Addis Ababa’s slums, Azmari Films targeted partici
pants who had the least access to both filming equip
ment and filmmakers willing to share their skills. The
project continued onto Harar, in the Eastern region
of Afar, and Mekele, in the northern region of Tigray.
‘It has been very rewarding to see people from different
regions of the country, who were a bit wary of each other
first, come together as a group and learn to collaborate
with one another,’ says Milki.
The first element of the workshop, which made
it particularly unique, was providing the participants
with full access to modern professional filmmaking
equipment and software. Secondly, it gave the partici
pants the tools and skills they needed to organise
their own workshops in their respective cities in the
future. The project had more than 100 applicants,
and has satisfied the growing interest in film through
these participants led workshops. ‘Until just a few
years ago, most people used theatre, radio, and foreign
films for entertainment.With the opening of many cinemas
and the meteoritic rise in film production, local film has
quickly become the main sector in the entertainment
industry.Though filmmakers still face many challenges,
this growth of film will slowly build a better-structured
and accessible film industry, says Milki.
Performing Arts
Visual Arts
www.netsaartvillage.com
Project partner: Netsa Art Village
Developing the Arts
Project partner: Azmari Films
AZMARI FILMMAKING WORKSHOP
This project organised documentary filmmaking work
shops and curriculum development in three different
cities in Ethiopia.The project emanated from the desire
to find an alternative to the traditional media of tele
vision and newspapers which are easily censored.
42
Film
on girls from shortly after birth until age sixteen.
Arts and Culture The International Roots Homecoming
Festival is a well-known cultural event that attracts
an international audience of those linked to, or interested
in, West African culture. This biennial combines tradi
tional music, dance and art with visits to historic sites.
The Kartong Festival is a good example of an event
that celebrates local and international music and
culture, creating both community and international
bonds through music and the arts.
Supported projects The Prince Claus Fund supported
the Kartong Festival in 2007 (www.africanlinx.org/
kartong-festival). In 2008, the Fund supported the
restoration of the Slave Island – James Island, the
Compagnie Française d’Afrique Occidentale (CFAO)
and the Kerbatch Stone Circle Museum.
THE WIKIAFRICA PROJECT
was also implemented in Ethiopia, but is listed under
projects supported in Malawi
Empowerment and
Participation
Strengthening Local
Infrastructures
Literature
See page 49
www.wikiafrica.net
Project partner: The Africa Centre
THE GAMBIA
Capital: Banjul
Population: 1,883,051 (2013)
LIVING LEGACIES: DOCUMENTING ANCIENT
LEGACIES, MAINTAINING MUSICAL
TRADITIONS FOR A NEW GENERATION
Historical Context The Gambia became independent
from the United Kingdom in 1965. Geographically
surrounded by Senegal, tensions between the two
countries have often flared up. It remains one of the
poorest countries in the world, ranked 168 out
of 194 countries in the Human Development Index.
Yahya Jammeh has been president since leading
a military coup in 1994. The Gambia does not have
abundant natural resources that could be exploited.
Agriculture, tourism and fishery are the most
important economic drivers in the country. Besides
that, money transfers from The Gambian diaspora
are very important to the country’s economy.
Current situation Since a coup attempt in 2006, the
human rights situation in The Gambia has worsened.
Reporters without Borders rank The Gambia 141
out of 179 in the Press Freedom Index 2011/2012.
However, some newspapers in the capital Banjul
report independently. Women’s rights are weak in
The Gambia. The law does not prohibit female genital
mutilation (FGM), and the practice remains wide
spread. A 2005-6 survey by UNICEF found that almost
80 per cent of girls and women between the ages
of fifteen and nineteen had undergone FGM and that
seven of the nine major ethnic groups practiced FGM
was led and facilitated by Tunde Jegede,
a kora player, composer and pioneer of African classical
music, who has been dedicated to promoting and
preserving the traditional music of The Gambia and
West Africa for the past thirty years. LIVING LEGACIES
aimed to address the endemic problem of cultural
heritage and old traditions being lost to a younger
generation in The Gambia by creating a bridge between
the old world and the new.
The project began the long-term process of
documenting, compiling and archiving the resources
of previous generations through locating archival
footage, photographs and audio recordings as well
as conducting new field recordings and making all
of these accessible as an educational online resource.
By collecting and collating this footage, photographs
and recordings, it inspired a new generation to see
the value of their past and appreciate their heritage.
This material was then used to encourage several
young Gambian artists to revisit the ancient reper
toires, thereby reviving this lost legacy for a modern
audience.
LIVING LEGACIES
43
The griot tradition of West Africa is one of the most
important oral traditions to be found on the African
continent, but with rapid globalisation the griot
tradition is being lost. The project attempted to draw
the younger generation’s attention towards the griot
tradition by having young and popular Gambian
artists such as Wali Cham and Sambou Suso perform
the traditional music. ‘I was advised from very early on
to keep this project independent of the government to
maintain its credibility culturally and with all the artists
involved.This definitely proved to be the best route as we
were able to get on with it without any political agendas
and we were determined to keep local politics out of this
cultural project,’ says Tunde Jegende. ‘It is the only project
of its kind within West Africa and we would like to
broaden and expand it to include music and traditions
from right across the continent.’
Developing the Arts
Infrastructures
for written literature, as little exists in native
languages. Bernard Dadie is perhaps Ivory Coast’s
best-known writer to emerge in the twentieth
century. He wrote the country’s first play, Assémiwen
Déhylé, and one of its first novels, Climbié. Women
entered the literary scene during the mid-1970s.
Among the best known are Simone Kaya, Fatou Bolli,
Anne-Marie Adiaffi,Véronique Tadjo, Flore Hazoumé,
and Gina Dick.
One of Ivory Coast’s most famous festivals is the
Fêtes des Masques (Festival of Masks), where villagers
pay homage to the forested spirits embodied in the
masks. The Fête du Dipri held in Gomon is an
eccentric event to exorcise the village of evil spells.
Another important event is the weeklong carnival
in Bouaké held in March.
The arts are largely self-supporting, although the
government encourages and provides support to
dance troupes, artists, writers, and the museums.
Village cultural groups receive some government
assistance.
Supported projects In 2000, Werewere Liking received
a Prince Claus Award for her commitment to the devel
opment of theatre, dance, and literature practices.
Since 2003, the Prince Claus Fund has supported the
Sokan Theatre through different projects, mainly theatre
and writing workshops. A recent project partner
is the Ivorian print journalist Selay Marius Kouassi,
whom the Prince Claus Fund supported in 2012.
Performing Arts
www.tundejegede.com
Project partner: Tunde Jegende
IVORY COAST
Capital: Abidjan
Population: 22,400,835 (2013)
Historical Context Following independence in 1960,
Ivory Coast benefited economically from close ties
to France. Political instability has dogged the country
since 1999, most recently flaring up after presidential
elections in 2011. Ivory Coast is a republic with
strong executive power embodied in the President.
The country is highly dependent on agriculture and
related products and is among the world’s largest
producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans and
palm oil.
Current situation The Ivorian people have generally
been open to foreign media, usually French.
Successive governments have varied in their attitudes
to the foreign press and media. Ivory Coast has faced
a period of serious human rights violations and these
violations, especially when it comes to freedom of
expression, continue today. Many socially critical
filmmakers and journalists in Ivory Coast (and
abroad) are coping with censorship and experience
difficulties in broadcasting their work.
Arts and Culture Ivory Coast has enjoyed a long
history of storytelling, primarily because of its high
illiteracy rate. Large parts of the adult population, in
particular women, are illiterate, and many children
between six and ten years are not enrolled in school.
By passing on traditional poetry, folktales, and myths,
the storytellers, called griots, impart societal values,
history, and religion. French is the dominant language
CINÉ DROIT LIBRE ABIDJAN
CINÉ DROIT LIBRE is
a film festival dedicated to human
rights and freedom of expression. It is a platform for
filmmakers and journalists from all around the world
whose work is censored or poorly distributed. The
promotion of this kind of work is especially important
for African filmmakers whose involvement in the area
of human rights and freedom of expression is remark
able but often overlooked. In 2013, the theme of the
fifth edition of the festival was children rights. ‘We are
the only human rights film festival in Ivory Coast.That
makes us different from the others.We have aroused an
44
a wider public and developing new audiences. YEYOKUN
(LET’S BOND TOGETHER) sought to contribute to a better
Ivorian society with greater social inclusion through
what was the largest theatrical and scenic art event
the country has ever known.
In the framework of the YEYOKUN (LET’S BOND
TOGETHER) project, the Institut des Civilisations Noires
(ICN) undertook a nationwide performing arts tour
(festivals, outdoor theatre, etc.) across the five regions
of the country and organised a series of seminars and
workshops to discuss national cultural policy and
how it impacts on the work of artists.
Mixing performing arts with policymaking, and
academia with the objectives of peace building and
conflict resolution in a context as complicated as
Ivory Coast was a difficult, complex and ambitious
task. According to Daniel Touba, Project manager of
YEYOKUN, the project ‘took scenic arts from urban
neighbourhoods to the remote rural areas of Ivory Coast
and responded to the major challenges that face
performing artists in Ivory Coast in accessing a wider
public and developing new audiences. Above all it gave
way to fruitful interactions between the artists/performers
and the audience.The impact of the project on the artists
and the places that hosted the tour was remarkable!’
With a performing arts tour and joint
performances, this project offered many upcoming
artists the opportunity to learn, be economically
empowered, access a wider audience and develop
new audiences in remote rural areas. The project
addressed political and social issues, questioned
taboos, and fostered cultural dialogue between
former rival communities, bringing a working
alternative to a context where political mediation
and solutions have proven less effective. ‘Art is a very
strong alternative to bridge the gap between rival entities
where mere political discourse remains powerless or fails.
With art, latent rivalries between political groups or
specific components of the social fabric are easily brought
to the surface and discussed,’ says Touba.
interest for documentary cinema and human rights issues.
The public come to see the films and stay to discuss the
issues. For me, it is a big step towards awareness,’ says
Yacouba Sangaré. ‘However, the big challenge is the fund
raising for this kind of project. It’s really not easy. All the doors
close as soon as you start to speak about human rights.’
The festival was managed through collaboration
between Ciné Connexion, Semfilms and the GoetheInstitut in Abidjan. The Prince Claus Fund had sup
ported Ciné Connexion before with the organisation
of the first edition of this festival in Burkina Faso, which
was a great success. According to Sangaré, ‘the Prince
Claus Fund helped the festival to grow, to take on more
dimensions, by increasing the screenings venues, by welcom
ing experimental directors who shared, through the master
classes, their experiences with young Ivorian filmmakers.’
The festival consisted of three main activities: the
training of NGOs in the use of video and web tools,
a master class on documentary film, and film screenings,
which were held in nine different locations. Around
250 people attended the opening ceremony.
