The Bagamoyo Sculpture School offers unique in the sculptural arts. Basic skills and several subjects aiming at greater artistic variations are taught, also including practical subjects such as English, Economics and Marketing. The students are also taught to make their own tools and other equipment, and to use local materials.

The basic course is for 1 year, starting in August/September. The students may continue for up to 3 years. Formal education requirement for admission is Primary School, the main criteria however being the applicant's artistic skill and interest. Until now there have been no school fees, and food and available accommodation is free.

The school is situated in the stimulating settings of ancient Bagamoyo 65 km north of Dar es Salaam, 1 km south of the Bagamoyo College of Arts along the Kaole Ruins road..

Initial project leader and head teacher was Mr Stanislav Lux. He was educated at the Swedish Academy of Arts but has for many years lived and worked in Tanzania, where he especially has studied the work of Makonde carvers. His experience includes teaching at the University of Dar es Salaam. Now local teachers are in charge. Guest lecturers are frequent and study visits are made. Many of the students have been part of exchanges with foreign schools, and many foreign students visit the school for shorter or longer periods.

Even though the school days are long and full of hard work, the students often request extra tutorials. As part of the course the students have to produce pieces of art for exhibitions as well as for sale in the school shop. The aim is that the school shall, to a large extent, be self-sufficient.

When the students have finished their education at the school, they are much more advanced than most traditional wood carvers. The students can independently realise an idea to a piece of art, or work with a model. They have learnt to utilise different sorts of wood. They have also familiarised themselves with techniques such as turning and casting.

One important aim of the school is to educate the students to create individual and artistic products which may be recognised and valued as pieces of art rather than souvenirs.

Traditional Makonde-carving is of course not forgotten. The students are encouraged and trained to develop their imagination and skill as well as studying the cultural background.The main aim of the school is to lay the foundation for the students to develop to skilled and independent sculptors.

External courses

The school is also open for external students. A few persons can participate in the lessons as paying extra students, for longer or shorter periods upon individual arrangement. During the school break, short group courses can be arranged.

Samples of small handicraft products. In the knife and the combs several different types of wood is utilised. One aim of the school is to show that not only the increasingly scarce blackwood may be used. The candleholder has partly been done by lathing.

The students work with several techniques. They make their own lath or turning-machines and tools for lathing. Knowledge of different types of trees, the characteristic of their wood and how to utilise different types of wood in the same piece of art is also learned.

Project Description

The school is a low budget project initiated by the Woodcarvers Society of Tanzania CHAWASAWATA and the Swedish Tanzanian Society SVETAN, with financial support from The Swedish International Development Authority, SIDA, and Forum Syd.

Since 1999 the school is governed by the Bagamoyo Sculptural Arts School Trust, registered in Tanzania. The founder of the trust is Svetan, but the trustees are all Tanzanian.