Village des Arts de Dakar

The Village des Arts is an art complex in Dakar where roughly 45 studios spread across four hectares offer space for painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and video installations. The workshops are designed openly so visitors can observe creative work directly.

The Senegalese Ministry of Culture founded the Village des Arts in 1998 to create dedicated working spaces for local and international artists. Since then, the complex has grown into a major hub for artistic production and exchange in West Africa.

Artists from Senegal and neighboring countries share workshops and participate in collaborative projects and exhibitions throughout the year. This creates a space where different artistic traditions work side by side.

The studios are open to visitors during regular hours, and artists often work on-site, making direct contact and conversation possible. You can purchase finished works directly from the workshops or take time to watch different artistic processes unfold.

A bronze foundry within the complex allows sculptors to cast metal works on-site. This craft adds an industrial dimension rarely seen in art-focused spaces.