The fifth edition of CINÉ DROIT LIBRE Abidjan hosted
five guests: Samir Benchikh, Gideon Vink, Jean-Pierre
Bekolo, Smockey and Bakary Ouattara. This fifth
edition of CDL allowed the various partners of the
festival to strengthen their partnership and improve
the organisation of the festival. ‘If Africa wants to
develop its culture, it is necessary to multiply the cultural
exchanges between the various countries. In uniting our
strengths we shall be stronger,’ says Sangaré.
Human Rights
Film
www.cinedroitlibre.bf
Project partner: Ciné Connexion
and Development.
Developing the Arts
Performing Arts
Project partner: Institut des Civilisations Noires (ICN)
YEYOKUN (LET’S BOND TOGETHER)
This project responded to the major challenges that
performing artists in Ivory Coast face in accessing
45
closing of media during the presidential elections in
2011, Liberia fell 26 places on the Reporters Without
Borders 2011–2012 World Press Freedom Index,
ranking 110 out of a total of 179, just above South
Sudan and Ukraine.
Arts and Culture The Liberia Heritage Initiative based
in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, intends to teach
Liberian youths the history and cultural values of their
ancestral land by imparting to them strategic artistic
skills. The National Museum of Liberia in Monrovia
has the goal of obtaining, preserving and displaying
cultural artefacts and other historical items, which
depict the country’s heritage, which was grievously
affected by the fourteen years of war. According to
the museum’s Director, Caesar Harris, approximately
5,000 artefacts were looted during this period and
now less than 100 larger artefacts remain.
A rich literary tradition has existed in Liberia for over
a century. Edward Wilmot Blyden, Bai T. Moore,
Roland T. Dempster and Wilton G. S. Sankawulo are
among Liberia’s more prominent authors.
Supported projects Film Festival: Image of Liberia,
organised by Kriterion Monrovia, which is part of this
call, is one of the first larger projects supported by
the Fund in Liberia. In 2007, the Prince Claus Fund
supported a three-day national cultural festival
organised by Hilltop Communications Inc.
FEMMES EN SCENE 2013
was also implemented in the Ivory Coast, but is listed under
projects supported in Mauritania
Empowerment and
Participation
Developing the Arts
Performing Arts
Project partner: Sokan Theatre (Mauritania / Ivory Coast)
See page 50
LIBERIA
Capital: Monrovia
Population: 3,989,703 (2013)
Historical Context Liberia is Africa’s oldest republic.
The settlement of freed slaves from the United States
of America in what is today Liberia began in 1822;
by 1847, the Americo-Liberians had established a
republic. The West African nation was relatively calm
until 1980, when arbitrary rule and economic collapse
culminated in civil war as Charles Taylor’s National
Patriotic Front of Liberia militia overran much of the
countryside, entering the capital in 1990. Around
250,000 people were killed in Liberia’s civil war and
thousands more fled. The conflict left the country in
economic ruin and overrun with weapons. The capital
remains without mains electricity or running water.
Since 2005, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been president,
re-elected to office in 2011.
Current situation Corruption is rife and unemployment
and illiteracy are endemic in Liberia.The UN maintains
some 15,000 soldiers in the country. Moreover, the
security situation is still fragile and the process of
rebuilding the social and economic structure of this
war-torn country continues. Same-sex sexual activity
is illegal in Liberia. In 2012, the Movement for the
Defence of Gays and Lesbians in Liberia was established.
Reporters Without Borders has been alarmed by
a dangerous recent increase in acts of violence and
intimidation against radio and TV stations and news
papers. Because of attacks against journalists and the
FILM FESTIVAL: IMAGE OF LIBERIA
Kriterion Monrovia is a new independent art house
cinema in Monrovia, Liberia, which focuses on the
culture in the city by screening art house movies and
organising cultural events.
In Liberia, and especially in Monrovia, there is a huge
demand for cultural activity after the devastating
fourteen-year-long civil war. Kriterion Monrovia, which
is based on the model of the Kriterion in Amsterdam,
is run by young people. ‘By giving young people a voice
in the cultural climate they will also take ownership of their
society and that will stimulate innovation in the cultural
sector,’ says Pandora Hodge, Project Coordinator,
Kriterion Monrovia. The cinema not only creates jobs
46
but also seeks to stimulate a transformation in Liberia’s
cultural arena.
By providing quality film entertainment in a profes
sional environment Kriterion Monrovia cultivates
appreciation for film and the visual arts and acts as
a hothouse for new cultural entrepreneurs and ideas.
By offering an eclectic programme and addressing
issues that are important to young Liberians, it hopes
to contribute to a strong democracy in Liberia. With
the support of the Prince Claus Fund, Kriterion
Monrovia organised the two-day FILM FESTIVAL: IMAGE
OF LIBERIA, in February 2014, preceded by two days
of workshops. FILM FESTIVAL: IMAGE OF LIBERIA itself
included the screening of fifteen movies, a total of
eight workshops, fifteen artist talks and three round
table discussions. Liberia’s past and present issues
were reflected upon, including themes such as the
slave trade, hardship and conflict, but also the resilience,
power and strength of the Liberian people around
the world, their achievements and their involvement
in the national and international arena. ‘FILM FESTIVAL:
IMAGE OF LIBERIA was the first of its kind, and the idea
was to promote local filmmakers. By organising the
festival, we were able to raise topics that were discussed
during debates, and after screenings.We have discovered
what it means to organise such a big event, from the root
level.This has allowed us to make a big step in terms of
branding the Kriterion Monrovia Cinema,’ says Hodge.
The festival created a space for international exchange
and inspiration by showing international films, by
having a mixed team of volunteers coming from dif
ferent countries, by having not only local but also
international partners and by having the trainers
at the workshops share and compare ideas through
their own international experiences. In total more
than 350 visitors were reached during this project.
Empowerment and
Participation
Strengthening Local
Infrastructures
into a series of fiefdoms guarded by militias, under
cutting any sense of national unity and triggering
violent clashes between rival communities. Libya’s
economy depends primarily upon revenues from the
petroleum sector, which contributes practically all
export earnings and over half of the country’s GDP.
Current situation Libya is a destination and transit
country for men and women from sub-Saharan Africa
and Asia trafficked for the purposes of forced labour and
commercial sexual exploitation. Reporters Without
Borders is increasingly worried by the signs of a decline
in respect for freedom of information since 2007
including visa problems, filming bans, arbitrary arrest
and deportation. Libya ranks 154th on the Press
Freedom Index, just above Uzbekistan and Rwanda.
Arts and Culture Since the fall of Gaddafi in 2011, Libya
has seen an explosion of artistic expression, with the
appearance of new publications, art galleries and graffiti.
The current government, in contrast to Gaddafi, no
longer restricts cultural expression. There are several
active organisations in the country focusing on culture
and development. For example, the Dar Al-Fanoun
(Art House) in Tripoli hosts exhibitions. The Voice of
Libyan Women is a Libyan women’s advancement and
empowerment NGO based in Tripoli, with branch
offices in Zawia and Misrata, which has a focus on the
political participation of Libyan women, as well as the
elimination of all forms of gender based violence.
One of the best-known Libyan poets, Khaled Mattawa,
was born in 1964 and raised in Benghazi, but lives and
works in the USA. Mohamed Zwawi is probably the
most famous Libyan cartoonist; his works have
received wide recognition and have been published
in books and in Libyan print media.
Supported projects Reviving the Arts in Libya, which was
supported through this call, is the first large project
supported by the Prince Claus Fund in Libya.
Film
www.facebook.com/kriterionmonrovia
Project partner: Kriterion Monrovia
LIBYA
Capital:Tripoli
Population: 6,002,347 (2013)
Historical Context The 2011 civil war in Libya ousted
Muammar al-Gaddafi, who had led Libya since his
1969 coup precipitated the country’s independence
in 1951. As a result, Libya is currently undergoing
political reconstruction, and is governed under
an interim constitution drawn up by the National
Transitional Council (NTC). Since 2011 the situation
in Libya has worsened. The country has disintegrated
REVIVING THE ARTS IN LIBYA
The Arete Foundation seeks to revitalise the art
scene in Libya by introducing forms of art that have
not been exhibited previously in the country. Their
47
project, REVIVING THE ARTS IN LIBYA, presented films,
visual art, video art, creative writing and capacity
building activities, including a series of lectures and
workshops, to better acquaint Libyan artists and art
students with the work of distinguished international
artists. ‘Our vision has been to strengthen the artistic and
cultural literacy of Libyan youths and young artists.We
hope that in a few years we will be able to assist some
new and vital artists who can move the arts sector to
abandon local insularity and to adopt experimentation
and innovation,’ says Khaled Mattawa, President of the
Arete Foundation for Arts and Culture.
The project developed a series of lectures and
workshops, weekly film screenings, direct capacity
building, an outdoor exhibition of video art works,
and Libya’s first installation art show. Participating
artists included Khaled Hourani (Palestine), Najwa
Barakat (Lebanon/France), Dave Griffiths (Britain),
Alla Younis (Jordan), and Hadia Gana (Libya), Hadia
Gana (Libya), Mohammed Ben Lamin (Libya), Redwan
Abu Shuweisha (Libya), Reem Gibriel (Libya), and
Khaled Mattawa (Libya/USA). According to Mattawa,
‘the support of the PCF made all the difference. It was
the base funding that we used to secure all other funding.
Had we not had the support of PCF we would have started,
and would have been unable to secure the rest of the
funding from other sources.’
The Arete Foundation for Arts & Culture is an
important venue for the cultural life of the capital
Tripoli. Their events, such as exhibitions, festivals and
workshops, are well visited, attracting audiences
of different ages, genders and backgrounds. The organi
sation has an inclusive approach, and has found a way
of maintaining high standards without intimidating the
public, whilst also attracting people who have never
been to a reading, an artist’s talk or an exhibition before.
Given the safety issues in the country, the project
was carried out with some minor delays. ‘The security
situation in the country is quite fragile. People don’t feel
safe going to arts events soon after dark and our events
(video art show outdoors and cinema club screenings)
take place in the evening,’ says Mattawa. ‘We learned
that the people in Libya want the arts in their country
because the arts are important, and because the presence
of the art in their country makes them feel important,
and also safe.The arts assert people’s rights to live
a normal, safe, and rich life.’
Developing the Arts
E mpowerment and
Participation
MALAWI
Capital: Lilongwe
Population: 16,777,547 (2013)
Historical Context Malawi became independent in 1964.
Malawi ranks among the world’s most densely popu
lated and least developed countries. The economy
is predominately agricultural with about 80 per cent
of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture
accounts for one-third of the country’s GDP and
90 per cent of export revenues.
Current situation Today, though considered an
electoral democracy, police brutality is reportedly
common, as are arbitrary arrests and detentions.
Malawi was ranked 100 out of 183 countries surveyed
in Transparency International’s 2011 Corruption
Perceptions Index. Freedoms of assembly and associ
ation have come under pressure in recent years.
