Up to 25 emerging festival directors from all over the world are about to take part in the Atelier for Young Festival Managers in Johannesburg, South Africa. For them, it is the opportunity to exchange with experienced presenters on topics that concern them in their current work and future ambitions. One of these presenters is Carole U. Karemera, Artistic Director Ishyo Arts Centre, Rwanda.

Carole Karemera holds a Master in Drama and Music (Jazz) from The Conservatoire Royal de Musique de Mons (Belgium) and has performed in internationally acclaimed theater, dance and film productions such as "Sometimes in April" directed by Raoul Peck, "Sound of sand" directed by Marion Hansel, "Rwanda 94" & “Anathem” directed by Jacques Delcuvellerie, "Jaz"by Koffi Kwahulé, “Scratching the inner fields” by Wim Vandekeybus, “Battlefield” directed by Peter Brook etc.

She is the co-founder and Executive Director of Ishyo Arts Centre, one the most dynamic cultural organisations based in Kigali, involved in advocacy, capacity-building and promotion of the creative sector in Rwanda.

She is the producer of Kina Festival (International Performing Arts Festival for Youth) and co-producer of Kigali Up music festival and Isaano Arts festival. She is also an arts manager, an activist supporting freedom of creative expression and is a member of the steering committee of the African Cultural Policy Network.

She is a former board member of the National Institute of Museums of Rwanda, the former Director of the Pan African Dance Festival and Deputy Secretary General of Arterial Network. She is currently a board member of the prestigious Rwandan Academy of Language and Culture, of ARTEJ/ASSITEJ Rwanda (International Association for Youth and Theater).

Her work includes international artistic collaborations for Transmedia creation dedicated to young audience with Nova Villa - Méli-môme (France), Helios theater - Hellwach festival (Germany) and Théâtre du Papyrus; Street theater creation with Uz et coutumes company (France), and transborder creative projects with female artists with Théâtre de la Poudrerie (France).

She's currently conducting the mapping and a cross-sectorial analysis for the Unesco’s project “Strengthening the creative industries in Rwanda”. She also develops an extensive work related to "Arts & Memory" and is co-leading a network for the promotion and diffusion of African and Caribbean literature called “LITTAFCAR. Her last productions include “Mboka” (music-theater play), “My little hill” (music and puppet theatre for young audience), “We call it love” and “Our house”.

You can find more here.

Renowned mentors from all over the world will guide the participants throughout the seven days of the Atelier Johannesburg 2018 under the coordination of Mike Van Graan (Founding President of the African Cultural Policy Network - South Africa): Mantse Aryeequaye (Co-Director at Accra [Dot] Alt, Director and founder the Chale Wote Street Art Festival - Ghana), Cristina Fuentes La Roche (International Director Hay Festival – UK/South America), Carole U. Karemera (Artistic Director Ishyo Arts Centre – Rwanda), Annet Lekkerkerker (Director Holland Festival – The Netherlands), Ismail Mahomed (Chief Executive Officer, Market Theatre Foundation – South Africa), Carmen Romero Quero (Executive director of Teatro a Mil Foundation – Chile) and Brett Pyper (Associate Professor and Head Wits School of Arts – South Africa).

More information about the Atelier Johannesburg 2018 can be found on the Atelier website.

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