Cultural Policy and Management in Africa with Arts Management in Africa on Tuesday 29 April 2025

Lire en Français. Cultural policy, art councils, funding bodies, and other alliances are critical to an art manager's functions. This episode examines the role of cultural policy in Africa. For instance, how are international players (such as the British Council) shaping the art management scene in Africa? How are African countries using legal and legislative mechanisms in the art and culture sector? Guests Alli Hajarat—Centre Qdance—Qdance School—Nigeria Kevin Kimani Kahuro—Kenya International Theatre Festival—Kenya Alli Hajarat holds an M.A. in Human Resources from Institut de Gestion Social, France, and a B.A. in European Languages from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. She is the co-founder and executive director of the QDance Center, Nigeria’s preeminent creative organization with an international reputation. Prior to QDance Center, Hajarat served as the administrative managing director of YK Projects France. Throughout her career, Hajarat has held several key roles, including human resources generalist intern at the Adecco Group in Paris; human resources manager at DDB Lagos, one of Nigeria’s leading advertising agencies; administrative assistant to the director of the French Economic Mission in Lagos; and arts administration and management intern at the prestigious Centre National des Arts du Cirque in Châlons-en-Champagne, France. Kevin Kimani Kahuro is an expert in International Cultural Relations and Arts Management with extensive global experience. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Arts Management. He serves as manager of Programs and Business Development at the Kenya Cultural Centre incorporating the Kenya National Theatre and as Secretary General of the African Theatre Union. He is also the founder of the Kenya International Theatre Festival, Kenya Theatre Awards, and Creative Arts Leadership Institute. Additionally, he has held senior roles in Kenya’s creative arts sector, leading and pioneering numerous initiatives that have shaped the industry both locally and internationally. About the Series This series of seven episodes focus on art management as it concerns Africa's performing art and cultural sector. This subject is under-discussed on the continent, and there exists a variety of experiences, exposures, and practices that, if shared, might support the sector. Specifically, this series focuses on the administration of arts and culture organizations, including marketing, fundraising, and policy in Africa. In addition to the specific thematic direction of each episode, each guest shares their journey and offer practical insights into their operations as art managers, administrators, entrepreneurs, and creatives. The objective of the series is to open space for this important yet silent subject matter on the continent. Through the various dialogues with art managers of festivals, art organizations, etc, the series offers practical insights into critical aspects of art management within the art, culture, and creative sectors/industries in Africa. Led by Taiwo Afolabi, this series is a partnership between the Centre for Socially Engaged Theatre, the Pan-African Creative Exchange (PACE), Theatre Emissary International, its social enterprise Mobile Research Lab, La Cité universitaire francophone, and Kininso Creative. https://howlround.com/happenings/cult...