Start
September 14, 2023
End
October 15, 2023
Meine Welt e. V. in collaboration with PLACE for Africa invite you to participate in their Creative Contest 2023. The selected theme for this year is “Sò – remembering forward” and is implemented within the framework of the Black Academy initiative, which is supported by the City Mannheim and the Center for international Cultural Education of the Goethe-Institut Mannheim. We encourage participants to use the chosen creative means to express themselves and their cultural heritage.
With this year’s contest we aim at increasing the visibility of African cultural heritage by artistic means. We choose to focus on culture of memory and more specifically on cultural heritage in all its forms (art, technology, scientific innovations, social and political concepts, etc.) because many things from the past are still relevant today. They might have taken a different outlook and often their roots have been lost: The world uses them but without acknowledging that their origin lies within African societies. Knowledge has been passed down from one generation to another for centuries and we want to reveal that such knowledge should be kept alive. African artists, inventors, explorers, scientists (…) should be made more visible!
Sò means both yesterday and tomorrow in Fongbé, a language from Benin, and expresses a continuity of past and future as if there were no present. With this title we want to point out that the past always influences our future and therefore our present as well. Therefore, we aim at stressing the importance of exploring and valuing cultural heritage from the African continent.
The Creative Contest 2023 aims at
- Calling for creativity and giving people a chance to express themselves;
- Acknowledging the stories and experiences of Afro-descendants;
- Highlighting collective memory by identifying the similarities of cultural heritage;
- Empowering participants to share their point of view;
- Fostering pride amongst participants to value their identities.
Process of participation
The Creative Contest 2023 is open for everybody interested in the topic of culture of memory. We invite afro descendants to submit their creative work. There are no stringent criteria regarding the eligibility of participants. Hence, the age nor the location of the participant is of importance for eligibility. We welcome participants from all ages, genders, ethnicities, and nationalities.
We are looking forward to your contribution to the Creative Contest 2023: “Sò – remembering forward”.
How can you participate?
- Select a specific aspect related to the topic.
- Select your format of submission.
- Submit your creative work via the submission form creative contest 2023 from 14.09.2023 to 15.10.2023. Your work will then be forwarded to the jury of this year’s contest, and you will hear back from us at the end of October 2023.
Possible submission formats
📝 Texts: maximum of 800 words
🎬 Videos: maximum of 90 seconds
🎶 Music: maximum of 90 seconds
🎨 “Pictures”: 1 “page” that could include a photo, painting or collage
Further information
More information about the Creative Contest 2023 will be provided during the information sessions, on our website and the various social media platforms. You can attend the information sessions on the following dates:
- Wednesday, 20.09.2023: 4 to 5pm WAT
- Monday, 02.10.2023: 10 to 11am WAT
The prize
Winners will be celebrated at an online ceremony organized by the Black Academy. The best submissions will be rewarded with a certificate, training, and books. In addition, entries will be published on the Black Academy website and winners will be invited to present their work at future events. All participants will receive a certificate of participation.
The ceremony at which we will announce the winners of the creative competition will take place on 11.11.2023.
Contact
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us via place@place-for-africa.org and we will be happy to assist you.
