Festival Métissons faces financial and infrastructure challenges in Saint-Louis

Ababacar Guèye, director of the Festival Métissons, has raised concerns regarding the financial difficulties and lack of infrastructure facing the cultural landscape of Saint-Louis, Senegal.

For its 16th edition scheduled for November 2026, the festival is implementing a strategic shift by moving away from the Institut Français de Saint-Louis. This decentralization aims to utilize public spaces to better involve local residents and celebrate the city's diverse artistic initiatives.

Despite Saint-Louis being a UNESCO World Heritage site recognized for its colonial architecture and traditional Zoumba art, Guèye highlights a significant lack of supporting infrastructure to sustain the city's cultural prestige.