Arterial Network-Liberia is the national chapter of the continental Arterial Network, a dynamic network of individuals, organizations, donors, companies and institutions engaged in the African creative and cultural sector. The Arterial Network started as a dynamic, continent-wide network of non-government organisations, creative industry companies, festivals and individual artists engaged in the A
frican creative sector at a conference – Revitalising Africa’s Cultural Assets - on Goree Island, March 2007. Arterial Network is administered by a Secretariat based in Cape Town, South Africa. The network has also decentralized its operations by establishing regional secretariats in West and East Africa, Mali and Kenya, respectively. Central, South and North African Secretariats will soon be established. Since the adoption of the Constitutional Framework, national chapters are at the core of Arterial Network’s structure as they are the primary means to change the working conditions and to deliver real and substantial benefits to artists on the ground. Arterial Network is now structured as continental (African) network of national networks. 40 national chapters have been officially launched to date:
NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Mauritania, Tunisia and Morocco
WEST AFRICA: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Guinea and Gambia
EASTERN AFRICA: Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Mauritius
CENTRAL AFRICA: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville and Gabon
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe
It is in this context that the vision of Arterial Network is of a vibrant, dynamic and sustainable African creative civil society sector engaged in qualitative practice in the arts in their own right, as well as in a manner that contributes to development, to human rights and democracy, and to the eradication of poverty on the African continent. The Liberia Chapter of ARTerial Network (AN-Liberia) was launched on 13 November 2010 in the auditorium of the University of Liberia (UL), an event that saw the signing up of more than 50 Liberians from backgrounds that highlight the diversity of Liberia’s creative sector. Since its launch, AN-Liberia has had two workshops on The Importance of Cultural Networking. We are continually creating awareness about the Nairobi Plan of Action and the UNESCO Convention on the Rights of the Artist with local artist groups. Both documents have been ratified by most African governments with the exception of Liberia. A successful implementation of some vital elements within these dossiers for the benefit of not only the artists, but the cultural industry of the country as a whole, is one of ARTerial’s main areas of concern. AN-Liberia is currently headed by Siafa Kollie Ballah, also executive director of the Flomo Theater Productions.