Protests in 2011 were followed by a crackdown that
left eighteen Malawians dead. Freedom of the press
is legally guaranteed but has come increasingly under
threat. Despite government pressures, Malawi’s dozen
or so newspapers present a diversity of opinion.
The government faces many challenges including
developing a market economy, improving educational
facilities, facing up to environmental problems, and
dealing with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/
AIDS. Consensual sexual activity between same-sex
couples is illegal and is punishable with prison terms.
Customary practices perpetuate discrimination
against women in education, employment, business,
and inheritance and property rights.Violence against
women and children remains a serious concern,
though in recent years there has been greater media
attention to, and criminal penalties for, abuse and
rape. Forced marriages and the rape of young girls
by older men remain widespread.
Arts and Culture The Gule Wamkulu (big dance) is
a traditional cultural event performed by the Chewa
and Mang’anja of Malawi and features heavily carved
masks, feathers and skin paint. There are several local
organisations working with culture and development
in Malawi. Blantyre Arts Festival is an annual arts festival
organised by the Warehouse Cultural Centre in Malawi.
Malawi International Film Festival – which is new to the
country, was set up to encourage a culture of cinema
in Malawi, as well as to inspire young Malawian film
makers to join the industry. Lake of Stars Festival is
an award-winning festival that takes place on the shores
of Lake Malawi and entertains vast audiences with
performances by Malawian and international artists.
Supported projects In 2010, the Prince Claus Fund
supported the rehabilitation of cultural heritage sites
affected by a series of earthquakes that hit Malawi in
2009. The WikiAfrica project is one of the first larger
scale projects supported by the Prince Claus Fund
in Malawi.
Visual Arts
Film
www.arete-foundation.org
Project partner: The Arete Foundation for Arts & Culture
This project was supported jointly with Mimeta,
Centre for Culture and Development.
48
the process and learn to work together with a shared cause.
It has been a life-changing experience for the Wikipedians
and the team so far.’
Interview with Isla Haddow-Flood t page 59
Empowerment and
Participation
Strengthening Local
Infrastructures
Literature
www.africacentre.net
Project partner: The Africa Centre
MAURITANIA
Capital: Nouakchott
Population: 3,437,610 (2013)
aims to improve the
quality and quantity of African content on Wikipedia.
By making archival information available online,
WIKIAFRICA aims to empower and inform Africans
about their continent. ‘THE WIKIAFRICA PROJECT was
developed to redress the imbalance of information that
exists on Wikipedia about Africa.’ say Michael Phoya and
Abel Asrat, who worked on the project. ‘It will move
the perception away from a negative two-dimensional
view towards a more complex, nuanced understanding
of all the aspects that affect the peoples of Africa.’
The project was led by two ‘Wikipedians in
Residence’ (WiR), one in Ethiopia and one in Malawi.
These WiR were chosen through an open call that
was sent out to institutions in Malawi and Ethiopia,
and were trained by The Africa Centre and Lettera27
staff, as well as by an external trainer from the
Wikipedia Community.The WiR were in their position
over the course of a year, under the supervision of
The Africa Centre. These WiR worked with eleven
organisations, collaborating with each for a month,
with the first month allocated for training. Each WiR
drew together existing Wikipedians and encouraged
new individuals to activate formal Wikipedia pages.
Both Malawi and Ethiopia are subject to very tight
media restrictions and extensive human rights violations.
Only through the free flow of information and readily
accessible knowledge can Malawians and Ethiopians
be in a position to understand their own histories
and their rights. Wikipedia is one of the most power
ful existing systems of knowledge production and
distribution online. The involvement of trained people
and institutions as contributors makes it possible for
African knowledge to be part of Wikipedia.
Through WIKIAFRICA, contemporary and socially
relevant information concerning culturally sensitive
heritage and marginalised communities was made
publicly available. According to Phoya and Asrat, ‘the
experience of the intensive training has shown the thirst
for this kind of knowledge and intervention in Africa. It has
been great to watch the Wikipedians from vastly different
backgrounds, languages, and contexts bond throughout
Historical Context Mauritania became independent
from France in 1960. In 1989, 60,000 black Mauritanians
were expelled to Senegal and Mali, and thousands
were killed. Since 2007, slavery has been illegal, black
African Mauritanian refugees have returned from
Senegal and Mali, and press freedom and a climate
of free political activism has emerged. Despite the
prohibition of slavery, organisations estimate the
number of slaves in Mauritania to be approximately
20 per cent of the population. Sixteen per cent of
the country’s children between the ages of five and
fourteen work. In February 2011, demonstrations
during the Arab Spring took place in the capital
of Mauritania.
Current situation Economic, social and administrative
problems prevail, especially organised crime (drug
trafficking, people smuggling) and the growing treat
of terrorism. Twenty-one per cent of the population
live under the poverty line. Seventy per cent of the
country’s food is imported. Mauritania produces
7500 barrels of oil and gas a day.
After the presidential elections in July 2009, the human
rights situation has improved somewhat. However,
the illiteracy rate for women is 70 per cent, and
50 per cent among men. In terms of freedom of
expression, in 2011-2012 Reporters Without Borders
rank Mauritania 67 out of 179, above Croatia and
Greece. The situation is, however, described as ‘having
noticeable problems.’
Arts and Culture Bon Ould Al-Dif is the best-known
cartoonist in Mauritania. Alioune Fall Brahim (aka
Waraba, which means ‘lion’ in Bambara) is one of the
most talented rappers in Mauritania. He is known for
his fast rapping and freestyle raps in Wolof, in hip-hop,
dancehall and reggae music. Noura Mint Seymali is
a thirty-two year-old musician who has turned heads
in her conservative country with her blend of Mauritanian
music with styles like jazz, zouk and reggae.The country
has four towns on the UNECSO World Heritage list:
Chenguitt, Ouadane, Tichit and Oualata.
49
Supported projects In 2009 the Prince Claus Fund
supported Waraba in the studio recording of a youth
education CD, and in 2010 with the distribution and
promotion of a CD of Mauritanian rap music. FEMMES
EN SCENE, a project that is part of this call, is one
of the first large projects supported in the country
by the Prince Claus Fund.
a well-known female stage director who led a special
workshop in Mauritania resulting in a major play with
an international cast. During the first twenty days of
the workshops in Mauritania, the residency focused
on the creation of a major play with an international
cast, which went on an ‘African tour’ in May 2014.
The project offered women in Mauritania the oppor
tunity to gain experience in theatre and exchange
ideas about the conditions in which they operate.
‘Culturally, this project enables capacity building of women,
allowing them to integrate artwork and especially theatre,’
says Ouédraogo Ablas, Coordinator, Sokan Theatre.
‘The project created a spirit of sharing, exchange and
fellowship among women.’
Developing the Arts
E mpowerment and
Participation
Performing Arts
Project partner: Sokan Theatre (Mauritania / Ivory Coast)
SUDAN
FEMMES EN SCENE 2013
Capital: Khartoum
Population: 35,482,233 (2014)
In Africa, women are generally underrepresented
in the theatre. In an effort to challenge this, the
Sokan Theatre in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, together with
Mauritania’s Bureau des Arts et Communication,
decided to organise an annual series of workshops
that allow women theatre-makers to enhance their
professional skills, as well as foster professional ties
between each other. In the years that the Sokan
Theatre has organised FEMMES EN SCENE, the project
has proven its social and artistic relevance by sensi
tively exploring questions of space and the presence
of women in African contemporary art. By teaching
women the skills necessary to pursue a career in
theatrical production, the project has successfully
contributed to the strengthening of arts education
and the development of the theatre sector both
in Ivory Coast and other participating countries.
The 2013 edition of FEMMES EN SCENE took place
in Ivory Coast and in Mauritania, where the under
representation of women theatre makers is particularly
apparent. The project created a bridge between Ivory
Coast and Mauritania. This was achieved through
a program for the women from both countries,
which focused on theatre production, ranging from
workshops, to training, to the creation of a play by
the women, and the touring of the play. This included
five workshops carried out in 40 days with the
participation of 59 trainees, conducted by ten experts
coming from Africa, Europe and the Caribbean.
The organisation aimed, eventually, to promote the
productions resulting from these workshops, envisioning
various international tours.
The workshops in Ivory Coast focused on a specific
project developed especially for this occasion by
Historical Context Sudan is a federal republic that achieved
independence from Egypt and the UK in January 1956.
During Colonial rule the south and the north were
divided by language and religion; two prolonged civil
wars dominated the country’s history following
independence. Following the humanitarian emergency
in Darfur, on-going since 2003, in March 2009 the
International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest
warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on
charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
A charge of genocide was added in 2010. The second
civil war culminated in a peace treaty in 2005, which
led to a referendum on independence in South Sudan
in 2011. South Sudan became independent from the
North on 9 July 2011. Faced with an economic crisis
triggered by the secession of the oil-rich South, Sudan
has since struggled to maintain economic stability.
Current situation The 2005 interim constitution recog
nises freedom of the press, but the media face signifi
cant obstacles in practice. The Sudanese Govern
ment directly controls TV and radio, requiring that
both media reflect government policies. Ten reporters
were charged with defamation in 2011 for reporting
on the alleged gang rape of a female student. The
political situation in Sudan is currently worsening
due to a surge in arrests of opposition activists and
leaders, the banning of a leading political party, violent
responses to public demonstrations in Khartoum
and other cities, and the crackdown on the activities
of journalists. The on-going dispute over the new inter
national boundary between Sudan and South Sudan
has led to the border being sealed. This has curtailed
50
freedom of movement and trade, and caused serious
hardship to nomadic groups whose migratory routes
traverse the border.
Arts and Culture The Sudan Artists Gallery was estab
lished in 1999, to participate in on-going efforts to
document contemporary Sudanese art in particular
and contemporary art in Africa in general.The Sudanese
Women Artists Association is a non-profit non-political
association, located in Khartoum. The association’s
goals are to encourage and support female artists
to increase their artistic activities and to play a role
in the art movement in Sudan.
active in Sudan since 1999 through projects focusing
on preserving cultural heritage and through partner
ships with renowned organisations such as the
Foundation Arts Africa Sudan. In 2001, Ibrahim El-Salahi
received the Prince Claus Award for his outstanding
work and career as a painter and teacher in postindependence Sudan. In 2007 the Sudanese Writers
Union received a Prince Claus Award for their work
promoting dialogue and seeking solutions to conflicts
through culture.
role of photography in socio-political discourse. For this
reason the Sudanese Photographers group decided
to initiate a master class workshop leading to an exhi
bition, in partnership with Invisible Borders Trans-African
Photographers Organisation, the Nigerian based col
lective whose photography Road Trip Project has
in many ways inspired the Sudanese Photographers.
