THE ALL AFRICA DANCE FESTIVAL ON PEACE IN NAIROBI, KENYA:

GREAT NEWS! FREE PARTICIPATION BY DANCE GROUPS FROM AFRICA!

“Arts approaches” provide an accessible language, compelling processes
that affirm everyone’s creativity and, above all, an inclusive space
that enables healing, genuine dialogue and transformation to happen
particularly where the violent conflicts and pains are experienced by
masses of people".

Many African countries have been affected by conflicts leading to the
deaths of over seven million people in the last twenty years. Armed
Conflicts in Sudan, Rwanda , Burundi, Congo, Sierra Leone, Uganda,
Liberia, Guinnea Bissau, Angola and Somalia have been the most
publicized at the international level but inter-ethnic conflicts are the
order of the day in most of the African countries including Kenya.

The result of these conflicts is bloodshed with millions of Africans been
resettled from their homes. There are still unresolved conflicts in
Somalia, Sudan , Uganda , Burundi , Congo and Chad . These countries have
a lesson to share in the use of the arts to promote peace and healing
while striving to prevent armed conflicts in the future. Kenya is just
overcoming a political conflict that would have forced the country into
anarchy seriously threatening social order and security of the Eastern
Africa region

It is in view of this that “The All Africa Dance Conference and Festival”
has been organized; scheduled to take place from 3rd-5th December 2010
at the Kenyatta International Conference Center ,down town Nairobi in
Kenya.

The conference/ festival will provide a rich, inclusive and challenging
forum for reflective practitioners to celebrate their creative richness;
critically and deeply engage; dream and act jointly in producing
alternative cultural and dance products and in shaping new narratives of
just peace. The festival will bring together over 1000 committed
artistes-peace builders – including educators, dance artists, development
workers, community animators and cultural activists – from Africa and the
Diaspora who continue to apply various shades of dance arts approaches in
their social change work.

The festival in a symphony of contemporary dance will also celebrates the
creative work of the African continent. The All Africa Dance Festival is
an ‘all Africa’ event in which we shall dance, stamp and leap to the
rhythms of the cultural and contemporary dance in the heart of Africa!.

The event to be held from 3rd-5th December 2010 is hosting dance groups
from Jamaica, Haiti, Sweden, Norway, Italy Nigeria, Mali and Mozambique
Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ghana, Cuba, Sierra Leone, Netherlands, Sudan,
South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Britain, United States,
Canada, India among other countries.
The Festival is proud to welcome these phenomenal dance artists and
choreographers to Kenya,. All the participating groups will provide rich
insight into contemporary dance styles and practices from Africa and other
parts of the world. Kenya will be represented by leading dance groups
such as Sarakasi, Safari Cats, Kanda King, Shangilia and Bomas of Kenya
Dancers among others. Participation by dance groups from Africa is
absolutely FREE!

The conference and festival will also share skills in the use of dance to
promote peace and human understanding. Various topics of interest will be
addressed in these sessions: Dance Choreography, Movements and patterns
creation, Dance Drama/ Dance Theatre, Dance Journalism, Dance Production
and presentation, The role of Community Dance, The language of dance,
Dance festival productions, Mime Dance and Story Development in dance.
Others are: The role of Indigenous dances in peace education, Community
Based Peace Education, Forgiveness & Healing using Dance, Advocacy and
Dialogue using Dance and Democratizing Africa using Dance are just but
some of the plenary topics that will be discussed during the two day
conference and workshops.
The event will feature award winning Johannesburg choreographer James Jackson whose work has been heralded by international dance critics as the
“new visionary dance voice for Africa ”. Gregory, alongside other
dancers, choreographers and dance companies will be teaching workshops and
classes at the Festival. Michael Holgate, the multifaceted artist and
dance choreographer from Jamaica will also run series of workshops at the
festival. .
The Festival also promises a whole host of other treats, such as the “
peace drum project “ where dancers, video artists,, fashion designers
and choreographers will come together to create dance projects where the
winners will be awarded with USD 5000 for developing the best message
on peace using in three days .This competition artists will prove to be
one of the highlights of this years festival and there are plans to have
an African continental competition next year.

Besides the two day of dance marathon the organizers are pleased to
announce that it will be hosting a two day dance conference in which
ideas around what constitutes “African dance aesthetics” debated between
some of the top choreographers, dancers and academics in Africa . There will be practical dance and drumming workshops facilitated by professional choreographers.

