EU Endeavours to Bridge People through Art

Convinced of the power of art to unite, the EU Delegation to the African Union is organising a series of activities bringing together culture shapers from across Europe and Africa.
‘MAISHA – Afro-European Music Experiment’ will kick off on 25 April 2019 with 12 musicians with 10 different European and African nationalities. Throughout a two-week residency in Addis Ababa, the artists will co-create original musical pieces, give workshops at local music schools and record an LP. Samuel Yirga from Ethiopia, Maryll Abbas from France, and Cherif Soumano from Mali are among the artists that will take part.
The public will be able to enjoy the results of the residency during a live concert at the Ethiopian National Theatre on 9 May 2019 (the Europe Day).
“This experiment is a clear demonstration of art being a bridge between different cultures. It is my hope that MAISHA will inspire more partnerships between Europe’s and Africa’s creative industries,” Ranieri Sabatucci, the EU Ambassador to the AU, says.
Following ‘MAISHA’, ‘Africa-Europe Creatives Connect’ will take place on 10 May, 2019. This one-day networking event will bring to Addis Ababa six accomplished European and African creatives to share their experiences with local talents. In hopes of inspiring the growing creative industry in the city, they will discuss important facets of art as it relates to social impact, authenticity, innovation and entrepreneurship. Film director Zeresenay Mehari from Ethiopia, sculptor Nynke Koster from The Netherlands and fashion designer Safietou Seck from Senegal are some of the creatives who will be speaking.