NAC’s recent achievements |05 December 2020
It has been a transitional couple of months for the National Arts Council of Seychelles for artists and for Seychelles in general. How the council has managed to handle the challenges which it faced has been the biggest test.
Firstly, the NAC formulated a video documentary called ‘Lar dan sa nouvo normal’ featuring five (5) artists from different art forms showcasing some of the barriers they faced, what they did at the offset of the pandemic and how they have adapted to the new normal. The documentary shows us that the creative industry holds a distinctive place in the country’s culture and lifestyle. The artists went on to innovate and come up with new ways of practicing their art and doing what they love. At the National Arts Council, we were quite intrigued and proud of artists and how they turned this bad hand which was dealt to them it into opportunities and discovering new lengths to their talents.
These past few months, the NAC also welcomed our new board of comprising chairperson Martin Kennedy and chief executive of NAC Jimmy Savy as the ex-officio. The other members include Amia Jovanovic Désir who is the director for the India, Korea and Austral Asia Markets at the Seychelles Tourism Board, local artist Jean Marc Volcy, Pierre Joseph who is the director of the National Conservatoire of Performing Arts; Ruth Pool, the senior finance analyst at the department of finance; Julienne Barra the director general for culture; and Penda Choppy the director for Creole Language and Culture Research Institute at the University of Seychelles. The board of directors were vital in supporting and advising the NAC in making smart and informative decisions during these challenging times.
Moreover, the National Arts Council also adapted new approach to handling artists and other stakeholders by utilising the virtual world to reach its goals as opposed to the traditional methods it was used to. One product of such changes was the NAC newsletter which is as a source of information published on a monthly basis to highlight the work the council is undertaking and also provide exposure to our local artists and their projects.
Another development at the NAC is the new online video show termed ‘NAC Talk’ which is an interactive programme which will run on the NAC YouTube channel and other media platforms covering several arts related topics and the work NAC is undertaking. The project is aimed at communicating information about NAC and topics related to the council.
The NAC is also proud of the great participation and interest shown by artists in the workshops which were done amidst the outbreak of Covid-19, specifically in regards to the selling of music online. One event was helping young Seychellois programmer Yannick Esparon with his newly developed music application.
The council also boosted promotions to encourage artists to register with the NAC and the benefits and importance of doing so. As of October 2020, the total number of artists registered with the National Arts Council of Seychelles had reached one hundred and forty (140). The information gathered from the artists will help NAC in formulating its first ‘Artistic Directory and statistics book’ which we envisage willbe used for policy formulation and decision making related to art and artists in the future. We predict that by the beginning of 2021 at least 50% of all relevant artists in Seychelles will be registered with the NAC.
In the month of August, the NAC conducted a signing of the renewed memorandum of understanding with the Seychelles Institute of Arts and Design (SIAD)which was originally signed in 2016, with the aim of establishing a framework of cooperation and reinforce areas with common interest and commitment by both institutes.
Another great achievement for the NAC regardless of the Covid-19 outbreak was supporting the creation of the new Disk Jockey Association in the Seychelles by the name of “SON 248”. The objectives of SON 248 is to develop, improve and advance the art and science of the DJ operation in all aspect. Moreover, the NAC is also proud to have also witnessed the creation of the Dance Association in the Seychelles called ‘DANSEY’. DANSEY currently has an executive committee comprising eight (8) prominent members. The hope is that the association can real in all the dancers in Seychelles and bring them together under one umbrella and execute dance events in the country.
Another great project which the NAC is happy to have supported is the ‘Beyond Dance Project’ which was spearheaded by members of the Emergency Crew and the vice-chairperson of DANSEY, Gael Guichard. The aim of the project is to help discover young dancers and develop and encourage participation in dance among the youths of Seychelles.
When August came down upon us, the NAC faced some constraints in being able to deliver holiday programmes due to the limitation of resources. However, the NAC staff re-strategised and through dedication carried out three (3) successful culturally based holiday programmes ‒ romans, lardon, moutya and crochet ‒ while still practicing the health measures set out by the then department of health. The council also successfully conducted the Zenn Artis Kreolofonn exhibition which formed part of the Festival Kreol celebration. The event was organised on the October 7, 2020and the aim was to engage students and develop talents while still promoting the arts and culture of Seychelles.
Lastly, the council is also proud to announce that Seychelles has been selected to be the focal point for the African Chapter in the International Federation of Arts Council and Culture Agencies (IFACCA). Since the chapter meeting was not possible, a virtual meeting was conducted for two (2) days with other African chapter members to discuss the way forward for art in the region and how countries can collaborate.
The position as focal point will allow Seychelles to be key in decision-making processes in the region and be included in forums with the aim of improving the status of artists and providing more possibilities for interested artists in the country.
Contributed
