AFRICAN ANTHROPOLOGY: São Tomé and Principe as a cultural hub

The following article was seen at The Power of Culture at http://www.krachtvancultuur.nl/uk/current/2006/july/sao_tome.html

São Tomé and Principe as a cultural hub

These days every self-respecting country has its own Art Biennale. So naturally, this includes São Tomé and Principe, a group of African islands off the coast of Nigeria. Under the motto ‘from slave trade outpost to cultural hub’ this management of this Art Event wants to demonstrate that culture can contribute to sustainable development.

The Art Biennale, which lasts a month and is being held for the fourth time, opened on 25 June 2006 with an exhibition by the Senegalese artist Seyni Gadiaga in galery Espaço Teia D’@rte. Dancers José Silva ‘Boris’ and Mussa Ibrahimo brought their project Entreposto de Dança, in which they introduce traditional dance as a medium for contemporary expression.

Workshop at a previous edition of the Art Biennale

Moreover, the program offers a multitude of workshops, from sculpting to creative writing and jewellery design, a festival of Portuguese language films and documentaries, theatre performances and lectures about cultural tourism and the preservation of cultural legacy.

The International Centre for Art and Culture (CIAC) is organising the biennial event, with support from Alliance Française and the Portuguese Cultural Centre Instituto Camões. But the Art Festival is actually the initiative of one man: João Carlos Silva. This Jack-of-all-trades is not only an artist and journalist; he also has a cooking program on São Tomese television, runs an eco-tourism project at a former plantation and was the founder of both CIAC, in 1995, and Espaço Teia D’@rte.

Inge Ruigrok