Since 15 April 2023, a relentless military conflict has been raging in Sudan between the Sudanese Army (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia. This momentous conflict has caused one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of our time, forcing millions of Sudanese to flee their homes. While international reporting has steadily decreased since the beginning of the war, there is no end to the violence in sight. Lack of supplies, infrastructure and the ongoing danger to life and limb characterize large parts of the country. In view of the precarious security situation, the Goethe-Institut Sudan had to close its presence in Khartoum. The institute building was located between the presidential palace and the military headquarters in the middle of one of the most embattled areas of the city. This made it impossible to continue work on site until further notice.
Since the outbreak of the war, the Goethe-Institut Sudan has been coordinating its cultural work from Cairo. Especially because the international and media focus on the war in Sudan has fallen significantly, it is of great importance to remain visible and present. The Goethe-Institut actively promotes Sudanese cultural practitioners, particularly in the diaspora, and networks them with local cultural scenes. In addition to the continuation of individual projects, new initiatives have also been launched, including the “Hub for Artists from Sudan” with the Martin Roth Initiative, which provides scholarships to Sudanese artists. Events with the Sudanese cultural scene have already been organized in Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia, in Sudan itself and in Germany. The Goethe-Institut in Exile is the connecting link to Germany.
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The Goethe-Institut Sudan opened its doors in Omdurman in 1964. Only a few years later, the institute moved to the capital Khartoum. Between 1997 and 2007, the Goethe-Institut Sudan was closed and operated at the same location as a cultural association with language courses, an integrated dialogue center and a small cultural programme. The full institute reopened in 2008.
For decades, the Goethe-Institut was an integral part of the cultural landscape in Khartoum and was increasingly active in other parts of the country until the outbreak of the war. Due to its long-standing presence and extensive network, the institute was a popular meeting place for the cultural scene and was considered a place of free encounters, especially during the rule of the long-term dictator Omar al-Bashir.
With the peaceful revolution in 2018/19 and the accompanying civil society democracy movement, a long-suppressed art and culture scene emerged that would have a strong impact on the country in the years that followed. Newly gained freedoms led to a large number of creative initiatives and projects, which the Goethe-Institut also supported from then on or implemented with the help of local and international partners.
The military coup in the fall of 2021 and the associated dismissal of the civilian-led transitional government led to a severe damper on the democracy movement. However, the efforts and hopes of society - especially those of artists and cultural workers - did not wane.
Sudanese cultural actors in conversation with the Goethe-Institut in Exile
The Goethe-Institut Exile spoke with three Sudanese cultural actors who have been navigating new and challenging realities since the outbreak of the war. Cultural manager Hadeel Osman, curator Rahiem Shadad and longtime Goethe-Institut Sudan employee Sahar Salah talk about their experiences in Egypt, Kenya and Sudan, shedding light on different perspectives, challenges and strategies.
Hadeel Osman is a Creative Director, founder of the multidisciplinary media studio “DAVU Studio” and a cultural manager. Since last year, she has been living and working in Cairo, where she is now implementing the “Hub for Artists from Sudan” at the Goethe-Institut for the second time.
Many Sudanese people have fled to Egypt, particularly to Cairo, including many artists and cultural workers. What opportunities and challenges do they encounter there?
In terms of opportunities, Cairo is a very vibrant city with a well-established arts and culture scene, that has and continues to have huge influences over the Arabic-speaking region. As such, it provides a wonderful opportunity for Sudanese artists to really elevate their practice and the rate at which they work. What Sudan may have lacked, in terms of affordable and attainable art supplies, spaces to work and showcase the arts, as well as mentorship, support communities and a curious yet invested audience, is plentiful in Cairo. Many galleries, cultural centers, theatres, music studios, art institutes and hubs exist all over the city, so Sudanese artists of all disciplines and cultural workers can find communities that work within their field and events, wherever they reside.
All it takes is for Sudanese artists to do a quick search and approach these spaces while leverage their networking skills to plant themselves in them. However, they may face some challenges, since some spaces and people are solely focused on promoting Egyptian artists, due to the desire to enhance local talents, which is valid, or unfortunately, due to discrimination and prejudice towards Sudanese or black people generally. Some other minor difficulties include the difference in dialects, and the fast-paced nature of work here compared to the slower pace of Sudan, as well as the fact that art in general is very much commercialized, where in Sudan it was and is still seen as more of a hobby than an actual vocation or full-time career.
What Sudanese initiatives in the field of art and culture are currently emerging in Cairo, and what goals do they pursue?
As of last year, there is one official entity that gathers Sudanese artists across different disciplines, the Union of Sudanese Artists Association in Egypt, which provides a place for people to meet, attend panel discussions and film screenings, as well as it being equipped with halls for musicians and theatre actors to rehearse for their performances. There is also the Ali Zain Center, which is a music studio that provides music classes for those wanting to learn different instruments. Other emerging spaces include private galleries by several Sudanese visual artists, which is a very common practice by Egyptian artists, therefore allowing them to practice their art more professionally and to be taken more seriously in Egypt.
Also, some musicians and filmmakers have private studios which they are developing into actual production houses to make a more sustainable income, since there is a demand for these services from potential clients that are Sudanese, Egyptian or other nationalities residing in Egypt.
Rahiem Shadad is a curator from Khartoum who has been active in the Sudanese art scene since 2015. In 2019, he founded the Downtown Gallery to support the emerging art communities after the revolution. Since the outbreak of the war in 2023, he has initiated several support campaigns and has been running “The Rest Residency” for Sudanese exiled artists in Nairobi.
