The Afrique en créations programme was developed when the Afrique en créations association merged with the AFAA - Association française d’action artistique. Since then, the missions delegated to the AFAA by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Communication have included promotion and distribution of contemporary forms of African cultural expression, through two major channels: cultural development and access to the world market. A guiding principle in the AFAA’s approach is to create conditions that guarantee the independence of the creative arts. Afrique en créations helps artists living and working in Africa in the performing and visual arts to gain access to major international artistic movements, by: * awarding grants to support creativity, distribution and training, * co-producing artistic events with African states, * supporting culture operators within civil society and helping them to develop networks, * implementing tools to promote and circulate information on contemporary African art. Afrique en créations is partnered by the network of French cultural institutions and cultural delegations in French embassies in Africa and elsewhere. These partners are often involved in selecting projects as well as in funding arrangements. In order to guarantee consistency in project selection and to meet the demands of artistic policy guidelines, Afrique en créations has formed a panel of experts in each of the main artistic disciplines: theatre, dance, music and visual arts. These panels meet twice a year and are involved in defining policy guidelines for Afriquen créations and in selecting projects, including in particular: · selecting award-winners under the ‘Visas pour la création’ residency programme · selecting projects for the ‘Ateliers du Monde’ workshops programme · short-listing candidates for the Afrique en créations award. This publication describes the scheme across four dimensions: 1. Support to artists Afrique en créations is intended as a means for supporting creative artists over the long term, helping them to achieve recognition and improving the conditions under which they can circulate and distribute their work. 2. Support to cultural operators and network development Afrique en créations promotes organisational development within the creative arts environment, by supporting culture operators in african civil society through the o.c.re. culture networks programme (opérateurs culturels en reseaux). Having completed an initial experimental phase, o.c.re. is now strengthening and adapting its activities for non-institutional cultural organisations. 3. Landmark events The artistic encounters in Africa that are coproduced by Afrique en créations involve numerous partners and are intended as landmark events that help to strengthen the organisation of the artistic sectors receiving support. These encounters bring the most outstanding creative talents in each discipline together in one place and at a given time, in the presence of professionals from all over the world (programmers, media, etc.) who are invited to take note of and help circulate these examples of artistic excellence. 4. Communication on contemporary creative arts in Africa The contemporary arts in africa are the focus of the various encounters, forums and debates organsed by the Afrique en créations programme. Afrique en créations also supports and spotlights contemporary artistic output in africa through its publications (rezo-afrique magazine, Afrique en créations magazine), its web site and resource centre. For more information (available in French, Portuguese and English), CLICK HERE

http://www.afaa.asso.fr/afrique/part_1_instit/mode_emploi/AFAA_ANGLAIS_MODE_DEMPLOI.pdf