ALMASI (Al-ma-see) | Brilliant, diamond – African (Swahili origin)

Almasi Arts Alliance is a nonprofit organization that strives to create and facilitate artistic collaborations between African artists and American artists and artistic institutions. It is our goal to usher into fruition the next generation of African Dramatic Artists, through training, mentorship and access so as to allow the African story to be universally received. We seek to build the dramatic arts industry in Zimbabwe and by extension, the continent, and to allow the African artist to pursue a professional career in their land of origin. We also seek to bring the American and the African artist into collaboration, not only to help the African gain skills and exposure but also to nurture global citizenship and the enrichment of both artistic voices.

We conduct our mission through our work with Almasi Collaborative Arts, based in Harare, Zimbabwe. We send Americans to Zimbabwe to train and mentor artists on the ground while we facilitate Zimbabwean artists visiting the US for mentorships, educational fellowships, and cultural exchanges. Our goal is to see that no African artistic voice is left silent. That no African story is left untold. And that we in the US gain a better understanding of the African through their subjective storytelling, which in turn nurtures global citizenship. We must professionalize the African artistic industry to insure that our goal is reached.

For more details on what Almasi does on the ground, visit our sister site here.