Media and content group Vivendi announced Sept. 28 it plans to open 10 live-performance venues in Central and West Africa under the name CanalOlympia.
The first CanalOlympia halls will be in Conakry in Guinea, Cotonou in Benin, Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo and Dakar in Senegal.
Work began on the first CanalOlympia in Conakry on Sept. 27. The hall will have a capacity to hold 400 people and is scheduled to open in mid-2016.
The venues will serve as concert halls, theaters and screening rooms to enhance access to culture and entertainment in countries that frequently lack such facilities, thereby stimulating talent development in Africa.
CanalOlympia halls will offer local artists a chance to perform and will create a network of venues where tours can be organized, in particular those initiated by Island Africa, the Universal Music Group label. The halls will also be fitted with a recording studio and a rehearsal room to help identify talent, support new artists and provide international exposure to musicians, singers or comedians.
