The West African Calligraphy Institute is a registered nonprofit arts education organization in Sénégal, West Africa. Our mission is community development through arts education, raising awareness of social issues, and the empowerment of young people, all through the cultural preservation of Arabic calligraphic forms indigenous to West Africa.

We are currently raising funds to complete a research center, school, studio, and gallery space, while building frameworks for collaboration with Senegalese and international partners. The school will focus on passing knowledge to young people regarding the history and artistry of West African calligraphy, while the research center will serve as a base for researchers and (primarily) African artists and calligraphers to produce academic and creative works in the region.  While calligraphy schools have existed for hundreds of years in Islamic countries (Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Egypt) there are not schools dedicated specifically to the indigenous West African form.

The institute was formed in 2012 by internationally renowned artist and community activist Yelimane Fall. Click here to read about our ongoing projects in Senegal and the USA.

Artistic Director – Fallou Fall : message_foi@yahoo.fr

Outreach/Programs Director – Nicholas (Saliou) Pelafas : lampfall40@gmail.com