This festival which amongst many other encounters of dancing feet, is
about peace in Africa and us all celebrating the hip sway and feet tap
of our own vibrant people and city and its dancing cultural life despite
the recent threats to Peace and human understanding– see you there!

For more information please

Please visit www.africadancefestival.com;

email us on; info@africadancefestival.com

or call +254 020 4452674/ 4450937

Warmest Regards

Karegwa Muchiri

Conference & Festival Director

All Africa Dance Conference and Festival on Peace

Madonna House. 3rd Flr, Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254-20-4452674/ 4450937

www.africadancefestival.com

info@africadancefestival.com
africadancefestival@gmail.com

ARchiTecture (art+architecture) Residency: A DESIGN+BUILD-AND-LIVE-IN PROJECT

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

We are seeking submissions of residency proposals that explore the intimate relationship between art and architecture. Project is a part of Nka Foundation’s model arts village at Abetenim in the Ashanti Region of Ghana (about 15 minutes from Kumasi). Artistic persons or teams in diverse fields of engineering, architecture and the arts are all welcome to apply for residency. Goal of the project residency is to design, build and test-live in low budget, quality shelter constructed with earth and other materials from the environment. The earth shelter should be either a live-in cottage for artist-in-residence or another you would like to propose to us. In the construction, participant will be assisted by a local master builder and local laborers. Your project could be of cob, adobe/ mud brick, cast earth/poured earth, rammed earth or another method of constructing a livable shelter.

Deadline: Ongoing but apply 2 months in advance of residency. A complete application should include your CV/ resumé along with: (1) the budget, (2) preliminary drawings/ sketches of proposed project, (3) a paragraph or two that explains your project idea and process, and (4) a portrait photo of applicant. We will provide accommodation, and a small production budget. Meals will be by community kitchen. Length of project residencies is usually 4 to 12 months.

To apply complete the application form above and e-mail to nkaprojects@gmail.com, africoae@gmail.com. For additional information go to www.nkafoundation.org.

THE DRUM CAFÉ 2010 PEACE ARTS FESTIVAL
19 SEPTEMBER TO 25TH SEPTEMBER 2010. NAIROBI KENYA

GENERAL.
Peace sustainability using available cultural methods
It could be remembered that Cultural practitioners and producers are invaluable at times of political stress. When crises emerge, or when repressive governments take control, artists often operate with a relatively safe space and can offer a strong civil society voice.
They so give people the right to express their own culture, to an environment where their creativity flourishes, and to a range of cultural voices which are all important ways of making sure that support for culture translate into giving people real choices; a wish to evoke the subconscious and generate an emotional impact in the communities. They give them a chance to celebrate the Natural Cultural uniqueness as a direct result of the creativity that results from being made in the creator’s image. A gift to be appreciated, enjoyed, and celebrated! Cultural affects expressing cultural diversity dynamics, impacting every area of spiritual human reality.
Arts and Culture are crucial in social and political development. Invariably, they help a society to retain its desirable values, arrest impending ailments on time, and exercise evils plaguing the well being of people. As a media of social progress, Arts and culture are dynamic avenues for the expansion of the frontiers of peace creations.
KENYA Kenya lies on eastern coast of Africa covering an area of about 586600km sq. with inland water bodies covering about 10700km sq. with major lakes such as lake Victoria and lake Turkana. Kenyan topography is quite diversified including glaciated mountains with snow capped peaks, rich savannah, timeless culture, pristine beaches, coral reefs, equatorial forest, searing deserts, the rift valley with its scarps and volcanoes, granitic hills and coral reefs.
Kenya’s climate varies from the coast where it’s warm and humid, dry and hot at the east and north, cool and humid in the central highlands. Rainfall in Kenya is quite seasonal with its patterns varying from place to place. Her drainage basins are the great Lake Victoria, Athi galana-sabaki River and Lake Turkana.
The Drum Cafe2010 Peace Festival/Conference The Drum Cafe2010 Peace Festival/Conference is an unprecedented social mobilization, advanced by cultural interventions aimed at bringing together thousands of people, pacifist and nonviolence groups, a variety of institutions, and figures from the worlds of science, arts, culture, and politics, who are sensitive to the urgency of the moment It will also awaken a consciousness of nonviolence that rejects not only physical violence, but all forms of violence: economic, racial, psychological, religious, sexual, etc. This new sensibility could take root and inspire the social structures, opening the way towards the future Universal Human Nation.
We will invite 15 international groups and 25 local groups to the Drum Café 2010 Peace Arts Festival/Conference (Folklore, Modern Dance, Choirs, music groups and bands, theatrical and youth groups). The groups will arrive here on 18th September afternoon (there will be a dinner organized by Arts forum international on the day of arrival) and groups will leave from the festival on 26th September after breakfast, (those who would like to stay for a game drive will have to inform us earlier to arrange for them at an extra fee depending on the National park of their choice).
Participation fee is, 100 Euros per person. This caters for all activities in the program.
All payments will be in cash
ACCOMMODATION
The participating group covers all journey costs to come to the festival. We will provide to you three meals per day (lunches with packed meals) and accommodation in lodgings and hostels with the essential hygienic services during the festival period.
If any group wants to be accommodating in some of Kenya’s glamorous hotels, we can arrange that but the group must pay the costs. And if groups want to stay extra days we can organize that,
TRANSPORTATION
All groups are expected to fly to Jomo Kenyatta Inter. Airport and will pay for all travel costs. We will hire a bus to the group for all festival days’ transportation. The group will be picked up from/to Jomo Kenyatta international airport- and this bus will be ready during the festival to take the group from their hostels to the festival place or the places on the programme. The group will have to pay us for this cost of service on the first day of the festival: totally 1000 Euro.
Medical services
The participating group must have its own medical insurance.