According to Emeka Okereke, ‘photography in Sudan
has lacked attention for a long time, and now there is
a new generation of young and energetic photographers
who have a huge passion for this art. It was noticeable
that many photographers here in Sudan are now starting
to work on projects instead of just shooting beautiful photos.
And now young Sudanese photographers have started
networking with their colleagues from around the continent.’
In 2011, the photographers of Invisible Borders,
Emeka Okereke, Emmanuel Iduma, Kemi Akin-Nibosun,
Adeola Olagunju, and Nana Oforiatta-Ayim, with the
Prince Claus Fund’s support, made a road trip from
Lagos to Addis Ababa, passing through Sudan. During
their stay in Khartoum, they organised a workshop
with Sudanese Photographers and had an opportunity
to share their experiences. That triggered the idea
of a trans-African collaboration on a larger scale.
In June 2013 the Berlin-based Nigerian Photographer
Akinbode Akinbiyi headed a four-week master class.
In the words of Okereke, ‘the essence of the master
class is to create a platform for in-depth discussion and
exchange, tapping from the experiences of the road trip
and sharing with those artists and public in the region we
had visited.The works from the road trip (especially while
in Khartoum) were reviewed and discussed with Sudanese
photographers in relation to their specific reality.The exhi
bition of works created by participants of the master
class then offers this experience to the public.’
In February 2014 there was a three-week exhibition
in Khartoum showcasing the works produced by the
participants of the workshop. The exhibition is expect
ed to travel to other art festivals in Africa such as the
Addis Foto Fest, Lagos Photo, Bamako Biennale, Biennale
Benin, Joburg Art Fair amongst others. A book was
published to accompany the project, which articulates
the process of the master class as well as the final
result. This book will be diffused alongside the traveling
exhibition and was completed for the inaugural exhibi
tion in Khartoum in February 2014. ‘The presence of
the Prince Claus Fund gave the project more importance,
and many people wondered why the Fund would support
photography in Sudan. And it was especially helpful when
we were getting visa letters from officials here in Sudan.
They were more positive after they found out that Prince
Claus fund was involved in the project,’ says Okereke.
TRANS-AFRICAN PHOTOGRAPHY
MASTER CLASS
Sudanese Photographers Group (SPG) started out
as a group on Facebook (www.facebook.com/groups/
sphotographers) with the goal of bringing together
Sudanese photographers and providing a space for
them to showcase their work online and get feed
back from more experienced members. Three years
later, SPG has grown into a group with over 14,000
members.This rapid growth shows the gap that existed
in the Sudanese cultural sector for an organisation
that brings together the nation’s photographers. It also
shows that despite the contextual and political envi
ronment, photography is a thriving art form in Sudan.
The SPG recognised that in order to get more exposure
and to effectively implement photography as a tool
for social change they needed to enhance their photo
graphic skills and deepen their knowledge about the
Developing the Arts
Photography
www.spg.sd
Project partner: Sudanese Photographers Group (SPG)
and Development.
51
it has a well-respected institution in Sudan for long time
ago, and it gave us credibility and helped us to approach
supporters from different backgrounds.’
Interview with Talal Afifi t page 60
Developing the Arts
Infrastructures
Film
www.facebook.com/SIFF.Official
Project partner: Sudan Film Factory
SUDAN INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
The Sudan Film Factory aims to build the capacities
of young Sudanese people in producing films, and to
expose a Sudanese audience to films, filmmaking and
cinema. Motivated, curated and designed by an energetic
and creative group of independent young Sudanese
film makers and critics, the Sudan Film Factory has
established an excellent track record in the production
of high quality short documentary and fictional films,
some of which have been awarded and screened at
major film festivals, such as the Rotterdam Film
Festival and the Luxor Film Festival in Egypt.
In January 2014, the Sudan Film Factory organised
the SUDAN INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL in Khartoum,
a weeklong festival of screenings, discussion forums
and network platforms, focused on the importance
of cinema as a form of artistic expression for social
debate and change. The aim was to provide Sudanese
filmmakers with a platform to promote the culture of
filmmaking in Sudan, thereby fostering the awareness
of its importance, knowledge of past cultural heritage,
a network for the future development of cinema
in Sudan, and a visibility in and outside the borders
of Sudan. ‘After one week of the final ceremony, the Minister
of Culture held an official meeting with the director of
Sudan Film Factory and had a press conference in which
he announced 2014 to be the year of Cinema in Sudan.
As a result, debates and conceptual discussions took place
between intellectuals about independent cinema,’ says
Talal Afifi, director of the SUDAN INDEPENDENT FILM
FESTIVAL.
Film screenings (presenting both acknowledged
and emerging filmmakers from different generations)
in various cultural centres and cinemas were accom
panied by a series of lectures, discussion forums and
networking platforms for artists, filmmakers, intellectuals,
journalists, experts, decision makers and general
audiences. These lectures and discussions targeted
young audiences, between eighteen and thirty-four
years old. ‘The festival set a high standard for visual arts
and cultural events which is encouraging more institutions
to get involved in this movement,’ says Afifi. ‘Having the
name and logo of Prince Claus Fund gave us a great push,
MOBILE CINEMA:TAKING FILM
TO THE MARGINS IN SUDAN
The Sudanese organisation Al Khatim Adlan Center
for Enlightenment and Human Development (KACE)
aims to revive the rich cultural tradition of going to
the movies by organising film tours in northern and
central Sudan.
Although under heavy pressure from the current
government, Sudan has a rich tradition of cinema.
Cinemas proliferated in cities all over the country until
the early 1990s, and films reached rural areas via
cinema vehicles, which enabled those living in Sudan’s
more remote areas to go to the movies. Unfortunately
Sudan’s current government has placed heavy scrutiny
on such public film screenings, and on the production
and dissemination of films in general.
The project’s goal was to realise film screenings and
discussions in regions where there is a lack of infra
structure for cultural events, reaching out to neigh
bourhoods that are otherwise excluded from
attending such events.
The project was conceived as a yearlong film tour
throughout Sudan, offering diverse audiences in Sudan
the chance to enjoy (and subsequently to debate)
contemporary regional cinema as well as films from
Hollywood. According to Ahmed Elmahdi, from KACE,
‘screening movies outside Khartoum was extremely
challenging. As we travelled with the equipment, we raised
the attention of the security.We systematically had to
52
Mswati III, Africa’s last absolute monarch. A constitution
was established in 2006, but the status political
parties remains undefined.
Current situation On the Human Development Index,
Swaziland is ranked 140 out of 187 countries. The
country recently overtook Botswana as the country
with the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Twenty-five
per cent of adults in the country live with HIV;
however, a 41 per cent drop in new HIV infections
was reported in November 2012. Orphans and
vulnerable children account for an estimated 15 per
cent of the total population. Although Swaziland
does not see systematic human rights violations, the
situation is tense. Demonstrations for democracy,
initiated by opposition groups and labour unions,
have faced tough crackdowns from the police and
the authorities.
Arts and Culture The country’s monarchy and its ethnic
and traditional character shape its cultural events:
tribe celebrations are common and occur regularly.
The Mantenga Swazi Cultural Village is a living museum
of tradition and represents the classic Swazi lifestyle
during the 1850s. The Indingilizi Art & Craft Gallery,
established in 1982, has earned a reputation for
excellence and as a reliable source of contemporary
art from Swaziland and elsewhere in Africa.
Supported projects In 2009, the Prince Claus Fund
supported Laway Arts in the organisation of a
co-production between South Africa and Swaziland
in which young people were trained in the field
of theatre and dance. Talking Doors at MTN Bushfire
2013 is one of the larger projects supported by
the Prince Claus Fund in Swaziland.
negotiate with the security.We would have preferred to
travel without any equipment but renting it would have
been too expensive.’
The films screened were followed up by debates
that stimulated open dialogue and raised awareness
on sensitive subjects such as slavery and racism in
Sudan. The debates created opportunities for freedom
of speech and thought – participants were afforded
the opportunity to express their opinions on the
films and whatever themes they deemed relevant to
their own lives. Approximately 1,617 people attended
the screenings. The films screened can be grouped
into six categories: racism, conflict, women issues,
environmental issues, education, and drugs. Not sur
prisingly, the majority of the debates after the screen
ings took a political turn regardless the topic of the
film. In fact, most of the participants were activists.
‘Sudan is a place where public expression of opinion is
tantamount to dissidence; projects like the mobile cinema
have helped to maintain a culture of free expression in
the face of great pressure from government authorities,’
says Elmahdi. ‘This project took five years of planning
in order to execute.The Prince Claus Fund is one of the
only partners willing to give a project like this a chance
and giving us the foundation to stand on for similar
projects in the future’
E mpowerment and
Participation
Strengthening Local
Infrastructures
Film
www.kacesudan.org
Project partner: Al Khatim Adlan Center for Enlightenment
and Human Development
This project was supported jointly with Mimeta,
SWAZILAND
Capital: Mbabane
Population: 1,403,362 (2013)
Historical Context Swaziland became independent
from Great Britain in 1968. It is one of the most
ethnically homogenous countries worldwide; almost
98 per cent of the population are ethnically Swazi, of
which about 90 per cent are Christian. Until the early
1990s, Swaziland’s economy developed positively as
a result of foreign investments into the country. Many
companies invested into Swaziland in order to reach
the South African market, in which investments were
not possible because of the international restrictions
at this time. However, since South Africa’s transition
in 1994, investments into Swaziland heavily decreased
and the economic situation has significantly stagnated.
Today, the unemployment rate in Swaziland is around
40 per cent. The country is a monarchy, ruled by King
TALKING DOORS AT MTN BUSHFIRE 2013
MTN Bushfire is Swaziland’s acclaimed annual inter
national music and arts festival. This year the festival
developed TALKING DOORS, a community outreach pro
gram, to involve their immediate community, Mahlanya
village, in conversations and discussions with a team
of graffiti artists.Together they worked on a mural that
tackled the social issues that affect the community,
53
such as the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and the high
numbers of orphans. Swaziland has the highest rates
of HIV/AIDS in the world, one of the lowest life
expectancies, dismal corruption figures, dilapidated
hospitals, and over 100,000 orphaned or vulnerable
children in a population of just over a million.
As part of the project, selected volunteer members
of the community were encouraged to share their
views on how to make a positive contribution within
the community, Sexual Reproductive Health Rights
(SRHR), Social Behavioral Change, and the impact of
HIV/AIDS. The graffiti artists in collaboration with the
members of community then used the dialogue
to make the TALKING DOORS project.
The outcome was an artistic interface, which was
the result of collaborative work between the graffiti
and fine artists and the local community. The one-day
workshops resulted in both permanent and mobile
walls and doors, which were mounted throughout
the participating community, and in the Barn space
of the Festival, creating a new landscape that incor
porates the realities of this community. According
to Dane Armstrong, Project Coordinator & ArtReach
Director, MTN Bushfire, ‘this project was undertaken
with the primary goal of creating a physical space where
festival-goers could interact with different artists in
various creative mediums.’
