The Arterial Network Steering Committee met online 23rd October, 2020. The items discussed on the agenda were: Reminder of the conclusions of the last meeting in Abidjan; the current situation of the Network; the actions carried out; projections on the activities to be carried out and the question of the situation of affiliates.
Arterial Network General Council Webinaire, December 19, 2020.
10H30 – 12H30 / 14H – 16H
Arterial Network Rwanda and Institut Francais on the importance of Culture for Sustainable Development
Artwatch Africa Review 2014
Culture is both an enabler and driver of development in ways not fully appreciated by governments or society.
Culture, however, is not neutral. Culture embodies worldviews and values that influence how we perceive and interact with others. Because of Culture some cultural groups exert dominance over other cultural groups. Despite the clarion call to celebrate cultural diversity, cultural difference remains a major cause of marginalization, repression, xenophobia, conflict and war. The divisive aspects of culture need to be addressed; abuse of the rights of human beings cannot hide behind culture. Research has shown that the arts can play a role in bringing people together, in breaking down barriers, in facilitating understanding, tolerance and appreciation of cultures other than our own. Art is not just an expression of identity and culture, a means of social cohesion, a means to earn a living, it is also an important agent of change.
Freedom of expression is an essential condition for the practice of art, but it is only one dimension of artist rights, and artist rights are of course firmly based in human rights. This is the challenge that engages Artwatch Africa, to promote and defend these rights. The project is young, the challenges are enormous, but Arterial Network and like-minded partners, organisations and individuals have embarked on the journey with enthusiasm and commitment. There is much work to be done to conscientise artists, governments and society as to the intrinsic value of arts and culture for the wellbeing of our cities, countries, continent and its peoples. It is also a journey of discovery into the diverse contexts and ways of working in Africa. The experiences of the past year, presented in the Artwatch Africa Review 2014, have helped identify many of the concerns but have also precipitated hope and vision. Hope in an improved rights-based future, and the vision of thriving arts communities playing a significant part in development and democracy across Africa.
Twenty-five Authors, Fourteen Countries in One Original Compilation
The e-book was produced as part of the Artwatch Africa project that aims to defend freedom of creative expression on the continent, and who better than the artists themselves to share their creative environment, their questions and their experiences.
How Free is Free? Reflections on Freedom of Creative Expression in Africa is above all a meditation on the artistic health of the continent, as lived and examined from twenty-five diverse, artistic viewpoints. This publication is a first for Arterial Network and it will be used as a tool to promote advocacy for freedom of expression and creative arts in Africa.
The Authors
Aisha Dème (Senegal)
Albie Sachs (South Africa)
Ayoko Mensah (Togo/ France)
Azad Essa (South Africa)
Boubacar Boris Diop (Senegal)
Chenjerai Hove (Zimbabwe)
Edgar Sekloka (Cameroon/ France)
Elana Bregin (South Africa)
Ellen BandaAaku (Zambia)
Gaël Faye (Rwanda/ France)
Hamadou Mande (Burkina Faso)
Jane Duncan (South Africa)
Jesmael Mataga (Zimbabwe)
Koleka Putuma (South Africa)
Lauren Beukes (South Africa)
Michèle Rakotoson (Madagascar)
Dr. Mohamed Abusabib (Sudan)
Prof. Patrick J Ebewo (South Africa)
Phiona Okumu (Uganda/ UK)
Raimi Gbadamosi (Nigeria/ UK)
Saad Elkersh (Egypt)
Sade Adeniran (Nigeria)
Sami Tchak (Togo)
Sylvia Vollenhoven (South Africa)
Yewande Omotoso (Barbados/ Nigeria)
Arterial Network and its Artwatch Africa project will bring together committed artists for the launch of its Artwatch Africa Ambassadors project.
Arterial Network is a dynamic, pan-African civil society network comprising artists, activists, organisations and institutions engaged in the African creative sector.
Artwatch Africa
Set up in 2013, the Artwatch Africa Project has as main objective to promote and protect artists’ rights and freedom of expression in Africa. During the year 2014, Arterial Network trained over 300 artists and cultural activists on artists’ rights through its Artwatch Africa project. These 3 days of training served as an opportunity for various actors of the artistic and cultural sector to debate on issues relating to Human Rights but more importantly to discuss the stakes and challenges which artists must address when practising their profession.
12 musicians are coming together to workshop issues pertaining to artistic rights and freedom of expression. Didier Awadi (Senegal), Ade Bantu (Nigeria), Zeynab Abib (Benin), Soum Bill (Cote d’Ivoire), artists of the Balai Citoyen led by Smockey from Burkina Faso, Alif Naaba (Burkina Faso), Josey Priscille (Cote d’Ivoire), Phéno Bi (Niger), Master Soumi (Mali), Sissao (Burkina Faso) and Mareshal Zongo (Ivory Coast) will be collaborating for the first time to outline common aims and strategies when championing freedom of artistic and creative expression on the continent.
