The 4th edition of EAC Arts and Culture Festival, JAMAFEST, was held at the Tanzania National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, in the Administrative District of Temeke from 21st - 28th September, 2019. The eight- day event incorporated all aspects of arts and culture which included performances and exhibitions with the aim of providing a regional platform for intercultural dialogue amongst the people of East Africa. The event aimed at fostering the economic development of the EAC region through: nurturing the growth of a strong creative and cultural industry sector; and promoting arts and culture as a tool in the celebration and branding of East African identity and image.
The general aim of the festival was to promote regional socio-cultural integration through arts and culture by providing a platform for the Member States to showcase their culture as a crucial driver for regional integration.
The theme of the 4th edition of the festival was "Cultural Diversity: A Key Driver to Regional Integration, Economic Growth and Promotion of Tourism."
The festival included interactive sessions between cultural creative practitioners, experts in cultural tourism and heritage, tourism, entrepreneurship, performances, market place engagements, film screening, exhibitions, children's activities and other stakeholders for the deeper understanding of cultural and creative practices.
Concisely, festival activities included; the carnival, cultural performances, art exhibitions, cultural market place, culture discussions and symposium, children theatre, film exhibition/ documentaries, traditional sports arena, food market and exhibition, cultural excursion and awards, fashion show, modeling and sporting activities.
The festival provided an opportunity to 400 artists and cultural practitioners from Kenya to access regional market for their cultural goods and services. Artists and cultural practitioners established networks. The festival supported south-to-south cooperation and provided a wider market for artistic and cultural products.
Kenya was well represented in the presentation of cultural performances during the festival which ranged from traditional music and dance, theatre, comedy, contemporary dance, fashion shows, modeling and spoken word amongst others. The best performances were selected for a gala presentation. JAMAFEST 2019 festival saw over 500 artistes, exhibitors and government officials from Kenya take part in the regional arts and cultural extravaganza, the biggest contingent at the festival.
Exhibitors had the opportunity to network with other artists from different countries, shared ideas, skills and experiences. This led to some exhibitors learning where to purchase some of the needed raw materials in their line of work. This will lead to the exhibitors having a lower cost of production but maximizing their profit. This networking will, therefore, ensure that the creative economy will have a higher growth sprout in the near future.
USD 613,218.87
| Name of partner | Type of entity |
|---|---|
Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund Board
| Public Sector
|
Ministry of East African Community
| Public Sector
|
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
| Public Sector
|
N/A