The ‘Talking Doors’ were mounted wooden
billboards erected at the installation sites. To include
the children of the community in the TALKING DOORS
project, Bushfire collaborated with Clowns without
Borders, South Africa. ‘TALKING DOORS at the festival
was a great success. Every hour that the installation was
open, there were people queuing up to enter. Feedback
was overwhelmingly positive from participants and
facilitators alike. Festival-goers came back again and
again to the installation, bringing their families and
friends, eager to create, interact, have fun, dress up, try
something new, and “bring their fire”,’ says Armstrong.
Bushfire festival combined contemporary cuttingedge arts and artistic freedom, popular music, and
deep respect for traditional culture, in a largely rural
setting and against a mountain backdrop. As an arts
festival, it focused on addressing social problems caused
by HIV and orphans. It reached an audience of 20,000.
The festival was a rare example of presenting social
goals alongside artistic ones in an organic way. ‘This
project has a lot of potential to become a regular part
of the Bushfire experience, as well as a tool for creative
engagement with communities around Swaziland. A big
part of the project is that it provides paid work to local
artists, yet is free of charge to participants.’
Developing the Arts
Empowerment and
Participation
www.bush-fire.com/
Project partner: MTN Bushfire
54
Performing Arts
Bibliography
The country profiles in this publication were collaged by the Prince
Claus Fund’s research department for this Review from a variety
of sources. Most of this material can be found online at the sites,
listed in the bibliography below. The Prince Claus Fund has no
responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external
or third-party internet websites referred to in this review, and does
not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain,
accurate or appropriate. Readers are advised to contact the stated
primary source or the product’s originating institution before acting
on any of the information provided.
Central Intelligence Agency
The World Fact Book
www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld-factbook
accessed June 14, 2014
Human Rights Watch ‘Publications’
www.hrw.org/publications
Reporters Without Borders
www.en.rsf.org
Amnesty International,
‘Human Rights by Country’
www.amnesty.org
Transparency International
‘Country Profiles’
www.transparency.org/country
International Monetary Fund ‘Countries’
www.imf.org/
The World Bank ‘Publications’
www.worldbank.org/reference/
Euromonitor International ‘Countries’
www.euromonitor.com
The Culture Trip ‘Africa’
www.theculturetrip.com
United Nations Development Programme,
Human Development Index
www.hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/hdi
55
56
Reviving The Arts In Libya 2013 Libya December 2013 Volunteers of the Arete Foundation at the Red Castle in Tripoli © The Arete Foundation for Arts & Culture
57
Interviews
we mixed the younger and the older girls together.
It was a great experience for the young children
to learn from the older ones and the older ones
to learn from the small ones. They shared their ideas
and they came up with ideas and points to propose
together.
QQ
Are you still in contact with the girls?
Yes, I am. Following the project LONG LIVE THE GIRLS,
I have became general manager of the organisation
and I will continue to organise meetings and talk with
the girls who were part of the project. We are now
planning the next workshop.
QQ
It was a challenging project to undertake in such
a patriarchal society – there were many practical
issues. When you want something and address
the government to ask for it, often you do not get
permission. It was very challenging to convince
the authorities about the benefits of our project.
We laughed when we named the project – we
wanted to challenge the gender order within
Ethiopian society.
LONG LIVE THE GIRLS A MANIFESTO
Kidist Tariku is Executive Director of Action for Youth and Community
Change (AYCC) in Hawassa, Ethiopia, and the on-site coordinator and
translator for the project Long live the girls which focuses on girls’
empowerment through creative writing. Kidist holds a B.A. in
Economics from Dabre Brhan University in Ethiopia and currently lives
in Hawassa.
QQ
Why did you undertake this project?
QQ
Society here in Ethiopia is very complex. We have
a specific problem with gender inequality.The problem
is endemic to our culture and education, in our uni
versities and high schools and even at home. It under
mines girls, and inhibits them from speaking out
or doing what they want. Because of this situation
I wanted to work with girls.
QQ
ow would you describe the social position
H
of young women in Ethiopian society?
et’s talk a bit more about your project you
L
came up with. How does writing empower
young girls?
The writers involved in LONG LIVE THE GIRLS also learned
about the manifesto as a literary form, writing personally
yet also together, to capture their feelings and ideas.
So, they just put their feelings out there. We gave
them the opportunity to practice and to talk in front
of other people. To see and talk about what the
problem is: why are we shy of doing something? What
are we ashamed of? What are the traditional roles
here?
QQ
hat was the most rewarding moment
W
you felt during this project?
The whole thing was amazing! The girls were so shy
at the beginning that they could not even say a word.
But finally, I can tell you how much they talk now!
They are very confident, they talk in front of people,
they have became sociable and able to communicate
their feelings! So that’s the best thing we could have
dreamt of.
During the LONG LIVE THE GIRLS workshops we noticed
that girls are very shy, they don’t speak, they don’t
feel confident in saying what they want to say, they
hide their feelings. In Ethiopia there is a perception
that Education is only for boys, girls stay home,
while the boys can go out and learn.
QQ
I s there a particular anecdote you could
share with us, something that struck you
during this project?
ow did you experience working with
H
a group of young women?
At the beginning, everybody kept silent and was
shy, but by the end of the project they had started
to express their feelings. We did not limit the age so
58
completely different societies reflected was a great
opportunity for us.
QQ
Well, the biggest challenge at the moment is tech
nology and communications. Technologically imple
mented communications like Skype or Google
Hangouts are at the mercy of the lions in both
Malawi and in Ethiopia and it can get very frustrating
trying to have a meeting with people, trying to talk
about projects, so that’s the greatest barrier at the
moment. And then also for them, the greatest barrier
at the moment seems to be again technology-driven
in that they have a lot of power outages, but we are
trying to find ways around that by supplying them
with solar power packs so that they can continue
their work. It is more about electricity and communi
cation networks. Those are just organisational frus
trations rather than any great challenges to the work.
Isla Haddow-Flood is a writer, editor and marketing strategist who
is passionate about harnessing communication technology and media
platforms to facilitate access to open knowledge that relates to and
enhances the understanding of Africa. Isla currently works for the Africa
Centre (www.africacentre.net) where she is the Project Manager
of WikiAfrica (www.wikiafrica.net). She is also undertaking a Masters
degree at the Centre for African Studies at the University of Cape Town.
QQ
hat was the biggest challenge regarding
W
the implementation of this project?
QQ
hat content is high priority for you, and
W
how do you determine its importance?
We created criteria for the selection of organisations.
The partners’ selection criteria are relevant to the
project. They should be either a heritage, or a cultural,
or a media, or some other civil society organisation.
So that it reflects not only the culture and the heritage
and the contemporary situation but it also has a uni
versal appeal or a national appeal of some sort. We
try to go for organisations that have an impact on
a kind of a national or regional level, so not a small
NGO doing very important, niche work but some
thing much more open.
Why did you choose Malawi and Ethiopia?
We have worked over the last two years with
institutions across Africa to integrate their content
into Wikipedia and then mostly with cultural and
heritage institutions. The main challenge we had was
that there aren’t enough Wikipedians – there are
Wikipedians across Africa, but they work in isolation.
There wasn’t a formalised grouping of Wikipedians
in countries who could assist institutions in getting
their content online, and host outreach programmes
within those societies. We initially worked with organi
sations and then we realised that we actually needed
to activate people on the ground, give them the
correct training and give them an impetus to sustain
their ability to work as Wikipedians.
The reason we chose Malawi and Ethiopia was
because they are both very interesting in how they
are perceived by the wider world. Ethiopia has
an extraordinary heritage, Ethiopians are incredibly
proud of it, but a lot of information doesn’t come
out to the rest of the world. At the same time in con
temporary Ethiopia, society is quite limited by the
government. That is one of the reasons why we chose
Ethiopia because there is this wealth of knowledge that
needs to be celebrated and Ethiopians need to be
given the opportunity and the tools to celebrate it.
As far as Malawi is concerned, Malawi used to
be extraordinarily restricted. Women weren’t allowed
to wear dresses up to a certain length – I think that
until recently they were allowed to be two inches above
the ankle. Today, there has been a huge liberation
in the media freedom, and so to have these two
QQ
What has motivated you personally?
One of the reasons for me to do this work is to
make sure that the richness of what we constantly
contribute to the world is actually visible to every
one. People often don’t understand what Africa
contributes. But it is important that people under
stand what Africa does actually contribute to the
global conversation, and how it is an equal player
in this global conversation that we are having.
QQ
ow do you think this project will be relevant
H
five years from now?
Looking back, I really hope that there are Wikipedians
in residence that actually follow this model and use our
online tool kits and courses so that it becomes a selfsustaining program, and a career choice for people
to be part of this program. They can be social entre
preneurs by expanding the options of culture, the
media, and other institutions within their countries
into the open movement.
59
100 years ago; it was a documentary. But we cannot
talk about a century of cinema in Sudan because there
are many gaps in this history – mainly due to economic
factors. The number of features produced in Sudan is
not high. Cinema in Sudan suffered under the current
regime, which has been in power since 1989.The visual
arts were suppressed and there was a curfew, which
made it practically impossible for cinemas to operate.
Furthermore, the economy was not stable, so all of
this drew the cinema down. But we have some very
good filmmakers in Sudan, like Hussein Shariffe who
made about ten films and had his own school of cinema.
It was a very poetic and very Sufi kind of filmmaking.
QQ
The opening ceremony was the highlight – the launch
of the event. We had our theatre, we had our films
in our hands, we had our guests, and the audience
standing at the doors wanting to get in. For me seeing
the concretisation of the work we had done with
this festival was the highlight of this project.
SUDAN INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
Talal Afifi is a film curator, creative producer, and director of the Sudan
Film Factory. Talal has worked as a human rights activist and in cultural
management in Egypt and Sudan, and managed the production of a variety
of documentaries and short films, in addition to supervising filmmaking
workshops and training in Sudan. Afifi is interested in further developing
the independent filmmaking industry in Sudan and in supporting new
modes of documentary production and presentation.
QQ
QQ
I n what way has your project been important
in Sudan?
QQ
ow did you manage to integrate Sudanese
H
cultural diversity into the realisation of this
project?
Diversity is well represented in the project. Many people
who worked on the project brought their cultural
influence to the organisation of the festival (Christian,
Muslim, African/Animist Religions, etc.) We also saw
the influence of diversity in the different movies made
in Sudan and screened at the festival.
hat sort of impact does film have to overall
W
development in the country?
Usually in Sudan after a screening, there will be a dis
cussion, a debate – so in that sense it triggers real
reflection on communities’ social issues. After the film
festival, I was asked to visit the Ministry of Culture and
give a report to the minister about what happened.
