Project holder:
Smarts-Segou Association
Country of implementation:
Mali
Implementation year:
2014
Type of project:
Plastic arts, music and plaiting
Brief project description
The project consists of organizing a national competition in music, plastic arts and plaiting. Activities include launching the call proposals in Ségou, Bamako, Sikasso and Mopti in order for young Malians to creatively and artistically express themselves in the areas of techniques of traditional plaiting, plastic arts and music. The youth which is selected are, in turn, supported by experts in each of these fields in order to promote innovation and creativity and to support them in their professionalization.
Objectives and expected results
The overall objective of this project is to stimulate, develop and promote the artistic and cultural expressions of young people in the areas of music, plastic arts and plaiting. It focuses on the role of culture and development, and the increase of economic revenue as well as the professionalization of youth. In particular, it responds to the priorities of the Fund by:
upporting youth by providing them with the opportunity to express their talent and to professionalise themselves in various cultural domains.
including forms of expression which are relatively under-represented on the global arts scene, namely braiding techniques. This project also promotes innovation and creativity among youth by providing them with a space of cultural expression in order to foster cultural diversity in four regions of Mali (Bamako, Segou, Sikasso and Mopti). 40 young people were trained and participated in a final competition and the finalists of each artistic domain are provided with the opportunity to exhibit their works at the Festival on the Niger next year.
promoting the expression of the cultural diversity of Mali. The young participants from Bamako, Segou, Sikasso and Mopti met in the context of this project and spent a valuable time together. The variety of artistic works featured the cultural richness of Mali and contributed to promoting and encouraging peace among young Malians.
"Today, Segou has positioned itself as a cultural capital in Mali, providing a real opportunity for art and creativity development, especially through the Festival on the Niger, the cultural center koré and its modern production studio. Moreover, budding artists are increasing in number and they need to be supported and guided in order to succeed and be able to live from art. Art is a component for local economic growth. Thus, this project aims to develop and promote artistic and cultural expressions that will inspire in young people an interest in art and culture with multiplying effects." Djibril Guisse, Coordinator, Smarts Segou.
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About the beneficiaries
"I welcome this initiative “Talents of the outskirts” which promotes a better future for young artists and boosts their careers”. Souleymane GUINDO, 1st Prize, plastic arts.
"I ask young artists to work because only the effort pays. I welcome this initiative taken by SMARTS and its partners. This project has allowed me to express my talent and encouraged me to get more interested in music because I just realized that is a field where my career could grow. The prize that I have just received will help me to go further in my career as a young artist ". Kankou KOUYATE, 1st Prize, music.
"The prize that I have just received will help me a lot in my art creation. I thank SMARTS, the IFPC/UNESCO and the FFSN [Foundation Festival on the Niger] for this great initiative that will help us in our career as young artists". Mamadou Sarr, 3rd Prize, plastic arts.