Interview with Maguette Dieye - Arts and culture is the driving force

Maguette Dieye is a cultural project manager at Diagn’art in Saint Louis, Senegal, where she works to bring positive changes to her community through power of dance. Becoming a professional in the field of culture did not come easy; a capacity-building training funded by International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD) gave her the practical knowledge she needed to step up her career. The cultural manager continues to seek opportunities to expand her skillsets in order to better serve her country’s creative industries. Maguette will be participating the 7th Conference of Parties.

When did you decide to pursue a career in cultural management?

I started developing interest in arts and culture in 2010. Every June, I would help out Diagn’art with Duo Solo Danse festival as well as manage dance classes during school holidays.

I wanted to pursue a training in cultural administration after my Bachelor’s degree, but there was no academic courses offered in this discipline in Senegal. The National Academy of Arts had a programme in cultural mediation, but this discipline was not something I was interested in. I ended up studying Project Management, and as part of the requirement, I decided to do an internship at an arts and cultural organization in Senegal. This is when I truly started to invest my career in the creative sector.

Most of my friends said I was crazy – a career in arts and culture would amount to nothing.

I saw a Facebook post about cultural administrative training for young people purely by chance. When I was selected as a participant, most of my friends said I was crazy – a career in arts and culture would amount to nothing. To this day, their words give me the motivation to continue growing and seek training opportunities. I am convinced that arts and culture can be the driving force of development.

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© Abdoulaye Touré

How has Diagn’art contributed to the development of cultural sector in Senegal?

Diagn’art consists of three major sections. Contemporary dance company today produces and sends top-notch performances to the international stage. Duo Solo Danse Festival provides professional dancers with a place of exchange as well as trainings; the Festival is now considered the springboard for young talents, firmly establishing its place in the Senegalese cultural landscape. Le Château is a cultural center dedicated to researches, trainings and multi-disciplinary residency, open to inter-cultural and inter-artistic dialogues. 

Since 2008, Diagn’art has successfully created employment opportunities directly and indirectly. Currently, we have five staff members. We also support young people with grant writing, networking, as well as material and technical support. Today, the graduates of our programmes are the leading project managers that serve as an example in our country. Cultural activities at le Château funds 70% of the center’s budget; you will find at least 30 young creators – artists, musicians, actors – frequenting the center on any given day. 

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© Abdoulaye Touré

How have capacity-building programmes helped your career in the Cultural and Creative Industries?

Capacity building programmes helped me tremendously with adapting to the work style of creative industry. It allowed me to learn a new way of working and managing as well as to recognize the immense potential of arts and cultural industries that my previous studies did not highlight.  

What is a recent trend in the Senegalese creative industry?

The recent trends have been very positive. Many initiatives targeting the development of the cultural sector are coming out of cultural organizations and young people. There are more and more debates, panels and trainings around the theme “The Cultural and Creative Industries: what’s at stake in Africa?”

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© Abdoulaye Touré

What are major challenges that professional artists in Senegal face?

In terms of finance, creating a professional portfolio, putting together a grant application, finding funds for mobility as well as residencies, financing their work, finding accessible and quality training are some of the obstacles. In terms of expertise, the artists need cultural administrators and lights and sound technicians who require training themselves.

I hope to share my experience, discuss the issue of cultural entrepreneurship, and speak about the needs for professional training in Africa.

What do you wish to achieve during the 7th Conference of Parties?

I hope to share my experience, discuss the issue of cultural entrepreneurship, and speak about the needs for professional training in Africa. I would also like to network and meet new potential partners in order to develop our youth training projects in Saint Louis, Senegal, with the intention of expanding it to Africa by securing more funds.

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© Abdoulaye Touré