By Abdi Ali
Published February 5, 2022
An initiative that seeks to develop film and music across Africa has been launched.
The new Pan-African Network for Artistic Freedom (PANAF), a network-building initiative funded by the Swedish Arts Council and implemented by a Stockholm (Sweden)-based organisation called Selam is expected to be developed in collaboration with partners in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Zambia, Nigeria and Gambia.
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PANAF, that is expected to establish a continental network of creative people to strengthen collaborations at national, regional and continental levels, as well as to develop a digital platform for knowledge exchange and new initiatives, Selam says, will primarily focus on the music and film sector with the intent to gradually involve artists, performers, journalists, writers and other cultural workers.
Selam, that says it has offices in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Kampala (Uganda) and Stockholm, has announced the opening of a new office in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, to serve as the regional office for Africa and appointed Lucy Ilado as its Regional Programme Director.
Ilado, 28, is a music journalist, music curator and cultural activist, advocating and defending artistic freedom of expression in East, West and Central Africa. She is reported to have worked with several African organisations, including Music In Africa Foundation, Nation Newspapers, The Elephant, Arterial Network, Ketebul Music and Haus der Kulturen der Welt (House of World Cultures) in Berlin (Germany).
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In her new position, Ilado is expected to serve as the liaison to the region, assess the arts and cultural landscape, and extend Selam’s programmes to the creative community. She will also liaise with donors,governmental and other development actors, alliance partners and relevant advisors in the cultural space toinfluence cultural policies.
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”This is a new journey for us at Selam that will play a crucial role in the development of Selam’s various pan-African efforts in the field of culture”, says Teshome Wondimu, director of Selam. ”With new office andregional program director, we will develop our work in the field of culture by immersing ourselves in the different perspectivessuch as democracy, human rights, freedom of speech, job creation, peace and reconciliation, institution building, digitalization and tech”
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Ilado says of her new role: “I am excited to have been selected to execute Selam’s vision and ambition to support the development of the creative sector in Africa. I look forward to collaborating with the academia, government agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen intellectual property rights and cultural policies as well as identify strategies to promote and defend artistic freedom of expression across the sector. Selam has a great track record of excellence and I very much look forward to what the future holds.”
