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The Pan African Circle of Artists

Le Cercle Pan-Africain des Artistes

The Status, Role and Working Condition of the Artist in Africa

Introduction <<

Scope, Limitations, Recommendations

>> Panel Reports

Reports on The Pan-African Conference on

The Status, Role and Working Condition of the Artist in Africa

The conference had been planned to attract participants from as many countries as possible, but the scope had to be adjusted due to paucity of funds.

 

In view of this, a number of things, including the number of sponsorable foreign participants, was cut down. The closure in February of Savannah Bank of Nigeria Plc, our bankers, did not help matters.

 

In order to buy time, we postponed the conference to May 1, as against the original date of April 3. If this strategy brought any relief, it was only in terms of logistics. It also occasioned new difficulties. Almost all the original special resource persons declined to attend on the new date. Ultimately, about eight foreign participants from Africa and Europe attended the conference in addition to many Nigerian participants.

 

Although forty two abstracts were accepted for the conference, thirty two papers were read. Even a few Nigerian participants who had submitted abstracts could not come. Part of the reason was the acute fuel scarcity which had hit Nigeria about a week before the conference.

 

In spite of these hitches and many more, I can say with modesty that the conference went well. Most of the about 70 participants acknowledged that it was a worthwhile experience and that the themes and issues raised should be pursued and explored beyond the conference (I have attached a few comments by other people).

Recommendations

In the light of the realities and facts outlined above, this report may not be complete without a few recommendations that could become part of a basis for any possible follow-ups on the project.

1. It is apparent that funds for the conference were stretched by the organizers in order to make the best of available resources and come as close as possible to the original plan.

2. In our view, the conference is not yet ended until the reports and proceedings are published and circulated throughout Africa and beyond to ensure that the ultimate message of the conference reaches the right quarters and the right people. Otherwise, the whole event will amount to mere waste of money, energy, words and other precious resources.

3. To this extent, we recommend that a small pamphlet containing a brief general report, the panel reports, and the communiqué be published immediately and circulated widely to concretize the visions and goals of the conference.

4. In addition to this, all the papers presented and all those for which abstracts were received but which were not presented should be collated and sent to two or three scholars for assessment. Consequently, a book should be produced from all the papers approved by the assessors. Besides the papers, the book should also contain an edited transcription of all the open discussions at the conference. To be able to make the desired impact and fulfill the centralizing goals of the conference, the book should be published in about six months from now.

C. Krydz Ikwuemesi

Project Co-ordinator and Chair, Organising Committee