Since last year, you have been in Nairobi, a city that is now considered a hub of the Sudanese art and culture scene. Why specifically Nairobi?
I think there is a bigger picture underlying the interest for creatives specifically to move to Nairobi that precedes the war. Now that I have been here for almost a year, it is clear to say a majority of the independent individuals that have moved here belong to the creative sector either directly or indirectly. It is important to remember what these creatives used to stand for when they were under the restrictive regimes and authorities in Sudan. The cultural policies since the late 80s till 2019 - the time of the revolution - intentionally omitted a certain element of the diversity that Sudan has, that is the same element that linked Sudan to sub-saharan africa. The cultural attributes that depicted the africanism of communities were not allowed to express themselves on the nation’s public screens. The active arabization reached an institutional intentional level such as seen in the images of the currency itself or the logo of the national TV.
As creatives we craved for knowledge of our African ancestry, and our long lost archive. I believe we came southward unconsciously looking for this archive or a place where we can experiment with our African gene, and specifically Nairobi because in recent years it has presented itself as a fast growing creative economy and incubator for artists with its galleries, art collectives, residencies, and music scene.
In recent years, the art and culture scene has been significantly involved in the peaceful revolution and the democracy movement in Sudan. What is the current state of the movement in exile and in Sudan?
Resistance is a long untold story of the Sudanese cultural practitioners. They have worked under risks of imprisonment, exclusion, violence, and poverty. The war does not present a context that is fully new but its magnitude is what is shocking and unprecedented. It is the biggest challenge for artists today as most of those no longer have access to their regular mediums of creation as they used to. It thus challenges them to think larger and more conceptually rather than relying on the conventional and classic. This of course does not negate that the particular context has shifted their focus to basic survival. Most of these artists - and as the rest of Sudanese people - do not have full information on the status of their loved ones or colleagues, nor regular communication with each other, especially when the artistic scene of Sudan is very collective and provincial (in a way).
As cultural advocates we have to be very sensitive and sensible of what it is that we demand to see from artists. With the magnitude of the war and the scale of displacement, any form of creativity should be highly regarded. It is sufficient to say that they have already been the first to notice what it means to lose a space such as khartoum and it has dominated the expressions we’ve witnessed thus far.
Sahar Salah worked at the Goethe-Institut Sudan for over ten years, most recently in the cultural programming department. After the outbreak of the war, she was forced to leave her home in Khartoum and has since been independently implementing various cultural projects, mainly in the north and northeast of the country.
How has the war affected art and culture in Sudan?
The catastrophic effects of this terrible war, caused by two military forces, have disrupted and completely changed life in Sudan. The conflict means loss of life, loss of property and destruction of infrastructure. The country's culture is suffering. Many artists and creatives, especially those who work informally or produce at their own expense, can no longer cover their expenses and cannot create new works. The war has also had an impact on many intangible cultural practices, traditions, rituals and festivities. This has had a significant impact on the social and cultural life of local communities.
Many cultural institutions were looted and burned down, some were completely destroyed. Manuscripts, rare books and literary collections, religious and cultural heritage that preserve the country's history and identity have been destroyed. Important cultural institutions in Sudan, such as the Goethe-Institut, which was very active in supporting cultural and art projects, had to stop many of their local projects and were unable to continue their work in Sudan due to the war. The condition of these cultural centers and the damage they have suffered is often unclear.
Since I have been working in the cultural sector, I have never witnessed such a decline in art, culture and humanity as I see and experience now. At the same time, the ongoing war in Sudan has highlighted, as crises often do, the necessity of art and culture for people and communities. At a time when there is much violence and injustice and thousands, even millions of people are displaced from their homes, towns and villages, art and culture are needed to bring people together. Culture creates harmony, inspiration and hope. The arts provide a space for encounter and healing in a time of worry and uncertainty.
What is the situation like for artists and cultural workers in Sudan?
The war in Sudan, which has been going on since April 15 has forced many creative and cultural workers to flee. They are in search of safe havens and find themselves in a state between flight and displacement. They have had to leave behind the cultural and intellectual projects they have been working on for years - some completed, others still in the midst of creation or being finalized. Many musicians, artists and athletes have also sadly passed away, including the athlete Fawzi Al-Mardi, the musician Mohamed Al-Amin, the world-famous musician Hafiz Abdul Rahman, the composer Omar Al-Shaer and many others.
And yet there are also cultural workers, artistic initiatives and voluntary organizations in some areas of the country that are still active despite the effects of the cruel war. They are committed to revitalizing the national cultural landscape, organizing public events and festivals, further education measures and formats for the exchange of experiences among cultural workers.
This senseless war is particularly painful for artists and cultural workers, as they are sensitive and particularly empathetic. Artists have a major role to play in times of change and suffering, which demands a lot of energy from them. Once the destructive machinery of war comes to a halt, it will be up to artists to reshape the diverse heritage that characterizes Sudan through theater, singing, visual arts, literature and film.
Port Sudan, June 2024
Interviews
Artists who participated in the Sudan programme of the Goethe-Institut in Exile provide insights into their artistic work and share personal experiences.
In this interview, visual artist Amna Elhassan talks about how her artistic work has changed since the outbreak of war in Sudan and what sources of inspiration she finds for her current projects.
