COAL Newsletter, February 2024, week 2
MADE FOR YOU THIS WEEK š„³
If you got our email last week then you mean alot to us.
This week, we have a line up of amazing Opportunities just for you.
First, what are we reading at COAL this week?
š DREAMS AND ASSORTED NIGHTMARES by Adam Abubakar Ibrahim.
Zango is a surreal town where men, some with erect manhoods, die when leaves fall from a life tree.
Zango is both setting and spectre for āDreams and Assorted Nightmaresā, a collection of interconnecting short stories which explore the spaces between life and death and beyond.
Thereās a poignant story of a special needs boy with prescience; another about the family of a philandering artist trying to pick up the pieces after his violent death; one of a teen forced to make a heart-breaking choice after her mother disappears; and another about a woman who reveals a terrible secret to her childhood friend who is in a coma. The characters come richly-layered and memorable ā like Naznine who had but slowly lost the most perfect smile in the world; new bride, Nana Aisha, left alone to face armed marauders who invade her home; and brigands, Audu Kore and Maimuna Dajjaj, who share a pure and precious love.
The stories mostly feel mystical and dark, but the palpable compassion with which they are written give them warmth and light. Like rivulets, the stories easily flow into each other, aided by Ibrahimās signature hypnotic writing and majestic prose. This is a collection to savour especially for its many enigmas ā the silent poetry and tragedies of everyday life, the darkness and tenderness of the human mind, and the crossroads between dreams and the supernatural.
Get the book hereā”ļø [DREAMS AND ASSORTED NIGHTMARES]
šØ Opportunity for Creatives
Now, Hereās a full list of important opportunities just for you.
OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS
+234Artā with Ecobank and Soto Gallery Art exhibition. Deadline: 29th February 2024
ā+234Artā is creative merge of Nigeriaās country calling code(+234) and the all-encompassing word ā āArtā, this experience aims to be a thorough exposition of what Nigerian art looks like today, as well as how it interacts with the larger art community in Africa and beyond. This free-entry fair and exhibition offers an immersive showcase of painting, photography, and sculpture, providing the public with an up-close look at the latest creative endeavors of emerging artists and photographers in Nigeria. Please visit [+234 Art FAIR AND EXHIBITION]
OPEN CALL:
Prince Claus Fund Mentorship Award Deadline: 21 March, 2024.
Prince Claus Fund and Goethe-Institut are inviting artists or cultural practitioners to submit applications for the Cultural and Artistic Responses to the Environmental Crisis mentorship award. The cohort is supported by four mentors and each artist receives an award of ā¬10 000 to work on the concept for a body of work that they outline in their application. Please visit [Prince Claus Fund and Mentorship Award]
OPEN CALL:
FAME SHORT FILM FESTIVAL Deadline: 26th April, 2024
Are you a short film Maker? This is your chance to be part of an incredible opportunity to showcase your film alongside the most innovative and dynamic independent filmmakers from across Africa and its diaspora. In partnership with MIP Africa, the festival offers more than just screenings. From 2 to 4 September 2024, filmmakers will have the opportunity to participate in content sessions, workshops, and masterclasses presented by industry professionals. Itās a chance to learn, grow, and connect with like-minded creators. Please visit [FAME SHORT FILM FESTIVAL]
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Beyond Music Project Deadline: 5th March, 2024
Beyond Music is a global community seeking to unite artists worldwide through collaborative projects while fostering intercultural understanding and driving positive social impact on a global scale.
The initiative offers successful applicants the opportunity to record a socially impactful track alongside renowned African stars including five-time Grammy winner AngƩlique Kidjo (Benin), Afrobeats producer and singer Pheelz (Nigeria) and pop act Wiyaala (Ghana). These artists will personally choose their favourite collaboration and work with the winning teams, who will receive travel, accommodation and a chance to perform in a music video. Please visit: [BEYOND MUSIC PROJECT] for more details.
Countdown to our Book-reading event š
Itās only three days until our book reading with Theresa Ebi Tobuyei. Share a cup of tea with a loved one and be part of a community of book lovers and creatives.
Register here ā”ļø [BOOK READING EVENT with Theresa Ebi Tobuyei]
Be prepared, Theresa Ebi will be signing your copies, if you donāt already have a copy of GASP get it here [GET āGASPā HERE] To encourage collaboration and support creatives in their individual practice, the book reading incorporates various forms of interaction, including specific performance by home grown artists, guest talks and peer-to-peer sessions.
COAL IMPACT STORIES ā£ļø
š Read Ifeās story, one of the children our school projects continue to impact.
When one of our volunteers turned the pages of a pop up book from a much loved childrenās book, Ifeās eyes lit up with wonder. He told us āI didnāt know a book could pop.ā One Pop-up book helped a 9 years old boy come back to learn to read with COAL every Saturday.
You could help many more children find joy reading in public schools across Nigeria where libraries lack essential child development materials.
With just 950 naira you can help equip libraries like the ones at Ifeās school. [DONATE HERE]
Recommended Reading ā¾ļø
GASP by THERESAāS EBI TOBUYEI #4500
What it Means for a Man to Fall From The Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah #5000