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

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Country-Specific Information
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IMPEDIMENTS
TO MOBILITY
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Mobility to and from Algeria is complicated by
the following factors:
Lack of funding options
· The Ministry of Culture has not supported
independent arts practitioners.
· NGOs must submit detailed reports of funding
and gain government approval before
accepting foreign funding (risking fines or
imprisonment). This greatly limits funding possibilities
for independent artists. Funds must be
obtained through circuitous means involving
friends or partners abroad, or through timeconsuming
and potentially fruitless bureaucratic
procedures.
Administratively, it’s extremely complicated to
receive money. It’s impossible to buy other currencies.
If it’s a private individual who sends me
money, it goes through. But if it’s an organization
– like a publishing house or an association – it goes
through, but only in Algerian dinars, which involves
a loss of more than 50% of the original sum. –
Ammar Bourras, photographer, Algiers*
· Moreover, the climate of austerity has limited
funding possibilities from private sponsors in
Algeria.
Politics of isolationism
· Algeria has maintained fairly limited foreign
relations, with considerable impact on the arts
sector. Several respondents noted that Algeria
has failed to invest in the link between culture
and tourism, for instance, in contrast with its
neighbour Morocco.
It’s a link that’s just terrible between Algeria
and other nations. We know there are [physical]
borders, but it seems there are many others
that are invisible but very present, and that
make it impossible for us to connect to Africa. –
Houari Bouchenak, photographer, Collectif 220,
Algiers / Tlemcen*
· In return, one respondent noted weak willingness
on the part of the international community
to reach out and create bridges with Algeria.
There is no will to reach out to Algeria and understand
what is going on, how can Algeria be
supported. – Malik Chaoui, co-project manager,
Groupe de travail sur la politique culturelle en
Algérie, Algiers*
Morocco/Algeria
· Several respondents expressed regret and
frustration at the difficulty of building bridges
with their Moroccan neighbours, due to ongoing
territorial disputes between the two states
which have maintained the border closed and
thus limited connections.
[In terms of traveling], one of the difficulties we
face is with Algeria: it’s absurd and anecdotal.
We know about a lot of projects in Algeria but
we can’t find a way to create collaborations
between the two countries. The fact that the
border is closed complicates things, and flights
are quite expensive. It’s cheaper to go to Berlin
or Amsterdam than to Algiers. – Amina Mourid,
cultural operator, Co-founder, Atelier Kissaria &
Think Tanger*
Restrictions on civil society, censorship
· Freedom of association has been limited in
Algeria and artistic activity has been closely
monitored. Freedom House rates Algeria as
“not free.”
Algiers is very conservative. There’s a mini-scene,
but it’s not like Tunis. In Algeria, it’s more people
with lots of money who are opening venues. It’s
very small, very local. At the level of the Algerian
authorities, it’s not easy. – Hamdi Ryder, DJ,
Downtown Vibes collective, Tunis*
· Restrictions on freedom of movement have
been used as a form of censorship.
Cultural operators are closely monitored. Every
time we’ve prepared to participate in an event,
we’ve had lots of trouble at the airport. I have
friends who haven’t been able to leave. They [the
authorities] tell you “please wait,” and then they
purposefully make you miss your flight. – Myriam
Amroun, cultural project manager, Algiers*
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