Intercontinental mobility of art, culture and its actors between Europe and Africa is on the rise but still at a low level. The various barriers are too high, above all the visa problem.  

Shaping Crossroads is a programme within the Deconfining project with which the ITI, together with representatives of cultural organisations from African and European countries, aims to develop new ways and solutions to improve the conditions for mobility. Re-Thinking Mobility is the approach used to identify new topics and rethink existing ones, such as legal frameworks, sustainability aspects, ideas on ‘care’ and 'hospitality', funding issues and questions on ‘cultural gatekeeping’.  

Shaping Crossroads (critically) examines approaches to overcoming Eurocentric perspectives and colonial continuities in intercontinental collaboration. The programme aims to foster appreciative and (both ecologically and interpersonally) sustainable cultural networks by addressing the challenges artists and cultural practitioners face when working across continental borders. Participants will explore how to change the traditionally one-way focus of mobility and seek to identify structures, measures and support systems needed for a more balanced and inclusive exchange. In this way, the programme aims to formulate actionable (cultural) policy recommendations and stimulate a new vision for intercontinental cooperation.

The participants were selected by a jury following an open call and, after online work phases in July and September, will spend a week together in Nafasi Art Space (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) in November, where they will present their initial results. Participants will be introduced here shortly. 

We look forward to exploring, discarding, questioning and weaving together.