MASA 1997

The 3rd MASA was organized from March 1 to March 8, 1997. Major changes were made during that edition including:

Selection opened to non-French speaking African countries;

Management of MASA by an executive office based in Abidjan, assisted by a committee of experts

Selection of groups by an international committee of experts from the north and the south.

An opening ceremony with a concert organized at Parc des Sports de Treichville and performances stages displayed at many venues in Abidjan

47 groups, 500 artists, stage managers and technicians of performing arts from 21african countries attended this edition.

More than 120 groups performed in the 10 suburbs of the district of Abidjan with more than 3000 spectators per venues. Of the 120 groups, 18 came from 11 African countries: Tchad, Sénégal, Guinée Bissau, Togo, Cameroun, Burkina Faso, Congo, Mali, Guinée, Niger and Benin.

438 programmers and presenters from all continents met in Abidjan for one week and attended 55 performance of group from the official selection.

191 Journalists working in 91 agencies from Africa, Europe, USA and Canada reported on the event.

The innovations and results obtained placed MASA as a major project of African performing arts.

Members of international committee of selection

4 experts were chosen from an international organization of professionals:

– one expert from Central Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo), for Music: Manda TCHEBWA,

–  one expert from West Africa (Burkina Faso), for theater: Jean-Pierre GUINGANE,

–  Un expert from France, for music: Christian MOUSSET,

–  one expert for the French Community of Belgium for theater and dance: Jacques DECK.

Professional meetings

MASA 97 professional meetings focused on the practical aspects of the meetings between artists, presenters and professionals. Two stands and workshops were organized:

1- A stand for information and training on:

– the distribution of African creation in western countries

– Analysis and understanding of contracts terms: production contracts, distribution contracts.

2- un stand for African musical industry which took a form of :

– a market for production of African music, where producers and distributors displayed their production;

–  a meeting place between African  professionals  of music and professional of the north ;

–  a discussion place on the difficulties of the sector

3-  workshops on :

– Aesthetic and new trends of contemporary African creation

– Training of actors;

– Staging and drama;

– Outdoor theater;

– Production of performing arts;

– organizing tours in Africa to show African creations

Selected groups

Partners of MASA 97

ACCT, MINISTERE DE LA CULTURE DE COTE D’IVOIRE, CFB, UNESCO, VILLE D’ABIDJAN, ADAMI, AIR-AFRIQUE.