Article 1 :

The African contemporary Art Biennial ; DAK’ART, placed under the care of the minister of Culture and Listed Heritage of Senegal of the Senegalese Republic, is an international artistic event devoted to African plastic Arts and gathering around various activities, African and foreign artists, as well as contemporary art professionals from all the continents.

Article 2 :

DAK’ART objectives are:

• Supporting and encouraging creativity, promotion, diffusion, artistic training and education in Africa.

• Promoting the African artists internationally.

• Encouraging the integration of the contemporary African Art into the international Art market.

• Contributing to the development of art critic in Africa and publications on art and contemporary African artists.

Article 3 :

The Scientific Committee the members of which are appointed by the Minister of Culture and Listed Heritage has the duty to design and to define the general outline, the methods of implementation and assessment of the African Contemporary Art Biennial. It guarantees the professional credibility and ensures the conformity control and the evaluation of the event. It is the justification center of the orientations towards the different partners : artists, academics, intellectuals, economic actors and various professionals in the field of art.

The general outline of the Biennial, defined by the scientific committee, is submitted to the Ministry of Culture for approval. The members of the scientific Committee are chosen in relation to their credibility and their skills. The Committee is run by a President. The President’s and Counselors’ mandate ends after the seminar organized for the assessment of the Biennial. This mandate is renewable.

Article 4 :

The General Secretariet is the realizer of the Contemporary African Art Biennial. It is responsible for the practical implementation of the event scenario with the different means put at its disposal by the Senegalese State and various partners. It is the technical authority for the management of human, material and financial resources, as well as the actors of the event, the equipment and the sites. It is led by a Secretary General who focuses on Organization Technical Committees under his responsibility and the work of which he coordinates.

Article 5 :

DAK’ART happens in May of the even years..

Article 6 :

DAK’ART 2004 will schedule may 7 th until june 7 th 2004

The main official events of DAK’ART 2004 are :

• The Contemporary African Art International Exhibition.

• The Individual Exhibitions for African artists and the invited non African artists.

• The African Design International Show.

• Paying tribute to an African artist.

• Meetings and exchanges/ Contemporary Art film show.

• The Digital Arts Forum.

Article 7 :

Economic actors or institutions can organize related events in partnership with the General Secretariat of the Biennial. These related events, organized within the framework of DAK’ART, by individuals (artists, gallery owners, managers, museums and other institutions) can, if possible, benefit from the General Secretariat support.

Article 8 :

The candidates to the International Exhibition and/or to the African Design International Show must have an African country nationality and send a candidacy folder to the General Secretariat of the Contemporary Art Biennial, 19, Avenue Albert Sarraut, B.P 4001 Dakar, Sénégal. This application consists of:

1. An application letter specifying the chosen exhibition (International Exhibition and/or African Design International Show)
2. A detailed Curriculum Vitae
3. Two recent passport size photographs
4. Five color copies of recent works (slides, ecktachroms, color photographs). The name of the photographer must be mentioned.
5. The duly filled in Technical Form
6. Copies of Art journals articles and critical texts on the artist’s work, from one or several recognized experts.

These documents will not be returned to the artist after the deliberations of the international selection Committee. They are added to the collections of the Documentation Center of the Biennial General Secretariat.

Article 9 :

The selection of the works for the International Exhibition and the International Design Show is carried out by an international selection Committee composed of highly qualified specialists from all the continents. The members of this Committee, appointed by the Scientific Committee and the Commissioners for the Individual Exhibitions, represent the international Jury in charge of awarding the different DAK’ART prizes. The Scientific Committee President and the Secretary General of the Biennial are legal members of the international Jury. The decisions of the international Jury are without appeal. They are communicated to the candidates as soon as possible.

Article 10 :

The selection of the artists who will participate in the Individual Exhibitions, is entrusted with international Commissioners. Nine artists are presented by three Commissioners :

• A Commissioner for the selection of three to five artists of an African nationality.

• A Commissioner for the selection of three artists from the diaspora.

• A Commissioner for the selection of three foreign artists.

These Commissioners’ missions are :

• Selecting the works to be exhibited

• Writing critical texts on the artists and their works to be published in the catalogue of the Biennial and to be presented to the international critic and the participants of the Forums.

• The setting up of the artists’ works exhibition in a space fitted up accordingly .

Each Commissioner commits in this operation his intellectual notoriety and fully takes the responsibility of his artistic choices.

Article 11 :

The works destined to the International Exhibition, to the African Design International Show and to the Individual Exhibitions must be packed adequately and sent in cases with screwed lids so as to facilitate the return transport. They must be ready for the hooking up and be in Dakar at the latest two months before the official opening of the Biennial.

Article 12 :

The way used to send the works to Dakar has to be agreed with the General Secretariat of Dakar Biennial which takes in charge the return transport expenses and the insurance on the Senegalese territory following the unloading and the checking of the state of the cases and the works, until their loading for the return transport. It is strongly recommended to the artists to subscribe to a return transport insurance for their works.

Article 13 :

As soon as the works are selected they can no longer be changed or withdrawn by the artist before the official closing of the Biennial.

Article 14 :

The General Secretariat of the Biennial has the right not to exhibit a damaged work or a work showing signs, symbols or elements having a manifesto, publicity, insult and even obscenity. The hooking up of the works is done by the technical team designated for that by the General Secretariat of the Biennial, under the responsibility of the Commissioners, for the Individual Exhibitions, and the Selection International Committee for the International Exhibition and the African Design International Show. The selected artists can be involved in this operation.

Article 15 :

The selection of the official guests of the Contemporary African Art Biennial is left to the discretion of the organizers. They receive an official invitation signed by the Minister of Culture and Listed Heritage and Listed Heritage who specifies the conditions of this invitation.

Article 16 :

Whoever would like to participate in DAK’ART and is not on the official guests list, must pay an accreditation defined by the General Secretariat. The general conditions of the participation bulletin determine the amount of these accreditations. This accreditation authorizes to benefit from the advantages foreseen by the organizers.

Article 17 :

DAK’ART 2004 prizes are :

1. " Leopold Sedar Senghor " Big Prize sponsored by the President of the Republic. It amounts to five millions CFA francs and is awarded to one of the artists participating in the International Exhibition.
2. The Creativity Prize amounting to two millions CFA francs awarded by the European Union. The prize is for one of the artists of the International Design Show.
3. The Revelation Prize amounting to two millions CFA francs awarded by the Minister in charge of Culture and Listed Heritage to one of the artists participating in the International Exhibition.
4. The Young talented artist prize awarded by the Mayor of Dakar.

Many other prizes are awarded to the participants by partners of the Biennial.

Article 18 :

The proclamation of the winners and the official delivery of the awards take place during the official inauguration ceremony of the Contemporary African Art Biennial - " Leopold Sedar Senghor " Big Prize and the Creativity Prize become the Senegalese state property. Duplicating and exploiting these works will not commit the State to pay any supplementary rights.

Article 19 :

The participation in DAK’ART implies the full and entire acceptance of the present rules and regulations.