PROGRAM AND ACTIVITIES The participating group will do several activities in the Drum Café 2010 Peace Arts Festival/Conference, the exhibitions will also be held in Nairobi major slums where the dwellers live on less than a dollar a day.
The performances during the festival will be focusing on peace sustainability using available cultural methods. The group is requested to prepare at least two different programmes of 45 mm each. Most programs are held in the evening however, some day time programs are also scheduled. The time of the performance allowed will be strictly limited. All groups will show off their performance max 4 nights. All groups will participate in the Peace march of about 5kms. Group members will also attend the two day conference and a one day tour of Nairobi including the Nairobi national park.
All shows must be based on cultural diversity, groups will present their traditional dances and music, art crafts, paintings, photographs, history and for those capable will exhibit there food.
Musicians will play live at the time of the performance (recorded music is not allowed).
The participating group is not allowed to accept other invitations or to perform during the festival period without the permission of the organizers.
The participating group is allowed to sell records and souvenirs from their own country only on places provided by the organizers.
During the festival the group cannot charge any fees for the concerts or additional performances requested by the organizers nor for radio and television broadcast, film and video recording.
The groups will bring equipments to make a demonstration on the craftsmanship and jobs of your country photo, video on the popular traditions on peace sustainability to be introduced in the conference and other forums such as workshops.
Gifts will be delivered between the groups, the Festival organization and the Mayor of the city of Nairobi.
The participating group has to carry with them national clothes, musical instruments, flags) and will be asked to use them during the festival.
The participating group and its members are bound to the activities and the program that is planned as part of the festival. All the members of the participating group, including managers are required to participate fully in all activities.
The Drum Café 2010 Peace Arts festival/conference will stay with you, unforgettably wonderful, sweet memories that will rest into your life forever.

THE DRUM CAFÉ 2010 PEACE ARTS FESTIVAL/CONFERENCE
The Talking drums of Africa in collaboration with Kenyan artistic/cultural organizations, non governmental organizations, the private sector, international artists/cultural organizations and professionals have proposed to organize the Drum Café 2010 Peace Festival/Conference from Sunday 19th September 2010 to Saturday 25th September 2010, in the effort to raise voices to the critical situation throughout the world, characterized by hate and poverty across vast regions and confrontations between cultures.
Arts and Culture are crucial in social and political development. Invariably, they help a society to retain its desirable values, arrest impending ailments on time, and exercise evils plaguing the well being of people. As a media of social progress, Arts and culture are dynamic avenues for the expansion of the frontiers of peace creations.
The Drum café 2010 Peace festival and conference aims to generate consciousness of the dangerous global situation in which we are living; a situation marked by the heightened probability of nuclear conflict, a renewed arms race, and the violent military occupation of foreign territories, religious, race and tribal conflicts.

Our mission is to work towards a cultural intervention in building bridges of love, respect, and understanding around nations by educating and mobilizing our communities in creating a future of peace and justice for all humanity using available media and arts/ cultural methods.
To acknowledge cultural diversity as a driving force of development, not only on respect of growth, but also as a means of leading a more fulfilling intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual life.

The drum Café 2010 Peace festival/conference recognize the need to bring together at a practical level diverse experiences in arts, academics, religious, cultural, social and humanitarian services to identify the conditions necessary to achieve sustainable development on peace
It could be remembered that cultural practitioners and producers are invaluable at times of political stress. When crises emerge or when repressive governments take control artists operate with a relatively safe space and can offer strong civil voice.

