Our vision is to promote learning, exchange, exploration, critical thinking, and sharing through art. Maanmaal Art and Culture Centre will be an inclusive, open space for everyone, promoting dialogue and exchange of ideas through artistic expressions and community engagement.
Strategy
Envision, Explore, create, connect and evolve.
Why does Garowe need a Culture Center?
Garowe, a city with a population exceeding 400,000 according to UN Habitat, lacks any cultural venues, such as cinemas, museums, or exhibition spaces. Additionally, there are no NGOs or independent platforms offering cultural activities. In 2020 and 2022, we produced two short films in Somalia, which were screened and awarded at more than 100 international film festivals. However, once we tried to show the films to the local audience, we encountered significant challenges: many enthusiastic viewers, mostly young people, wanted to watch the films, but we couldn’t find a single suitable venue to accommodate them.
In the end, we had to screen the films on different nights at various locations. Beyond the valuable feedback on the films, the most important lesson we learned was the community’s deep hunger for cultural spaces and cinema halls, not only as consumers but also as creators, especially the youth. This highlighted the critical need for a cultural venue in Garowe. This experience inspired us to create the Maanmaal Art and Culture Center. In 2023, Maanmaal ACC locally managed the production of the feature-length film “The Village Next to Paradise,” which was shot in Garowe and around Puntland. This film was the first feature film shot in Somalia.
The power of culture cannot end conflicts, but in the long term it might reduce violence and radicalization, open up other possibilities, and strengthen creative instead of destructive thinking.
Where is Garowe?
Garowe city is the administrative capital of the Puntland State of Somalia and one of the four districts in the Nugaal region in Puntland. It is located North-East of the intersection of Puntland, Somalia.
What is the current state of the project?
To start cultural projects, such as monthly film screenings and collaborations with schools, Maanmaal has rented a space that will facilitate the transition to the future cultural center once it is built. Furthermore, we acquired a piece of land west of the town of Garowe, where the cultural center will be constructed. It is currently about a 10-minute drive from the city center. As the city is growing rapidly, the property will be directly integrated into urban life in the coming years. The plot is 4,130 m².
What is going to be built?
A cinema hall with 150 seats, exhibition rooms, seminar rooms, offices, cafeteria with kitchen, storage room, large foyer, a garden with many trees surrounding the main building.
Programs/Projects/Services to the community include but are not limited to:
- Monthly film screenings for awareness on social and environmental issues
- Collaboration with schools fostering Audio Visual Literacy
- Theater play
- Art exhibitions from Local and international Artists
- Poetry slam events from local Poets
- A yearly National Film Festival
- Offer accessible workspaces, training, networking for the youth.
- Creating an open space for dialogue and exchange.
- Workshops for more gender equality/encouraging participation of women in Art
Ethics
- Climate-friendly construction
- Fair pay
- Gender equality
We are looking for
- Long term financial support for the cultural projects
- Funds to build the cultural center
- Partners for collaborations
- Volunteers