Vis a Vis 2016: Abiyán

Vis a Vis is the Professional Encounter between Spanish cultural promoters and African musicians that Casa África has been holding for seven years on the neighbouring continent with a dual purpose: On the one hand, to ensure a greater presence of African music on Spanish stages thanks to the tour performed by winning groups in participating festivals of the programme, and secondly, to generate the cultural industry in Africa.

The main idea of this project is to prepare an area for dialogue, creating a favourable environment for negotiations, promoting meetings between entrepreneurs, institutions and organisations from the Spanish music industry who have an interest in African music. The African artist will have the opportunity of making his ideas, creations and aspirations reach the Spanish representatives.

Casa África is carrying out this support programme for the internationalisation of African music to balance out the opportunities of these musicians, who often face complex and unfavourable situations. The project's main idea is to open platforms and new routes of communication between African artists and Spanish cultural agents.

After six editions (Senegal, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, South Africa, Tanzania and Dakar again) vis a vis establishes itself as a well-known and respected professional venue in Spain and Africa. This Casa África project has finally become a powerful tool for the dissemination of African music in our country.

Vis a Vis is always held in collaboration with the organisations of musicians and authors in each country, allowing it to provide opportunities for any young group to send their demo. In previous years, nearly 100 groups in each country sent their songs and were heard by the promoters who eventually travelled to Africa to see them live. This year, Vis a Vis will be developped in MASA frame.

Spanish programmers can enjoy live concerts and so hold meetings with groups that may interest them and choose the two which will take part later in the summer tour, which will allow winning groups to be present in Spanish   festivals as prestigious as Pirineos Sur, La Mar de Músicas or Etnosur.

Interested groups must visit the festival site Before February 22