About

The 2016  IFAA project in Afghanistan – background and purpose

Introduction

IFAA (International festival of arts in Afghanistan) is a new international multidisciplinary festival and an artist in residency platform that will take place in Bamiyan, Afghanistan in 2016.

This International Platform is being built to create strong links of exchange between artists from Afghanistan and artists from around the world. The 2016 IFAA pilot project is a collaboration between YSEA in Netherlands, IFAA Global and Thamgidi Studio Foundation in Arnhem, the Netherlands.

The project will include :

• A 1 month artists in residency with artists from Afghanistan, including winners of the Yango biennale – Afghanistan prize, artists from different parts of Asia, Europe, Africa and the rest of the world
• A curatorial and research platform
• Exhibitions and public space interventions
• A festival that will include: Literature, Film, Poetry, music, a traveling exhibition, debates, culinary, fashion and performing arts

Developing IFAA Afghanistan :

Our vision is to create an International Platform, “melting pot” that will attract local and international artists and facilitate artistic exchange and collaboration in Afghanistan.

“A nation stays alive when its culture stays alive”. While this is the national emblem of the Kabul museum, the reality however is that Afghanistan has lost most of its cultural heritage due to war and tragedy”.

YSEA Foundation is pleased to partner with IFAA Global in realizing IFAA 2016 in Afghanistan in order create an international inter -disciplinary art platform that will facilitate – cross-cultural artistic exchange. The realization of IFAA Afghanistan will enable the building of a culture center and the strengthening of Afghanistan Cultural Industries.

The purpose of IFAA Afghanistan :

• To create possibilities for cross-cultural and interdisciplinary exchanges that strengthen the production of arts from Afghanistan locally and internationally.
• Development of a cross-disciplinary platform that presents Afghanistan arts at an international level
• Contribute to the preservation & promotion of Afghanistan Culture and Heritage, including archiving, documentation and publishing.
• Develop an artist in residency program and culture center that enables international artists exchange
• Create training programs that focus on the development and protection of Afghanistan intellectual activity
• Building of a network and data base for Afghanistan Artists locally and internationally
• Contribute to the revival and regeneration of the lost arts of Afghanistan
• Create vectors of knowledge that enable imparting of knowledge through teaching and skills building for future generations.

Yango biennale – Afghanistan Prize

The 4 Afghanistan – Yango Biennale Prizes are given by IFAA Afghanistan partnership and the Embassy and Mission of Afghanistan in Brussels. The giving of these prizes is the first step at building fruitful links that will foster international artistic exchanges and add value to the strengthening of Afghanistan Cultural industries.