Artwatch Africa in partnership with Assalamalekoum Culture and Zaza Production, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Hadcraft, organized from December 14 to 17 the initial workshop on « Human Rights, Cultural Rights and Artist Rights »”, in Nouakchott and conducted by Simone Andrade and Malik Chaoui. This training raised a lot of issues around Human Rights that Mauritanian have to face in their daily life.
After 4 days-workshop, artists, journalists and activists from civil society were invited for a public seminar on « Individual liberty and Culture : freedom of creative expression for a cultural diversity. » on Friday 18th of December 2015. This session was moderated by Pr.Cheikh Saad Bouh Kamara
On behalf of the Minister of Culture and Handicrafts, the Director of Arts and Culture, Adnan Ould Beyrouk addressed the opening remarks and emphasized the importance of culture in social cohesion and national unity. He highlighted the commitment of the authorities in the past years by supporting cultural initiatives, like the festival organized by his department in 2011 and 2013 which focused on cultural diversity. He said that culture is a priority for the national strategy development.
This seminar was also an opportunity for the public to express their demands and their opinion. They also talked about selfishness within the sector.
http://mauritania-isabel.blogspot.co.za/2015/12/art-watch-africa-conference-at-hotel.html
Artists, civil society organizations and media between 14 and 16 December, 2015 met at Esibayeni Lodge in Swaziland, for a training on Human Rights, Cultural Rights and Artistic Rights under Art Watch Africa Project implemented by Arterial Network.
At the end of the three day training participants had to meet and discuss the way forward after being empowered. A task team composed of Arterial Network Steering Committee Members in Swaziland (Muzi Ntshangase, Hanson Ngwenya, Smanga, Dlamini, Bonginkhosi Mnisi, Nonhlanhla Dlamini and Maswati Dludlu) and people elected during the training namely Banele Mdziniso, Bonsile Mamba, Bheki Gama and Representative from Lawyers for Human Rights in Swaziland were tasked to lead the process of coming up with activities that will address the above mentioned problems. Such programme will form Arterial Network – Art Watch Africa Project activities
The training was followed by a session with 3 MP’s where a presentation by selected participants led by Diana Ramarohetra was made to MP Thwala, MP Sikhumbuso Dlamini and MP Jele and the main recommendation made was that MPs need a workshop because they cannot understand these issues and make a meaningful contribution from a face value. It was suggested that a residential workshop would more effective during the time when MP’s are not busy, immediately after passing national budgets.
Following the lessons learned during its 3-day workshops covering “Human Rights, Cultural Rights and Artist Rights,” Arterial Network, through its Artwatch Africa project and in partnership with the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA), will launch a new phase of training workshops to be known as “Artwatch Africa Response.”
Arterial Network is calling for law firms and individual lawyers to apply for this training that will look specifically at Freedom of Creative Expression litigation and Cultural Rights cases.
Purpose of the training
The training will be conducted by IHRDA and aims to create a pool of lawyers for the defense of Artist Rights within the continent, especially litigations regarding Freedom of Creative Expression.
The training will be held in French and English, and according to the national and regional system in place. Each participant is invited to submit litigated cases (resolved and unresolved) related to Freedom of Creative and Artistic Expression, in order to improve legal and judicial defense and protection.
Profile
Participants must fall under the following prerequisites:
Submit your application (CV and motivation letter) by email to info@arterialnetwork.org, with Artwatch Africa Response as the email subject, before:
– Sunday 28 May 2017 for Mauritania
– Sunday 4th June 2017 for Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria, Tanzania and Egypt
For more information, please contact Diana Ramarohetra: diana@arterialnetwork.org.
Arterial Network
Arterial Network is a member-based, civil society non-profit network of artists, cultural activists, NGOs, organisations, enterprises and entrepreneurs engaged in the building and strengthening of networks and structures in the creative and cultural sectors of Africa. The organisation seeks to identify solutions and strategies within Africa to improve the growth and the impact of the cultural sector, to foster dialogue, information exchange and strengthening partnership between creative communities, private sectors, public authorities, CSOs in order to contribute to democracy and Human Rights in Africa.
Artwatch Africa
Arterial Network’s Artwatch Africa programme aims to assert, promote and defend artist rights and freedom of creative expression for artists and cultural practitioners in Africa, to monitor cases of violations and advocate all stakeholders on issues and threat faced by artists. The programme is supported by Swedish Foundation for Human Rights, Swedish Institute, Mimeta and Doen Foundation.
The Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA)
IHRDA is a pan-African non-governmental organisation established in Banjul, The Gambia in 1998. It promotes knowledge of human rights and aims to improve respect for human rights in Africa. The institute envisions an African continent where all have access to justice using national, African and international human rights protection mechanisms.
IHRDA Fields of Activity
IHRDA’s work can be summarised in three words: defend, educate and inform. IHRDA offers pro bono legal assistance to victims of human rights violations. The institute also organises training workshops and disseminates information in order to improve knowledge of the African human rights system.