On December 1st, 2011 the arrival of CIAMO Founder Sarah duPont and artist-in-residence Leni Stern was honored by the United States Embassy at a reception hosted by Ambassador James and Mrs. Amelia Knight. The evening gave CIAMO a chance to meet and get to know important actors in Benin, and make potential connections that will […]

Mayor Sylverin Adjovi visited CIAMO for the first time since it was founded a year ago! He was accompanied by a delegation of arondissment chiefs and his mayoral staff. Thank you Mayor Adjovi! We hope you’re pleased with what you’ve seen at CIAMO!

CIAMO: Where are you from in the States?   Nancy: My childhood was spent in New Hampshire but as a teenager Ididn’t really appreciate the value of small-town living. I really wanted to go to Boston for college and exposure to big-city life. It was also where I had my first real job as a […]

CIAMO in the past month has made great progress in holding professional development programs for professional artists. As we’ve mentioned before, CIAMOStar our program for musicians has taken off. We think it will be very successful, thanks to a group of very serious artists and teachers. This week we started another program – this time […]

Formed in 2005, the Association Bidossessi (which in fon translates to “everything is in the hands of God”) is composed of about fifty women, and led by one of their featured vocalists, President Julienne AGLOSSI.  Womens associations are numerous in Ouidah, primarily to alleviate some of the poverty women experience and enhance their autonomy in the society.  Bidossessi engages in […]

On Friday, November 4th, CIAMO said goodbye to Peace Corps Response Volunteer Sarah Ellison, whose initiative, presence, and talents have made CIAMO the vibrant place it is today. Sarah’s departure was marked by speeches by director John Mark Feilmeyer, the director of Ganve Elementary School Madame Agbidinoukoun Loure, original songs composed for the event by […]