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

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48 Country-Specific Information described as folkloric. Public institutions and facilities inherited from the colonial period have in large part deteriorated and few new ones have been built. Moreover, infrastructures for culture are strongly centralized in Algiers, with financing for rural areas dependent largely on personal connections. Algeria has not yet ratified the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (Kessab, 2015). According to MedCulture’s 2015 report, cultural and artistic associations received only 0.2% of the annual budget for culture (Kessab, 2015). Associations have been subject to tight and confusing legislation that limits the freedom to associate, operate and receive funding (see Impediments below). According to Freedom House (2018), “Algeria is one of the most difficult environments in the world to establish and operate a business.” There is a very limited culture of sponsorship and patronage. Despite the restrictions on its existence, the independent cultural sector is flourishing and affirming its presence with verve and energy. The visual arts have been particularly active, with a number of independent spaces and initiatives burgeoning in the last ten years. Censorship, lack of facilities and financing have muzzled the performing arts, but artists have stayed active and are expressing themselves in today’s waves of popular demonstration. There is a strong awareness and hope that the future of the country can be written by Algeria’s creatives. — MOBILITY TO / FROM ALGERIA — Algeria’s creative sector has been marked by isolation, largely a factor of the political unrest in the 1990s, lack of structuring (described above) and lack of state support for international exchange. Algeria is very weakly represented in AMA’s statistics, with a total of 20 applications from Algeria and 8 for projects taking place in the country since 2005. — A L G E R I A — — QUOTE: « What’s amazing [about this moment,] is that the independent cultural scene is taking up space and gaining in credibility with the public with small initiatives here and there. If we can structure our work in such a way that it’s sustainable, we’ll easily succeed in taking the lead over the state institutions. People have expressed their need for freedom and hope. That gives us space to act. It’s now possible for us to channel this energy and to offer something other than the violence we’ve always known. » Myriam Amroun Cultural project manager, Algiers* — More generally speaking, international travel to / from Algeria is a factor of the large size of the territory, expensive air connections and a fairly restrictive visa policy. Most international travel continues to be with Europe, dominated by France in light of the ties connecting the two countries: the large Algerian population in France, continued presence of French institutions in Algeria, and the relatively low cost of travel. Faced with these limitations but also compelled to discover and appropriate their own country, a number of artists have been purposefully seeking to develop mobility projects within Algeria. The size of the country alone makes travel from North to South a potential adventure. Moreover, the diversity of cultures within the country has been a subject of interest, even opening up curiosity and desire to travel further afield to Africa. In the words of musician Sadek Bouzinou (of Democratoz): “Algeria is a continent.”
49 Country-Specific Information The strongest trends of international exchange are with neighbouring Morocco and Tunisia. These trends are due to freedom of movement within the Greater Maghreb and historic cultural and linguistic ties, which facilitate information-sharing and networking. Road travel is possible between Algeria and Tunisia but not between Morocco and Algeria, the border remaining closed after decades of conflict over the issue of Western Sahara. Many interviewees have expressed frustration at this limitation, which forces artists to travel by air (at a greater financial cost) and, on a deeper level, can restrict their capacity to envision common projects. Today, travel to other African regions goes mainly via Casablanca. Until the RAM began expanding its network, travel was necessarily via Paris. AirAlgérie has been developing its network, with new lines created to several West African destinations. Anecdotal reports suggest that AirAlgérie would like to rival RAM as a carrier towards the continent, in line with Algeria’s shift towards encouraging tourism and stimulating connections with Africa. Desire to create international bridges is very strong. In the visual arts, it is nourished in large measure by the visibility and prestige of major international events such as the Biennale de Dakar (mentioned by almost all respondents). In music, a number of groups such as Ifrikya and Democratoz have foregrounded the African musical roots of Algeria, creating popular consciousness of an African identity and a strong desire to develop greater exchange. — QUOTE: — A L G E R I A — « Since the borders are closed on almost all sides, except with Tunisia, a link has formed between North Algeria and the South. Algerians from the North have started to discover the South and in so doing, Africa. » Houari Bouchenak Photographer, Collectif 220, Algiers / Tlemcen* —
Page 1: Retracing Roots and Tracing New Rou
Page 4 and 5: 4 Acknowledgments and Imprint This
Page 6 and 7: 6 Foreword FORE — WORD In a world
Page 8 and 9: 8 Introduction 1 — Fact : AMA did
Page 10 and 11: 10 Introduction 1.1 Background of A
Page 12 and 13: 12 Introduction 1.2 Purpose of the
Page 14 and 15: 14 Introduction Arab identity was r
Page 16 and 17: 16 Introduction 1. 4 Overview of mo
Page 18 and 19: 18 Methodology 2 — Fact: This stu
Page 20 and 21: 20 Methodology — NORTH AFRICA —
Page 22 and 23: 22 Methodology 2.2 Limitations 1. T
Page 24 and 25: 24 Sunmmary of Outcomes 3 — QUOTE
Page 26 and 27: 26 Summary of Outcomes course remai
Page 28 and 29: 28 Summary of Outcomes The program
Page 30 and 31: 30 Summary of Outcomes Two programs
Page 32 and 33: 32 Summary of Outcomes — 3.1. 3 T
Page 34 and 35: 34 Summary of Outcomes As such, con
Page 36 and 37: 36 Summary of Outcomes High costs :
Page 38 and 39: 38 Summary of Outcomes — 3. LACK
Page 40 and 41: 40 Summary of Outcomes — 6. LACK
Page 42 and 43: 42 Summary of Outcomes — QUOTE:
Page 44 and 45: 44 Country-Specific Information 4
Page 46 and 47: 46 Country-Specific Information 4.1
Page 50 and 51: 50 Country-Specific Information CHE
Page 52 and 53: 52 Country-Specific Information —
Page 54 and 55: — A L G E R I A — Visas · Alge
Page 56 and 57: — GENERAL INFORMATION — Spannin
Page 62 and 63: 62 Country-Specific Information 4.
Page 64 and 65: 64 Country-Specific Information whe
Page 66 and 67: 66 Country-Specific Information Mus
Page 68 and 69: 68 Country-Specific Information the
Page 72 and 73: 72 Country-Specific Information Moh
Page 78 and 79: 78 Country-Specific Information Com
Page 86 and 87: 86 Country-Specific Information L
Page 90 and 91: 90 Country-Specific Information 4.7
Page 94 and 95: 94 Conclusion & Recommendations 5
Page 96 and 97: 96 Conclusion & Recommendations Ins
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— QUOTE: « There’s a growing c
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4. Support the structuring of the a
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102 Introduction Mapping and Backgr
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104 Mapping TUNISIA MOROCCO ALGERIA
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106 Mapping Installations & Equipme
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108 Mapping Events & Festivals Alge
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110 Mapping Tunisia Carthage 1 Jazz
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Events & Festivals Algeria Algiers
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Events & Festivals Venues Kelibia F
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Venues Falaki Theatre American Univ
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Venues Mahal Art Space 122, Avenue
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120 Acronyms APPENDIX A — QUOTE:
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122 Respondents APPENDIX B — Fact
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124 Respondents · Mohammed Hassan
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126 Bibliography APPENDIX C — Fac
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128 Bibliography 8. El Bennaoui, Kh
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130 — artmovesafrica.org —
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Art Moves Africa – Retracing Roots and Tracing New Routes: Mobility and Touring in North Africa

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