Make a step: Apply for Khatwa!

New program for Egypthian youth involvement:
Khatwa aims to strengthen youth involvement in civil society in Egypt through civic education. The program aims to empower social change and tackle regional needs through active citizenship education, by providing capacity building for active young people. 

Through seminars, training with peer-to-peer facilitators, and project design and implementation, participants are motivated with tools and skills to be active citizens. It is implemented in cooperation between El Sadat Association (http://el-sadat.org) and Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg (http://theodor-heuss-kolleg.de).

The program in short:
-   "Kick off" event and orientation meeting on Jan 30th, in Cairo
-   1 Seminar in Dahab, either   “Me, My Community, My World” to take place 16-23 February 2014 or “Identity Every Day” 27 February – 6 March)
-   A project management seminar which will take place in April, location TBD
-   A reflection seminar, location & date TBD
-   Mentoring sessions which will take place online and in person
-   Develop, present, and implement a small-scale, sustainable project

Application:
To apply for the program, please submit your completed application to KhatwaMasr@gmail.com by Friday, 17 January 2014. : dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14960159/CfA-participants-Egypt.docx

Artist residency opportunities at MacDowell. deadline 15th January 2014

In 2013, the Palestinian architect Lana Judeh, the Lebanese composer Joelle Khoury, the Syrian interdisciplinary artist Nabil Maleh and the Egyptian filmmaker Mohammed Shawky Hassan  participated in The MacDowell Colony’s new Voices of Change program.  You can be part of MacDowell’s artist community in 2014.  Artists from the Middle East working in all artistic disciplines are encouraged to apply for residency. The next application deadline is January 15 for the Summer 2014 session.  Those accepted will receive Voices of Change Fellowships covering all costs of a residency of up to two months in Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA, including:

• Exclusive use of one of 32 studio cottages spread across 450 bucolic acres

• All meals and living accommodations, including picnic lunches delivered to studios
• International travel reimbursement and needs-based financial aid
• Immersion in a new cultural environment and peer exchanges with other artists of many different disciplines and backgrounds
• Opportunities to present work to public audiences through the Colony’s community programs

One of the world’s leading artist residency programs, MacDowell serves more than 275 artists each year, many of whom travel internationally to participate.  With the guidance of the Arab Fund for Arts & Culture (AFAC), MacDowell is reaching out to give artists working in regions of political and social change the peace of mind to concentrate fully on their work, to share ideas freely with their peers from other cultures, and to develop new perspectives in their creative practices.

The deadline for Summer 2014 residencies is January 15.  

To Apply, click here

Art in the City

Mimeta supported NaiNiWho present at at The European Development Days (link)

The World Bank has described urbanization as ‘the defining phenomenon of the 21st century’. 90% of urban growth is happening in the developing world and over 50% of urban dwellers are youth. Two billion new urban inhabitants are expected in the next 20 years.

In the face of such an evolution and the potential risk of alienation of a growing number of urban populations, new models for viable, diverse, peaceful, creative and vibrant cities are needed in the developing world.

Studies already highlight the link between cities’ development and health, safety, food security, access to services or environmental control, however more is to be done to encourage local and inclusive urban solutions in fast-growing cities and engage citizens’ ownership.

Cultural dynamism and public spaces as well as civil society’s participation play a key role for ensuring a sustainable and business friendly urban development.

Representatives from local governments, academia, the corporate world, urban planning and culture will address the issue from their own perspective.

The conservative government in Norway reduces support by 18.5%

In the original budget for 2014, it is stated that cultural cooperation in developing work should strengthen universal human rights, including the right to freely participate in the cultural life. Thus strengthening the cultural rights is an important objective of the Norwegian policy. In the revised proposal for 2014 from the conservative wing they suggest a reduction of NOK 20 million or about 18,5%. It is an apparent priority from Moderates / Progress Party and it may affect many (of world's) front runners for human rights, democracy and the free, artistic expression.

11th Dak'Art to be held 9th May - 8th June

Save the date! The 11th Biennale of Contemporary African Art, Dak'art will be held from May 09 to June 08, 2014 in Dakar, Senegal and will welcome many artists and visual arts professionals of Africa and the world. Dak'art is the major biennale of contemporary art in Africa. It provides a platform for art professionals and set forth the artistic trends in Africa.

- Discover Dak'art 2014 program and press release:

    www.biennaledakar.org/2012/spip.php?article172

- THE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS for the International Exhibition Dak'Art

2014 is launched. It concerns contemporary African artists and African Diaspora artists.

- Deadline: September 15, 2013.

- How to apply: www.biennaledakar.org/2012/spip.php?article191

For questions regarding applications, thank to you use this email: 

candidature@biennaledakar.org.

For other inquiries: info@biennaledakar.org

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Call for Entries! 10th One Minute Film & Video Festival Aarau

The 10th One Minute Film & Video Festival Aarau (Switzerland) is open to shortfilms up to 60 Seconds. (August 22. - 25. 2013)

You can submit films in 4 Categories:

- Fiction/Documentary

- Animation

- Art/Experimental

- Youth/U20

The films can be sent online within the deadline May 31st 2013.

Upload and further informations:

web: www.oneminute.ch

mail: info@oneminute.ch

youtube: www.youtube.com/user/PraktikantOneMinute

facebook: www.facebook.com/oneminute.ch

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AMA 2013 Travel grants

The deadline for travels planned to begin from 1 July onward is for 1 May: Applications submitted before this deadline will get answers on 10 June. See  http://www.artmovesafrica.org/ for more information.

Open calls for artists Intwasa, Zimbabwe 2013

Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo, an annual, multi discipline arts festival that takes place in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe every month of September is calling for new, fresh and cutting edge work for presentation at its 9th edition of the festival. The festival is looking for theatre, music, dance, storytelling, poetry and comedy from the region and beyond. Regional and international artists with new work that fit the bill can visit the festival website for application forms. Deadline for applications is 30 April 2013. For more information: http://www.intwasa.org/

Report from Mali:

The war has got an impact on major events such as the Festival sur le Niger and the Festival au Désert. The Festival sur le Niger have been reduced for a special edition, without music and other festive activities, because... of the state of emergency in the country. For the special edition, we will have an International Symposium on the theme "Culture and Governance", Workshops and Master Class on the theme: "Peace and Social Cohesion", etc. The Festival au Désert have been cancelled for 2013, unfortunately. Generally, activities are in a slow motion. http://www.festivalsegou.org/