They were amazed by the great festival put together
by young people, and this strong network between
the Sudan Film Factory, the Goethe Institute, Prince
Claus Fund and our volunteers.The Minister had a press
conference and announced 2014 to be the year of
cinema in Sudan.The Minister put a committee together
and the Sudan Film Factory was part of it. This com
mittee will reflect on how to support filmmaking
in Sudan and the country’s cinema. This is a great thing
for Sudan. It gives its honour back to the visual arts
and builds the bridge between the independent,
underground scene and the authorities.
QQ
an you explain the enthusiasm generated
C
by your project?
For many people, it came from nowhere, they
wondered how such a festival emerged, unnoticed
in its preparation that had lasted a year, with 80
dedicated volunteers. So, once implemented, it was
a positive surprise that generated this enthusiasm.
Because it was the first film festival in Sudan – the first
independent film festival. After our week of screenings,
many debates and workshops took place discussing
independent cinema and talking about this practice in
different parts in Khartoum. It brought back the idea
of people coming to see films from outside Sudan,
because for more than twenty-five years this culture
has been absent in Sudan.
QQ
hat was the highlight of this project
W
in your eyes?
QQ
What motivated you personally?
I have been working for three years training young
filmmakers and professionals in the field of cinema,
giving them the means and the opportunity to develop
their skills and enrich Sudanese film productions and
the Sudanese film scene. So, the festival was part
of a larger process that entails the revival of a film
industry and that larger process is what motivates
me the most.
QQ
here do you see the Sudan Film Factory
W
five years from now?
In the future, I want the festival to become independent,
to be self-sustainable with a fixed and dedicated
team, to become a referential event for cinema and
to attract increasing attention.
hy is film so important today in Sudan?
W
What is the history of cinema in Sudan?
The first film was produced and screened in Sudan
60
Buja Sans Tabou Burundi 9 February 2014 Musical concert by ‘Lion Story’ at Sabemeli Bar, Bujumbura © Julia Kneuse
61
Lutte Contre Le Silence Burundi 2013 Evening show in Bujumbura © Atelier Agaciro
62
Reflections
AFRICAN ART AND THE PRINCE CLAUS
FUND’S 2013 AFRICA CALL
Renée Akitelek Mboya
In post-independence Africa – during the 70’s and
80’s – art became an attendant practice of belonging
that was pitted starkly against the harsh daily realities
of postcolonial modernity, specifically, the intense
pressure to modernise in the ruins of a resourcestripped continent. The demand was to create spaces
for work and ‘development’ that mimicked Western
realities – plate glass skyscrapers and Soviet-style
concrete tower blocks that keep in the heat during
the make-believe winter months. Rarely intersecting
with the reality of the everyday, art became co-cultural,
organised only in the intimacy of the domestic space
– long-playing records with water-damaged sleeves,
magazine cut-outs framed in the broken glass of
bathroom windows, the hat and leather jacket, drycleaned twice a year and worn only at the Saturday
night disco. Art became the thing we did in private.
might never, catch up with an idealised Western
modernity, these artists are claiming their contexts
and responding in real time to the social situations
which challenge their creativity and expression. They
have created spaces that are dedicated to the free
exchange of ideas, not at all intimidated by the constant
provocation of images that choose only to capture
the imagined failures of African urban modernity.
The real strength of the Prince Claus Fund is demon
strated in this respect. By focusing geographically,
the 2013 Call for Africa has allowed artists to reflect
internally, to deny the pre-determined conversations
on African arts, African culture and the needs of Africans
– and to create opportunities for themselves and
their communities which have impact in real time
and which change structures and cultures of working
and thinking in ways which can be easily passed on –
across communities and hopefully generations.
They say political context is a field of imagination
– created in the same way as imagining relationships
between people. The Prince Claus Fund in 2013
created the opportunity for a way of thinking about
the role of arts and culture, at the same time as
avoiding the sense of entitlement that emerges when
one community is a donor and the other the recipient
of a donation. In creating an occasion for the ‘democ
ratisation of knowledge and citizenship education’
and the juncture for communities to express them
selves through art as a means of fighting ‘against
discrimination and promote tolerance as well as build
confidence,’ the competing imaginations of different
cultural regions have been brought together. As the
projects are juxtaposed with each other – in ways
that are sometimes startling – unexpected alliances
are produced, expanding not only what we consider
to be the domain of African art but also who we
define to be an African artist – a role that obviously
expands far beyond the limitation of geography.
This is the paradox of new opportunities.
Emerging largely from the perspective of Christian
missionary training, African art has had a long journey
to redefine itself. In the twenty-first century, the
civilising mission of the past had foreclosed the range
of aesthetic experiences that were considered valid
and representative. The challenge of contemporary
African art thus has been to emerge from perspec
tives that emphasise African backwardness and
dependency, and are calibrated to create a culture
of shame and feelings of despondency, hopelessness
and helplessness in African viewers attempting
to define themselves through arts and culture.
Perhaps these distinctions are fallacious. What, after
all, is African art? Nonetheless it cannot be denied
that contemporary creative Africa is experiencing
a revival, a redefinition that has so far included an
assumption of responsibility rarely seen before within
the artistic spectrum. African artists are attempting
to use art to change their contexts; to speak for main
stream culture in ways that reclaim ‘African-ness’
for the economically battered and the culturally
ambiguous.
In 2013 the Prince Claus Fund put out a call for project
proposals that would have a positive impact on ‘both
the cultural sector and social development.’ Congolese
playwright Sony Labou Tansi writing in 1985 said
‘art is the strength to make reality say what it would
not have been able to say by itself or, at least, what
it might too easily have left unsaid.’ The projects that
were put forward in response to this call reflect the
dramatic shift that has occurred in the last decade.
Rather than submit to the always attenuated idea
of African modernity – one that has not, and indeed
Renée Akitelek Mboya is a (essay and autobiography) writer
from Nairobi, Kenya. 63
CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT
IN AFRICA
Mike van Graan
The 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development
Goals (MDG) looms large. Nowhere are the MDGs
more relevant than in Africa – home to more than
two-thirds of the world’s HIV-positive population,
a region with the highest rates of maternal and infant
mortality, with more than 60 per cent of the popu
lation without access to water sanitation, and with
an average life expectancy of under 55.
countries the creative industries are largely irrelevant
as economic drivers or means of subsistence;
mining and agriculture are more likely to attract
such investment.
With widespread poverty on the continent, the
sustainability – let alone growth and profitability –
of the creative industries in many countries would
be at huge risk without the markets to support such
industries. Notwithstanding the 2005 UNESCO
Convention and other measures to promote pref
erential access to global markets for creative goods
from the global south, such international markets
remain largely inaccessible for reasons ranging from
security concerns (impacting on artists’ mobility)
to lack of knowledge of international markets and
the absence of means to reach these.
In short, ‘culture as a vector of development’ defined
in terms of the creative industries and their potential
impact on meeting the MDGs in Africa, is a myth with
out historical substance in most African countries
where the MDGs are most relevant.
Advocates of ‘culture as a vector of development’
have in recent times stressed the importance of the
creative and cultural industries as potential economic
drivers that would not only create employment
on a continent where less than 30 per cent of the
population works in the formal economy, but also
generate the resources necessary to meet the
region’s development challenges.
Yet, Africa does not have a problem with economic
growth. The International Monetary Fund has shown
that in the first decade of this millennium, six of the
ten fastest-growing economies have been African
economies (Angola, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Chad,
Mozambique and Rwanda). While many counties
encountered economic downturns in the last six
years, most African countries have grown their econ
omies by an average of 4 per cent or more. Despite
such rapid economic growth poverty, close to 50 per
cent of Africans continue to live on $2 a day or less,
as was the case more than thirty years ago. Rather
than meet the development needs of the continent’s
citizens, economic growth has resulted in massive
wealth accumulation by national, politically connected
elites, deepening inequality. Angola, the fastest-growing
economy on the continent, has an unemployment
rate in excess of 60 per cent (yet the President’s
daughter is one of the wealthiest women in Africa)
while Equatorial Guinea, also an oil-rich economy,
has the highest GDP per capita ($32,000), but more
than 70 per cent of the population lives below the
poverty line.
Nevertheless, proponents of ‘culture as a vector of
development’ – particularly those based in the global
north – have increased their advocacy for culture
not only as a means or ‘enabler’ of development,
but also as a goal of development. This is reflected
in the agitation for culture’s inclusion in a post-2015
international development agenda.
Repeating the mantra of ‘culture as a driver of devel
opment’ in order to legitimate culture or more
particularly the arts in national and international
political discourse, is to ignore the negative impacts
of culture in development, with Africa displaying
ample examples of these. Conflicts rooted in religious
differences (key cultural signifiers of individual and
communal identity), ethnic mobilisation to win demo
cratic elections that then result in the marginalisation
of cultural communities that do not win power, the
disempowerment of women and other minorities
based on sexual orientation under the banner of
‘culture’ are fundamental obstacles to, and reversals
of, human, social and economic development.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development’s Creative Economy Reports of 2008
and 2010 reveal that it is North African countries
and South Africa that contribute most of Africa’s
– negligible – share of the global creative economy,
and that design-related creative industries are the
largest contributors in this regard. For the creative
industries to grow at the levels required to contribute
more substantially to national economies and
– potentially – to address development needs,
will necessitate massive investment in all aspects
of the value chain: education, creation, production,
distribution and consumption. In many African
As a region, North Africa has consistently featured
highest on the Human Development Index with
Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria doing well with regard to
indicators such as life expectancy, literacy and income.
However, these countries have experienced, and
continue to experience substantial political turmoil
as their citizens struggle, not for human development,
but for fundamental human rights and freedoms.
An understanding or definition of development that
64
does not take into account human rights and freedoms
is an exceedingly limited one, and yet, most forms
and practices of development emphasise economic
and at best, social development, but ignore substantial
human rights and freedoms, struggles for which
– ironically – have adverse consequences for economic
development.
It is important to recognise, then, that development
itself is an act of culture, premised on particular ideas,
values, ideological assumptions and interests, and
in turn impact – sometimes positively, sometimes
negatively – on the worldviews, social forms of organi
sation and identities of its supposed beneficiaries.
Accordingly, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach
and a repetition of a dogma applicable perhaps in con
ditions in the global north, the relevance of ‘culture
as an integral dimension of development’ in Africa
requires rigorous analysis and understanding of
conditions that vary not only from region to region
and country to country, but even within countries.
Such a beginning may help to inform more appropriate
strategies and perhaps more modest, but more
effective, claims for culture – or the arts – within
development strategies.
Mike van Graan is the Executive Director of the African Arts
Institute in Cape Town, South Africa. www.afai.org.za
65
MOVEMENT IS THE WORD.
Emeka Okereke
A few months ago, I came across Mo Ibrahim’s keynote
address at the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture in
Tshwane, South Africa. I listened as he pronounced
that (and I paraphrase) ‘there will be no progress
on the African continent until there is free movement
of cultures, capital and people across borders.’
provoking themes such as ‘Africa and the Politics of
Postcoloniality.’ As is often the case, PACA was slowed
down after a decade of activity by the politics of sus
tainability and perhaps by the fact that their methods
were giving way to a much more open, hands-on
approach with practices that sought to incorporate
the everyday public rather than focusing primarily
on the arts, the artists and the art world.
