Art Moves Africa – Retracing Roots and Tracing New Routes: Mobility and Touring in North Africa

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Summary of Outcomes
High costs :
Bureaucracy :
Prejudice and
discrimination
against artists :
Age and gender :
Short duration of
stay granted :
Access to
embassies:
Lack of
bilaterality:
A Schengen visa currently costs 60 euros. Photocopies or
certified copies of documents may add additional costs, as
does travel to the embassy.
Visa applications can require applicants to submit large volumes
of paperwork, including proof of employment, bank
records, letters of authorization, paystubs, etc. These documents
can be difficult to obtain, especially for artists who
work as freelancers and/or work in disciplines that are not
recognized under local labour laws. Bureaucracy can also be
a major obstacle because of the sheer volume of documents
and/or the amount of detail required (one respondent reported
being asked to submit all paystubs since her very first job).
Moreover, none of these documents are a guarantee, since
several respondents reported having been denied access to a
country despite having submitted all the required paperwork.
Several respondents reported having been subjected to prejudice
and/or discriminatory treatment by visa and immigration
authorities on account of their professional status as artists.
Young men are reportedly the most likely to be denied visas,
due to xenophobic associations with delinquency and terrorism.
In the case of Schengen visas, respondents reported being
given as little as 2 days on their visa. The time granted usually
corresponds to the duration of the event, leaving no time for
artists to network, attend other events, or simply enjoy the
experience of travel, with all the inspiration, connections and
unexpected opportunities that it may bring. Moreover, since
multiple-entry visas are increasingly difficult to obtain, artists
must re-apply for every trip.
Artists and cultural operators living outside capitals or major
cities have to travel to the embassies to complete the visa
procedures, incurring extra costs for travel and accommodation,
forcing individuals to take days off work, etc.
Several respondents deplored the inconsistency between
European countries’ cultural and immigration policies, whereby
a discourse of openness to cultural exchange and an
increasing fashion of “spotlighting” North Africa are in conflict
with increasingly restrictive visa policies.
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QUOTE:
« If you’re an individual artist,
[travelling] is a huge amount of
stress and work, often for
no reason. Difficulties are built
into the process. Either it’s an
issue with a visa or time or
funding. There always seems to
be some sort of
panic with something. There
must be a better way. »
Nada Sabet
Theatre director and cofounder,
Noon Creative
Enterprise, Cairo
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