The Drum Cafe2010 Peace Festival/Conference is an unprecedented social mobilization, advanced by cultural interventions aimed at bringing together thousands of people, pacifist and nonviolence groups, a variety of institutions, and figures from the worlds of science, arts, culture, and politics, who are sensitive to the urgency of the moment It will also awaken a consciousness of nonviolence that rejects not only physical violence, but all forms of violence: economic, racial, psychological, religious, sexual, etc. This new sensibility could take root and inspire the social structures, opening the way towards the future Universal Human Nation.

Kenya as a state has been crossed by paths of long and complex history. From prehistoric records to the present day, she has been a land of unending change and diversity. Early tribal states saw cycles of migration and shifting power with Kenya as a meeting place for people from plain lands of the south the forest of the west and deserts of the north. The sea brought influence from the outside world and the passage of the spice trade created the unique coastal culture.

She –Kenya served as a meeting place of cultures, where adventurers and soldiers of fortune mingled with a complex tribal society. Kenya indeed has managed to draw all influence and developed it to a unique culture. For sure these is just one of her greatest strengths; the ability to blend all her worlds into a one strong singular identity.

At the end of December 2007, the Kenyan presidential election was marked by bloody confrontation during which 1,500 persons were killed and over 350,000 were displaced, some media did not hesitate to speak of ethnic hatred, while others concentrated on the political and economic causes of the crisis.
World War I claimed over 40 million casualties, including approximately 20 million civilian and military dead. And some 60 million people died in World War II, including about 20 million soldiers and 40 million civilians. The twenty first century has witnessed civil wars in Africa which have claimed millions of lives of citizens.
It could be remembered that Cultural practitioners and producers are invaluable at times of political stress. When crises emerge, or when repressive governments take control, artists often operate with a relatively safe space and can offer a strong civil society voice. So giving people the right to express their own culture, to an environment where their creativity flourishes, and to a range of making sure that support for culture translate into giving people real choices, accept and recognize cultural diversity – in particular through innovative use of media and the Arts – as conducive to dialogue among civilizations and cultures, respect and mutual understanding.

The rich cultural diversity in Kenya has played a pivotal role in the tremendous growth of among others the local tourism industry in spite of the fact that culture may not have elevated itself to the level of a full-fledged industry - on the local scene.
“If we fail to use creativity as a force for social justice, transformation and the articulation of human need, we may unwittingly find that we are letting down the very people in whose name we work”.

BACKGROUND
“THE DRUM CAFE”, is an innovative network of creative and performing professionals with the Central aim of re-defining music as a powerful medium of social change in east Africa. The first drum cafe was first hosted by Alliance francaise de Nairobi in September 2006 and supported by various individuals, cultural and artistic institutions. Since then the Program has continued to work with younger and older drummers, organizations such as UNESCO, Sarakasi trust, Amref, Unity College and the Go down Arts center

The drum café holds workshops and organize performances where skills and knowledge are shared with the audiences besides serving as a source of soulful entertainment.

OBJECTIVES

• To highlight knowledge and practices in the field that advance artistic effectiveness to expand a collective impact.

• To promote the use of music as a medium for social change through a focus on effective measures,

• To increase cultural awareness and promote exchange between culture and development.

• To spear head and support the use of arts and culture in conflict resolution, education, Peace and friendship
• To improve knowledge on peace making through sharing information and experiences.
• To help societies retain their desirable values, arrest impending ailments on time and exercise dynamic avenues for the expansion of the frontiers of peace creation.
• To acknowledge cultural diversity as a driving force of development, not only on respect of growth, but also as a means of leading a more fulfilling intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual life.
The DRUM CAFÉ 2010 PEACE FESTIVAL will be a seven day celebration presented by and for the various Kenyan ethnic subgroups and communities living in Kenya.
The DRUM CAFÉ 2010 PEACE FESTIVAL aims to create a safe place for all Kenyans and their international guests to value the importance of culture as a tool in conflict resolution and cultures vital role in maintaining peace in local communities, nations and throughout the world.

”In its rich diversity, culture has intrinsic value for development as well as social cohesion and peace.”

