With a growing number of performances and venues in East Africa, Busara Promotions has responded to a need for increased regional cooperation. On September 16 and 17, 2011 Busara Promotions invited 21 key organizers from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda for a two day conference at the Bayimba International Festival of the Arts in Uganda to launch East Africa’s first Performing Arts Touring Circuit.
The aim of the conference was to launch a structure that would provide increased visibility for national, regional and international artists and allow promoters and venues to join efforts and share costs in marketing and organization of events.
Overall, 14 different organizations were present for two days of lively discussions and in-depth planning: Kenya was represented by the GoDown Arts Centre, Sarakai Trust and Sawa Sawa Festival as well as the Kenya Cultural Centre, all located in Nairobi. Tanzania was represented by Busara Promotions (Zanzibar), Makutano House (Dar es Salaam), Music Mayday (Dar es Salaam) and the Arusha Arts Collaborative (Arusha).
Uganda was represented by Bayimba Foundation (Kampala), Ndere Center (Kampala), TAKS Center (Gulu), Eastern Artists Association (Mbale), Igongo Cultural Centre (Mbarara) and Centre for Performing Arts (Jinja). In addition to this, the Alliance Française from all three countries was represented by the Director of AF Kampala.
The meeting was funded by the Norwegian organization Mimeta that supports international networking within the arts and cultural sector.
During the conference, different aspects of touring artists were discussed, such as the purpose, expectations and definition of such a network, administrative and organizational issues (i.e. contracts and technical requirements), audiences and venues, funding opportunities, case studies, etc.
The conference ended with sharing specific plans for 2012 and 2013 and a mutual statement of intent outlining principles of good governance principles for members of the network. During the evenings all participants were able to enjoy the varied performances of the 4th Bayimba International Festival of the Artsin Kampala (www.bayimba.org)
At the end of these intensive and lively discussions, all present agreed to launch the first “East Africa Performing Arts Circuit (EA-PAC)”. Watch this space for artists on tour!
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