Group50:50

New forms of transcontinental cooperation in the arts

In their productions, artists from GROUP50:50 tell stories about the historical and current economic and political complexities between their countries. They demand the restitution of their cultural heritage and reparations for colonial crimes and current human rights abuses. They look at the history of globalisation, colonial rule over the African continent as well as neocolonial practices of exploitation of people and the environment. They reflect critically on forms of cooperation that are compromised because of historical and economic disparities, cultural misconceptions and the fact that resources always come from Europe, as African countries rarely have budgets for culture.

Following a first series of successful artistic productions and discourse formats, the members of GROUP50:50 desperately need a moment of reflection and would like to be accompanied by three people. The aim of the joint reflection process is to develop a charter that regulates the further cooperation of GROUP50:50. This is to contain specific regulations that define decision-making processes, production conditions and the modalities of communication. It can, however, also contain somewhat more abstract principles and objectives, to serve as guidelines in the longer term which might be relevant as a model policy for other transnational collectives (primarily in art and culture, possibly in other areas too).