From his words, we can deduce that in many different
sectors, not just in the arts, the freedom – or the
lack of it – associated with movement plays a major
role in the discourse on how to forge ahead in a con
tinent burdened by the downsides of abundance and
possibilities. This much is clear. But what seems rather
foggy in this mad rush for movement, and exploration
of possibilities, is the question of direction. Where
are we heading? Are we transcending limitations or
are we merely circulating within them?
In 2008, the late Cameroonian artist Goddy Leye
organised Exitour, a project that took five Cameroonian
artists on a five-country road trip from Cameroon
to Senegal for the Dak’art Biennale. Faced with visa
issues at the Senegalese border, they missed the first
week of the Biennale. The artistic intervention directly
reflected the harsh reality of attempting to navigate
the continent. It is, in itself, a performance in which
the artists used their bodies and presence as the
object for trans-border discourse.
These questions have come to form the driving force
behind the endeavours of artists and thinkers who
champion ‘movement.’ Perhaps the aim is not to arrive
at a definite answer. Perhaps it suffices that the
questions exist. Perhaps the back and forth between
these notions becomes the mechanism of necessary
movement.
In 2009, ten artists from Nigeria embarked on a similar
journey from Lagos to Bamako, encountering their
own share of obstacles, which did more good than
harm, spurring them on to more road trip inter
ventions. The Invisible Borders Trans-African Project
(as the project is known today) is a microcosm of the
defiant energy hovering above the continent, energy
that instils people with the urge to explore beyond
their comfort zone. There is something about this
energy that refuses to take anything at face value
or accept generalisations, especially in matters con
cerning Africa. It recognises the vastness and the great
distances and rather than see them as a hindrance,
it recognises the endless possibilities they offer. There
fore when we ask ourselves: in what direction are
we moving, the best answer as it stands would be: ‘it is
not as much about the destination, as it is about the
journey itself.’
Over the years, artists, mostly African ones, have
tried to address this issue. An immediate example
that comes to mind is the Pan-African Circle of
Artists (PACA), which was founded in 1991 at the
University of Nigeria by some young artists of Nigerian
and Ghanaian origin. According to their founding
dictum, part of their aim ‘was to create a forum on
which art and culture in Africa could be promoted
and disseminated from inside by Africans and
on Africa’s terms.’
Before I continue, I would like to pause and reflect
on this notion of the ‘insider-African’ because it is in
the function of this very phrase that we find the
temperament that fuels an urge towards affinity with
an African reality characterised by the multiplicity
and diversity of 54 countries and over a billion people.
The emphasis on the ‘insider-African’ carries with it
a proactive antithesis to the apologetic responses to
the many definitions imposed on Africa and its people
by Western ideologies in the past. But beyond that,
it proposes an open confrontation with the constitu
ents of our own everyday reality – working with it,
in it, through it – as the only means of overcoming its
limitations. It presents an Africa that recognises that
the solutions to her problems are right under our
feet; that we have been standing on them all along.
PACA used tools such as lectures, workshops and
roundtables to propagate their ideas in different
countries across the continent, focusing on thought-
Invisible Borders Trans-African Project is set to embark on
the fifth edition of its road trip project in June 2014. It will
be the first Trans-Continental road trip and will take ten
artists from Lagos to Sarajevo within a period of five
months.
Emeka Okereke is a Nigerian Contemporary Artist, he is also
Founder and Artistic Director of the Invisible Borders Trans-African
Photography Organisation. www.invisible-borders.com
66
Femmes En Scene 2013 Ivory Coast 2013 Theatre workshop in Grand-Bassam © Sokan Theatre
67
Sudan Independent Film Festival Sudan January 2014 Exhibition visitors © Sudan Film Factory
68
THE NEW NATION OF SOUTH SUDAN
CANNOT AFFORD CULTURAL EXCLUSION.
Jok Madut Jok
South Sudan is, without a doubt, one of the most
ethno-culturally diverse countries in the world. There
are over 67 major ethnic nationalities in this young
country of some nine to ten million people. These
groups have many similarities and dissimilarities in the
field of cultural practices such as marriage systems,
folkloric arts, livelihoods and means of production,
religious traditions and a variety of other areas of
socio-cultural, political, and economic life. But while
they undoubtedly hail from such disparate regions
as the plains of Bahr el-Ghazal, the swamps of Upper
Nile, the hills of Eastern and Central Equatoria and
thick forests of Western Equatoria, there is no
question that they all have one thing in common.
They all belong to a single polity called South Sudan
and it belongs to all of them. This may sound obvious,
but belonging to a nation comes with rights and
obligations. There is a long history of oneness, be it
the shared negative experiences of slavery, colonisation,
exclusion from distribution of the national cake,
political marginalisation, disdain for their cultural
identity by Khartoum’s successive governments before
South Sudan’s independence, forced Arabicisation
and Islamicisation, or their collective struggle against
this external domination, a struggle that spanned
191 years, which has now culminated in independence.
The trick now is how to take their transformation
and turn it into a sense of nationhood, a guarantee
for citizenship rights, and source of pride for them all.
as part of the body politic. The country needs to be
reflective on her recent past so it does not forget
that cultural marginalisation was among the main
reasons for the long liberation wars that were fought
with the north. The country must not go in for the
same practices that drove the people of South Sudan
out of the union with the north. The entire country
must be conscious of her diversity in policy decisions
that are made every day, so that no citizen or ethnic
group feels unrepresented.
With the realisation that all nations are made, not born,
now is the chance to demonstrate to the world that
ethno-cultural diversity does not have to be the liability
that it has become in many countries of the world,
including old Sudan. To practice policies of inclusivity,
the new nation has to celebrate the various cultural
practices and do so equitably on a national stage. For
example, the national media outlets have to produce
cultural programs that reflect the cultural mix that
makes up South Sudan. All the cultures have to be
considered national cultures, to be promoted, displayed
and celebrated equitably in museums, archives, memo
rials, cultural centres, music, film, arts, and educational
curriculum. Failure to recognise this important practice
can only lead to citizens’ discontent, and eventually
produce ethnic discord and risking civil wars, as some
ethnic groups develop a feeling of marginalisation. The
country’s own history has revealed that exclusionary
practices such as the ones practiced by Khartoum are
unsustainable and can cause the break-up of countries.
Domination of the national platform by certain cul
tural or ethnic groups at the expense of others can
only produce citizens who give no loyalty to the nation.
And for a country that suffers a legacy of discord
and political violence, South Sudan has to embark
on a project of reconciliation, and cultural diversity
is one strong area that contributes to either conflict
when it is poorly managed or stability when cultural
commonalities are celebrated and differences are
recognised. The other differentials that need to be
noted and included in this project are gender, age,
and professions. From the traditional cultural perspec
tive, these differentials have the tendency to negatively
affect these groups. It does not take long before
cultural marginalisation translates into exclusion
from services, jobs and citizenship rights.
There are several things that the political leadership,
the civil service, and civil society, can do to make
the dream of nationhood possible. They can start with
an effort to avoid the usual temptation in emerging
states to think of development, infrastructure, and
delivery of services as more important than a project
to create a citizenry that is loyal to the nation. This is
a political project that aims to cultivate a culture of
dialogue between the citizens and their government.
The need to respond to the expectations of their
people to receive these services as the peace dividend
is extremely important, but it is equally crucial to
underline the fact that their success in serving their
citizens hinges upon the recognition of the importance
of culture as the ingredient that forms a nation. They
need to recognise that nation building and state building
are two different projects but are faces of the same
coin, and that the idea of nation building is a concern
of everyone throughout South Sudan.To forge a collec
tive national identity, so that the citizens are able to
see their citizenship in the nation as more important
than citizenship in ethnic nationalities, it is important
to view cultural diversity as an asset that must be
put to use in order to build a colourful nation in such
a way that each single citizen sees him or herself
Jok Madut Jok is Undersecretary in the Ministry of Culture and
Heritage of South Sudan and Cofounder of the Sudd Institute in South
Sudan. www.suddinstitute.org
69
THE TRANSFORMATIVE ROLE OF
CULTURE AND THE ARTS AND ITS IMPACT
ON AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT
Joe Osae-Addo
For most Africans, culture is embedded in our souls.
It is an intrinsic quality that connects us. It talks about
the collective, it addresses our heritage and roots,
and it is something that pre-colonial Africa depended
on for survival. In Ghana, we have cultures that shared
a common agenda in spite of differences in ethnicity.
This has united us throughout our history but has
also been divisive. By and large, culture and heritage
is something that most Africans have revered.
The culture of the collective
Culture as a collective idea is potentially
transformative; it is important for us to reorganise,
regroup and become energised around a single vision
and a single goal as a group, rather than as individuals.
The collective is what traditionally made Africa
strong, and it is something which we are steadily
losing as a lack of cohesion is clearly evidenced in
African cities.
With the advent of the colonial era, culture came
under siege – Europeans, opportunists and their local
collaborators exploited ethnicities and differences,
which lead to tragedies like the slave trade.The colonial
era in particular was very divisive and it remains
a hindrance to our development.
The culture of productivity and efficiency
As African nations evolve, African people aspire to
new ways of living. In order to compete
internationally and to grow our economies, in
education, engineering and manufacturing, and
popular culture, we need to be productive and
efficient by focusing on quality. We need to become
highly organised and merge our indigenous ways with
western approaches to create our own contextual
responses to the global economy.
During the post-colonial era, culture and the arts
played a vital role in defining the independence
movement and African leaders were astute in using
elements of culture and the arts, like painting, poetry,
music and theatre, to rally their people around a
common cause. This was one of the great strengths
of leaders like Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana, Kenneth
Kaunda in Zambia, Julius Nyerere in Tanzania, Joao
Kenyatta in Kenya, and Leopold Senghor in Senegal.
These leaders built a whole industry around culture,
and used it successfully to develop a strategy of
national development.
The culture of ‘inno-native’ approaches and solutions
‘Inno-native’ is a word I coined many years ago. It
means being inventive and innovative without losing
our indigenous approach. This approach is truly
sustainable.
A culture that recognises that identity
and heritage matters
We need to know who we are we as a people, what
we stand for and how we believe humanity will
flourish. We must develop a habit of constantly
redefining the word ‘culture’ itself. Culture, as both
the intuitive and the learned, is an organic, dynamic
condition of change. Often we interchange the word
tradition with culture. Tradition, by nature, is under
constant siege, but culture must and does evolve.
These are issues that Africans need to define
ourselves, before we can begin to assess how the
fundamental elements of tradition can have an impact
on Africa’s development. Africa needs to develop
solutions that are sustainable on our own terms.
