Patrick Victor Artistic Foundation project presented to culture minister |25 June 2016

Patrick Victor and Emmanuel D'Offay, two well established artists in the performing and visual arts respectively, are proposing a new private sector foundation that will be called the ‘Patrick Victor Artistic Foundation’.

Proposals for the foundation, which is set to be launched on July 15, were presented yesterday to the Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange.

The foundation, whose motto is ‘Cultural emancipation for all’, is the brainchild of Patrick Victor himself, assisted by Emmanuel D'Offay among others.

The promoters explained to Minister St Ange that their objective is to work to complement the cultural development between the private sector and the government. This non-government organisation will be managed by a board made up of private individuals as well as government representatives.

Also present during the presentation were Benjamine Rose, the principal secretary for culture and Jimmy Savy, the chief executive of the National Arts Council (Nac).

Patrick Victor, who said that he has been planning this foundation for a while, confirmed that he has been invited to lead a Seychellois delegation of renowned musicians to the Festival 6-8 /Sega Typic et Maloya in Mauritius by Bruno Raya of Live N Direk Entertainment Ltd.

This participation by Seychellois artists will come just after the official launch of the Patrick Victor Artistic Foundation.

The Seychellois artists invited to travel to Mauritius for the festival are: Jean-Marc Volcy, Brian Matombe, Jany de Letourdie, Elvis Seraphine and Chanel Kilindo.

It was also agreed at the meeting yesterday that the government will be supporting this trip and that PS Rose and CEO Savy will also accompany the musicians to show support by the government for the continued development of culture.

Congratulating Patrick Victor and Emmanuel D'Offay on the project to launch the Patrick Victor Artistic Foundation, Minister St Ange said that Seychelles has one cultural industry and that it was refreshing to see the private sector players move to lead their industry.

“We have but one cultural industry, we do not have one for the government and one for the artists. It is therefore refreshing to see artists move to create a foundation that they will lead and that will work alongside the government to deliver on the aspirations of the people of Seychelles,” said Minister St Ange.

Yesterday’s meeting follows the first ever participation of Seychelles in MIDEM, the big gathering of the Arts and Music World. CEO Savy personally led the Seychelles delegation to this event in France.