The DRUM CAFÉ 2010 PEACE FESTIVAL will feature:
A seven day showcase of performances, presentations, workshops, displays and demonstrations of music, theater, dance, storytelling, food, films, traditional medicines and crafts at various venues in Dandora, Kibera, Kawangware (slum areas which all experienced terrible consequence of the last post election chaos where by neighbors turned against each other, killed and or destroying each others property) and the Nairobi city center
• A peace march through the Nairobi city main roads
• A parade every day featuring a hundred of drummers - to drum against the instability in our world with a very strong voice, and a loud and clear message to those who need to hear
• A two day conference on Peace in Our World - providing a platform for civic and religious leaders as well as cultural, educational and community spokespeople
• A wide range of performances on different stage with tailored productions on peace.
• A screening of various film based messages on large screens in all festival venues.
• A display of art facts and other materials on peace making on a variety of stalls around festival venues.

The DRUM CAFÉ 2010 PEACE FESTIVAL will invite and engage the participation of young people, women, families, elders and men from Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa and around the World to come together and celebrate their shared history, their diverse identities and their common futures.

The DRUM CAFÉ 2010 PEACE FESTIVAL will bring together Artists and Cultural entrepreneurs from a broad range of disciplines as well as government departments, Cultural institutions, Social and Humanitarian groups, Educational Institutions, Non-Governmental organizations, Private sector and community based organizations to strength the campaign towards achieving peace in Kenya and the world at large.

THE DRUM CAFÉ 2010 PEACE FESTIVAL/CONFERENCE recognize the need to bring together at a practical level diverse experiences in arts, academics, religious, cultural, social and humanitarian services to identify the conditions necessary to achieve sustainable development on peace.

CALL FOR PAPERS
On September 19-25, 2010, a festival and conference promoting peace and conflict resolution will be held in Nairobi, Kenya. A two-day conference will be accompanied by seven days of artistic performances featuring traditional and popular music, oral narrative, and drama. Organized by the Drum Café (for information, see www.drumcafenairobi.bravehost.com), the event seeks to bring together practitioners and researchers working in areas related to the arts and/or conflict resolution in and out of Kenya. Presentations and performances will be held in three slum areas around Nairobi and in the city centre. Participants will benefit not only from the events of the festival and conference, but also from the vibrant Nairobi city life and easy access to tourist attractions such as the nearby Nairobi National Park.

2010 Peace Festival and Conference, Nairobi, Kenya
At the end of December 2007, the Kenyan presidential election was marked by bloody confrontation during which 1,500 persons were killed and over 350,000 were displaced. Some media spoke of ethnic hatred, while others concentrated on the political and economic causes of the crisis. The conflict in Kenya is only one recent example of the type of unrest which has marked communities and nations around the world since the beginning of time. Such unrest has caused upheaval within communities and the loss of millions of lives. In such times of conflict, cultural practitioners and producers can play important peace-making roles. During the recent unrest in Kenya, for example, musicians of different ethnicities joined together to present concerts promoting peace. When crises emerge, or when repressive governments take control, artists may operate within a relatively safe space and offer a strong voice within communities. Furthermore, recognition and acceptance of cultural diversity, including through innovative use of media and the arts, can promote dialogue, respect, and understanding within and between communities and cultures.
The 2010 Peace Festival and Conference seek to promote peace, conflict resolution, and the arts, with particular attention to how these topics impact upon each other. Specific sessions will be dedicated to the following issues, though papers and performances on other topics are also welcome:
(1) Role of world citizens in conflict resolutions;
(2) Age, gender and professionalism perspectives in peace development;
(3) Cultural and artistic interventions, practices and experiences in peace creation;
(4) Promoting dialogue, respect, and understanding within communities and cultures;
(5) Acceptance and recognition of cultural diversity through innovative uses of media and arts as key elements in developing sustainable peace;
(6) Investing in art and culture as a social tool for community development, empowerment and peaceful co-existence and integration.
Participants are welcome from any discipline or practice. Papers should be 20 minutes long. Performances may vary in length (please stipulate length in your proposal). Please send proposals, maximum length one page, to Dr. Tom M. Olali at olali@hotmail.com by 30 June 2010. Please include all details of all AV needs.
For further information, including on registration and accommodation, please see the festival website: http://thedrumcafe.viviti.com/
Contacts:
Edward Kabuye, Festival Organizer, Drum Café, Nairobi, Kenya, drumcafe2010@gmail.com
Dr. Tom M. Olali, Lecturer, Department of Linguistics and Languages, Nairobi University, Nairobi, Kenya, olali@hotmail.com
Dr. Kathleen Van Buren, Lecturer, Department of Music, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom, k.j.vanburen@sheffield.ac.uk