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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FUNDING FOR MOBILITY
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The cultural affairs delegations are not funding
cultural projects at present. Cultural actors
who are travelling are doing so through funding
provided by international human rights organizations,
universities or cultural institutes. Given
the relative inexperience of the Libyan culture
sector and lack of managerial capacity, Libyan
cultural actors are hard-pressed to compete
with their colleagues in neighbouring countries
for funds. AMA, AFAC, Al Mawred al-Thaqafy
and Mophradat have scarcely funded Libyan
cultural actors.
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IMPEDIMENTS
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Currency and costs
· A host of issues make financing travel extremely
complicated. In the current banking crisis,
there is a shortage of dinars, which means
that accounts may be frozen for months at a
time. The dinar is extremely devalued, meaning
that transactions must be paid via the black
market, often with exacerbated rates. Foreign
currencies cannot be exchanged in Libya.
· Respondents stated that foreign funding agencies
require organizations to have a bank
account in Tunis, as they will not transfer to
Libyan accounts.
We’re not allowed to exchange any money. We
use the black market. The other problem is the
exchange rate. You have to work very hard to
make $1000. – Faiza Ramadan, visual artist,
Tripoli
Visas
· The Libyan passport is very weak; entry into
countries other than Tunisia is not guaranteed
without support from a well-established human
rights organization or cultural institute.
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L
I
B
Y
A
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Libyans aren’t welcome in most countries. –
Faraj Alsileeni, Director, Tanarout, Benghazi
· Visa procedures require a trip to Tunis, incurring
travel and accommodation costs.
For my Green Book exhibition, I had to remotely
curate it – not because of funding but
because Morocco doesn’t allow Libyans at all. –
Tewa Barnosa, visual artist and founder of WaraQ
Art Foundation, Tripoli / Berlin
Transport of artworks
With militias in control at the airports, transport
of artworks is seen as suspicious. Respondents
reported smuggling artworks in hand-luggage,
and/or pleading with authorities to let them pass.
Every single time I travel with the darbuka, I have
a problem. I need to have it with me in the cabin.
They’re always annoying me about this. They’re
treating me as if I were doing a wedding party
or something – people who are playing music
or singing music don’t have much respect from
society. – Mohamed Busneina, drummer, Content
Developer & Head of Music Dept. of Tanarout,
Benghazi
Lack of connections
· Direct flights between Libya and most countries
have been cancelled since the outbreak of the
war. The most stable remaining international
connections are between Tripoli or Benghazi
and Tunis, Alexandria and Istanbul.
War and security
· The security situation is extremely unstable,
with the potential for armed conflict to break
out at any point.
It’s hard to travel within our own country because
of the fights between cities, which make
it dangerous to travel. As long as they’re fighting
amongst themselves, we’re suffering. – Dina
Gallal, photographer and visual artist, Tanarout,
Benghazi
· Road travel is extremely dangerous; it is subject
to control by militias and may cross conflict
zones.
· The Tripoli and Benghazi airports are controlled
by militias.
Travelling is not safe at all. Even travelling by flight
is not safe. You never know who is controlling