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| Africa Arts Alliance | |
|---|---|
| Name | Africa Arts Alliance |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Region served | Africa |
| Focus | Contemporary art, cultural exchange, creative industries |
Africa Arts Alliance
Africa Arts Alliance is a pan-African cultural organization that supports contemporary visual arts, performance art, and cultural heritage across the continent. The organization operates programs in major cultural hubs including Lagos, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Accra, and Dakar, and engages with artists, curators, and institutions from across Africa and the African diaspora. It collaborates with museums, festivals, and universities to promote exhibitions, residencies, and public programs that connect local practices to global platforms.
Africa Arts Alliance runs exhibitions, artist residencies, and outreach initiatives linking major institutions such as the Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou, Smithsonian Institution, Stedelijk Museum, and Museum of Modern Art with regional partners like the National Museum Lagos, Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, The Africa Centre (South Africa), Nairobi National Museum, and Musée Théodore Monod. The Alliance's programming often intersects with festivals and events including the FESPACO, Dak'Art, Art Basel Miami Beach, Biennale de Lyon, and Venice Biennale to showcase artists and projects from networks spanning Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Kenya, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Its educational partnerships encompass collaborations with the University of Cape Town, University of Lagos, Makerere University, Rhodes University, and American University in Cairo.
Founded in 2001 amid rising global interest following exhibitions such as Magiciens de la Terre and institutional initiatives like the Africa Remix tour, Africa Arts Alliance emerged through collaboration among curators, artists, and cultural managers responding to gaps highlighted by conferences at UNESCO and meetings tied to the World Bank cultural programs. Early partners and advisors included figures associated with Okwui Enwezor, El Anatsui, Yinka Shonibare, Chéri Samba, and institutions linked to the British Museum and Royal Academy of Arts. The founding period saw strategic alignment with municipal cultural policies in cities such as Lagos State, Cape Town, and Accra Metropolitan that supported public art initiatives and community engagement.
The Alliance administers artist residencies modeled after programs like Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Cité internationale des arts, and Gasworks, and curatorial fellowships inspired by the Getty Foundation and Prince Claus Fund. It organizes traveling exhibitions that have shown work alongside collections from the British Library, Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, National Gallery of Canada, and Brooklyn Museum. Public programs include panel series featuring guests from the African Union Commission, Commonwealth Secretariat, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, and professional development workshops informed by practices at the African Development Bank and European Cultural Foundation.
Governance comprises a board with representatives from leading institutions such as the African Centre for Cities, MoMA PS1, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, and the Ford Foundation. Executive leadership often includes directors with prior roles at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Iziko Museums of South Africa, Serpentine Galleries, Documenta, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Advisory committees have drawn specialists affiliated with the Getty Research Institute, Sotheby's Institute of Art, AICA International, and the International Council of Museums.
Strategic collaborations include joint initiatives with the African Union, British Council, Goethe-Institut, Institut Français, Embassy of the Netherlands, United States Embassy in Nigeria, and philanthropic partners like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Prince Claus Fund, and Open Society Foundations. Project partnerships extend to festivals and biennials such as Biennale di Venezia, Documenta, Sharjah Biennial, Gwangju Biennale, and regional art fairs including Joburg Art Fair and 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair.
The Alliance's work has been cited in exhibition catalogs alongside artists like Kehinde Wiley, Wangechi Mutu, William Kentridge, Lebo and referenced in policy dialogues at forums such as the World Economic Forum cultural sessions and panels at the African Studies Association. Recognition includes awards and commendations from the Prince Claus Awards, Prince Claus Fund, and nominations for collaborative projects in lists curated by ArtReview and Apollo (magazine). Its alumni have gone on to solo exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Hayward Gallery, ICA London, and secured fellowships with the MacArthur Foundation and Pew Fellowship.
Funding models combine support from multilateral organizations like the European Union, African Development Bank, and bilateral cultural agencies including the British Council and Goethe-Institut, with grants from private foundations such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, and corporate sponsors from sectors represented by MTN Group, Dangote Group, and Standard Bank. Revenue streams also include ticketed exhibitions, commissioned public art funded by municipal governments such as Lagos State Government and City of Cape Town, and earned income through art fair partnerships and publishing collaborations with houses like Thames & Hudson.
Category:Arts organizations based in Africa Category:Contemporary art organizations Category:Cultural organizations established in 2001