The Cultural Education Exchange & Artist Residency

Have you always wanted to go to Africa, specifically, Senegal, West Africa? Not as a tourist, but in a small group and as a welcomed personal and family oriented, guided experience?

We have developed a Professional Development opportunity that is unique and quite exciting. We have the privilege, luxury and security of having Massamba Diop, tama drummer for Baaba Maal and The Black Panther and Wakanda Forever, as our Senegalese Artistic Director and Guide to his homeland. Tony Vacca is our US Artistic Director. Jean Butler, President of AAE is our details and logistics person. We invite you to come along with us and really experience the Terenga (in the native language of Wolof: generosity, hospitality and warmth) of Senegal.

We also delight in bringing students and educators to experience their own Global Citizenship, Social Studies, Environment and Ecology themes.  

• Each trip is custom designed to offer our travelers on that trip, personalized experiences.   

• Meet and work with U.S. and Senegalese musicians, artists, educators and students. Experience the culture, the legacy and the peoples of this ancient and contemporary land. Our residency reminds you that we are all connected and invites you to create and realize whatever you envision. Whether working alone or in collaboration with others, you'll find plenty of support among this circle of staff and friends.

• Our home-base is Sobobade, seaside artist retreat in Toubab Diallo, built by a Haitian sculptor. Sobobade's two locations, on the ocean and inland, offer an outdoor amphitheater, dance and drumming classrooms and a restaurant. Past participants included poets, painters, musicians, story tellers, photographers, videographers, educators and students.

• Activities include festivals, discussions with young African rappers at the Hip-Hop Akademy/Africulturban in Pikine, and a visit to Goree Island, a former slave fortress. You will be welcomed into our circle of friends. We can help with recording studios, and finding very esoteric instruments that you may not be familiar with. Of course we are right on the Atlantic and the water is fine.

• Trips are customized to meet the travelers' goals and available time. One musician/composer came to me in Senegal and said: “I've not been sleeping because I've been up all night composing music. I've composed more in these few days than I did all last year.”

• The Senegal America Project is flexible in length: 10 days to 3 weeks. The Trip costs vary by the length of the visit. Cost is per person (not including your airfare- although we may be able to help with that expense). We share rooms – double occupancy and meals, Senegalese style. Services provided: support (in advance) on any medical, travel or comfort concerns, some Wolof language assistance prior to arriving, and orchestrating money exchanges for you to eliminate that time consuming/difficult piece.

What do you bring to the table? Your energy, enthusiasm and talent.

WELCOME ABOARD!

Want more information? Contact us at jean@arts-are-essential.org or call 978-263-0108.