The art scene in Dakar
The Dakar Biennale, or Dak’Art, is devoted to contemporary African art and brings together artists from across the continent and the diaspora at each edition, with a sprawling program of independent off-site shows throughout the city. The Museum of Black Civilizations, opened in 2018 near the train station, and the Théodore Monod Museum of African Art on Place Soweto offer two complementary perspectives on the arts of Africa.
The Village des Arts, on the road to the old airport, gathers dozens of studios where painters, sculptors and visual artists work and welcome visitors. Reverse glass painting, a popular technique in Senegal, can be discovered through artists who still practise it, and the Soumbédioune craft village brings together woodcarvers, jewellers and leatherworkers. Offshore, Gorée Island is home to several studios and galleries in a setting steeped in history.
On Artblr, you can discover Dakar artists and contact them directly, with no middleman. Ask for extra photos, discuss shipping to Canada or Europe, or arrange a studio visit during your stay. That direct contact is commission-free.
- Dak’Art, the Dakar Biennale
- Village des Arts
- Museum of Black Civilizations
- Gorée Island
