YVETTE L Campbell gave a talk at the AFCA-organised Arts Management Training for the Performing Arts (6-9 February) at the Supreme Council of Culture. The former president of the Harlem School of the Arts for Children and the founding director of the Ailey Extension, Campbell has has worked for the non-profit sector for more than 12 years in London and Abu Dhabi as well as New York City, and her talk – focusing on the performing arts – covered such topics as strategic planning, operation management, budgeting, fundraising, institutional marketing, monitoring and evaluations. According to the SCC representative Rasha Abdel-Moneim, “Secretary General Haitham Al-Haj was very enthusiastic about this cooperation with AFCA, which is a continuation of Council's strategy in forming an effective partnership with civil society.”
In addition to El-Ghawy and Campbell, the training also featured discussions with or talks by Head of the Ministry of Culture's Cultural Production Sector Khaled Galal, Cultural Attaché at the US Embassy in Cairo Ruth Anne Stevens-Klitz, Head of the Bibliotheca Alexandria Arts Centre Hisham Gabr, Head of Arts at the British Council Egypt Cathy Costain, Cairo University literature professor Salma Mubarak, founder of the Kayan Marionette theatre troupe Mohamed Fawzi and, through video conferencing, Executive Artistic Director of the New York University Abu-Dhabi Arts Center Bill Bragin, among many others.
“I am hoping to give people the tools they need to do great art for Egypt,” Campbell said. “You as a dancer or artist represent your art form. So, try to do your best. Make it perfect for your dancers and audiences. Plan ahead and think of things that need to be done and do them well. People are inspired by great art, music and dance. It has to be eye-catching s other people will come to see your work no matter how far you are. They will cut miles to come. Art is industry. It brings more money into your economy when tourists are keen to come. Egypt is one of the most amazing countries on the world. It should be seen, felt and experienced. I didn't have previous experience in the field of administration when I was hired as CEO of the Harlem school, but we raised more than $14 million. We open our doors. We are doing very well. I just believed it was possible. The children and the art they did was amazing. The real obstacles were the actual staff. They don't want to change. But they had to.”