In 1960s Ghana, for example, the development of
a very distinct art scene was focused around young
artists who were charged with defining what the new
Ghana would stand for. We can still see their influence
in our cities, where tropical architecture evolved,
inspired by both tradition and European avant-garde
movements like Bauhaus. These buildings today are
heritage buildings, and studied by architecture academics
and students who visit Africa just to see them. This
post-colonial cultural movement is one of the great
legacies of the era and helped to transform our
bourgeoning economies. A proud sense of identity,
built through the arts and culture, played an
important part in creating confidence for young
nations to develop themselves.
A culture of sustainability
What does this mean in the African context? African
cultures and traditions are at root sustainably minded
and our respectful and sensitive daily interactions
with the planet and each other have ensured our
survival for generations. This was not about gadgets
and gimmickry, but rather an intuitive response to
nature and the resources that we have, recognising
that we need to handle these resources with
absolute care and reverence for our own survival.
Growing up in Ghana in the 1960s we would hear
In order to understand the dynamic of culture and
development, we need to examine ‘culture’ beyond
the dictionary definition. We sometimes simplistically
confuse culture with heritage. For me, the following
ideas are crucial to the nature of Culture itself.
70
Living Legacies The Gambia May 2014 Laemon Jatta performing at the Akonting Centre in Senegambia © Saul Njie
71
Film Festival: Image Of Liberia Liberia 21 February 2014 Sayetown Community screening preceding the Festival © Kriterion Monrovia
72
folklore about why fishermen fish only on certain days,
or why farmers only farm on certain days or in certain
seasons. This was to protect the environment and
prevent over-fishing, yet there were wonderful nar
ratives and mythologies to describe this sustainability
in vivid terms. If you broke the sacred rules, there
would be consequences. This mythology, which is part
of our culture, acted as a policing entity of sort, and
is also being lost. I would love to develop a whole
slew of narratives from across Africa that spoke about
this mythology that protected the environment. We
need to engage these kinds of discourses using our
own language. Africans must believe and promote the
culture of the collective and these traditional narratives
are powerful tools to bring the community back
into the African development agenda.
towns of Obuasi or Tarkwa, amongst many others.
How do we use culture and the arts to bring attention
to the fact that contemporary culture and economic
wealth does not reside alone in the cities but also
in the regions? How do we use this idea as a trigger
for development?
In the same vein, our traditional systems are valuable
to development. Our traditions and culture are
embedded in our traditional rulers and the seats that
they hold, which are still revered to this day. Our
local chiefs and elders must be engaged because our
culture is embodied in their leadership. We need to
look at ways of galvanising people on the local level,
using tradition and using culture to begin to address
issues that have previously been dealt with efficiently.
Ghanaians are, and have always been, very hardworking
people who understand the land and who have tilled
it, using resources efficiently and distributing them
evenly to the benefit of the community. So why has
modernity truncated this tradition of sharing, of dedi
cation, of using resources rather than exploiting them?
Development in Africa
Development often refers to modernity, and emphasis
has always been on the African city which represents
fast growth, huge infrastructural developments, migra
tion from the rural to the urban – all of the western
markers of modernity. It is true that Africa is developing,
but for who? And does Africa need to develop in this
direction? Why are we not talking more about the
towns within the provinces and the villages in our
regions and how we can use these areas as growth
poles or centres? I am not saying we should focus
less on cities, but we should focus equally on the lessdeveloped regions. After all, the majority of Africans
do not live in the cities – contrary to popular belief –
rather, most Africans live in rural areas. We must
begin to examine why this fast rural migration
is taking place. What are the factors creating this
phenomenon?
There is a big difference between exploitation and
sustainable use of resources. Exploitation means we
are not putting back what we take out and this is what
we need to reverse. Exploitation affects all aspects of
our development agenda, be it education, healthcare,
infrastructural building and economic planning. The
economic planning tools that are available to us need
to be recalibrated to fit our local needs.This will require
a great deal of hard work from our leadership, who
often follow models from the West because it is easy.
But we need to also recognise that these solutions,
historically, have not benefited us and we need
to develop our own methods through hard work.
Ultimately, constructive and sustainable development
of the African environment will come from the
local level, harnessing our culture and our heritage.
Independence era leaders understood the power
of the arts and building institutions to promote and
revitalise the arts because they have a direct link
to the soul of Africa. Now this soul is under siege.
One of the reasons is that our governance structures
are over-centralised and this stems directly from the
relics of the colonial administration structure. By that
I mean mayors and regional leaders are appointed
by the presidency, which means that the people of
these small towns and villages do not have a say about
who governs them or allocates their resources. They
are not able to generate revenue that they control
themselves. I think this phenomenon has a huge psycho
logical impact on the majority of Africans, who feel
that they need to be dependent on a central govern
ment based in the cities. Therefore, many feel that
they have to go to the seat of power, from which the
distribution of resources stems.
In the arena of design and architecture, there has
to be a big push to describe who we are in our built
environment. The built environment symbolises
our contemporary culture. It is one of the ways of
understanding and describing a people’s contemporary
culture. I believe it is very important that we embrace
the idea of an indigenous inspired narrative so that
our cities and urban areas do not become places that
we do not relate to.
We need to develop our provinces. In Ghana, all of
our resources, our cocoa and diamonds, are not in
Accra, our capital. These resources exist in the small
73
This will eventually affect tourism, a potentially thriving
source of income. Most of us travel to experience
the culture of Rome, or the culture of Venice, and come
away with the incredible architecture of historical
Europe and its open spaces. Development must include
both built space and also the open, negative spaces.
This is where Africa has a great deal to offer. It is
difficult to talk of ‘African Architecture’, but what we
can talk about are the interstitial open spaces
between the built forms. It is our climate that could
ultimately define an African architecture.
There are very good models to emulate as a way
of getting people to participate in, and engage with,
what is already there as living culture. Our foods
need to be packaged in a way that reflects the com
petition of the modern world. The key is to showcase
and highlight our great achievements rather than
always complaining about the lack of public funding
for cultural endeavours. We the people need to
recognise that, through our culture, there is wealth
in who we are.
In closing, I want to return to the role of arts and
culture in development.What kinds of voices are being
listened to in this new Africa, and where are the
alternative voices? For so long Africa has depended
on certain groups to shape the agenda. I am appealing
to the creative community: we need to engage; we need
to be part of the change. We will not be listened to
if we do not take our rightful positions in the eco
nomic development agenda, because, after all, we can
offer development clear advantages: conceptualisation,
intuition, and the ability to visualise and document
ideas. This is what Africa needs: vision, documentation
and most importantly, culturally enhanced passion
to deliver tangible change. Development will happen
with or without us. It is up to us to bring culture,
heritage, arts and traditions into a truly ‘inno-native’
response.
We need to work at encouraging our designers and
the population at large, the purveyors of taste and
design, to appreciate who we are, and be inspired
by what we stand for historically. We need to come
up with products and environments that can actually
assist Africa’s growth. Our cities and towns need
to be designed using local materials and our culture
and influences should create innovative spaces. One
of our continuously ignored talents lies in the crafts
arena. The crafts are a great opportunity to grow
our economies, create employment, and connect with
our past in a positive way. The crafts need to evolve
to reflect contemporary Africa intellectually, physically
and financially. In manufacturing, why are we not
tapping into our huge natural resources and adding
value with good design to produce new products
for the world market?
Conclusions
Creative people need to engage in the economic
development process of Africa. African cultural
entrepreneurs must become the custodians of this
sector of development and look at it as an economic
engine of growth.This is the vital missing link between
how we transition from being entrepreneurs of
culture and arts to supporting the economic engine
of growth. There are quite a few good examples
around the world to emulate. I always look at the
example of Cuba: a living, organic museum without
walls. Culture is embedded in the soul of its people,
it is embedded in its architecture, be it colonial
or modern, it is embedded in its way of life. There
is no separation between, tourism, way of life and
economic regeneration.
Joe Osae-Addo is a Ghanaian architect and Chairman of ArchiAfrika;
a Network Partner of the Prince Claus Fund. www.aaaccra.org
74
Talking Doors At Mtn Bushfire 2013 Swaziland May/June 2013 Project facilitator Ralph Smit deconstructing the installation © Dane Armstrong
Page 77: Buja Sans Tabou Burundi 7 February 2014 La Troupe Lampyre performing the play ‘Déchirement’ at the Institut Français in Bujumbura © Julia Kneuse
75
2013 Number of Projects per country
ALGERIA
LYBIA
MAURITANIA
SUDAN
GAMBIA
ETHIOPIA
LIBERIA
IVORY COAST
BURUNDI
MALAWI
SWAZILAND
76
Distribution of grantees
Applicants 112
Grantees 21
First time grantees 76%
New organizations
(founded in or after 2010) 33%
2013 PERCENTAGE OF BUDGET BY COUNTRY
ALGERIA 11
BURUNDI7
ETHIOPIA17
GAMBIA4
IVORY COAST
15
LIBERIA7
LYBIA4
MALAWI10
MAURITANIA7
SUDAN15
SWAZILAND3
77
78
79
COLOPHON
Editors Thomas Roueché & Bertan Selim
Assistant editors Emma Bijloos, Jean-Sylvain Tshilumba Mukendi,
Slavica Ilieska & Willemijn Rijper
Content Statistics Caro Mendez
Design Irma Boom and Julia Neller
Forthcoming Review
2013
Thematic Call
Rethinking
Public Space
© 2014, Prince Claus Fund
Prince Claus Fund
Herengracht 603
1017 CE Amsterdam,
The Netherlands
princeclausfund.nl
First published 2014 by Prince Claus Fund
Printed in the Netherlands
ISBN / EAN XXXXXXXXXXXXX
The Prince Claus Fund’s May 2013 thematic call for project
proposals focused on cultural initiatives related to the
rethinking of public space.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any forms or by any means
electronic, mechanical or otherwise without prior
written consent of the copyright owners.
Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders
but if any have inadvertently been overlooked, the publisher
will be pleased to make the necessary arrangements
at the first opportunity.
The term ‘public space’ refers to a social space that is open
and accessible to all. The strength of projects engaged in
public space lies in their potential to reach out and involve a
wide and diverse range of people. Through this call, the Prince
Claus Fund supported creative cultural initiatives that rethink, re-appropriate and/or re-use public space in innovative
and novel ways and are linked to their respective local
contexts.
The photos throughout the Review
were provided courtesy of the project partners.
P43, 49 © Hilina Abebe.
The Prince Claus Fund was particularly interested in projects
that facilitate freedom of expression, stimulate dialogue and
encourage cultural exchange. The next Review will detail the
projects supported by the Prince Claus Fund in this call.
A number of the projects listed in this Review
we supported jointly by the Prince Claus Fund and Mimeta,
80

Lutte Contre Le Silence Burundi 2013 Photograhpy w orkshop in

Transcription

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