Mark from Womersleys has been helping Ethiopia's Heritage Watch, which is formed from a diverse group of private citizens from all walks of life, with many nationalities, professional backgrounds and varying hobbies but with one common passion; they all care about Addis Ababa’s heritage buildings.

Working with the artist community of Addis, Heritage Watch is proposing, as part of a current programme entitled: Public Art in Addis Ababa, to provide workshops, galleries and meeting places for artists groups within a new hub created by refurbishing threatened and disused historic buildings.

Within Addis Ababa, the capital and largest city of Ethiopia with a population of 3 million, there are important historic public and private buildings which could be refurbished for the benefit of the community and the city and this proposal makes an important step towards this.

Addis is where the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa is headquartered. The city is populated by the different regions of Ethiopia and settlers from all over the world. This settlement began to grow in 1886, when the imperial palace moved from Entoto. All Ethiopian ethnic groups are represented in Addis Ababa: the Amhara, Oromo, Gurage, Tigrayan, Silt'e, and Gamo. It is the home of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies and the Ethnological Museum. The city also has numerous public universities and private colleges including The Addis Ababa School of Fine Arts and Design.     

Development pressures are huge within this rapidly expanding city, these pressures have resulted in the loss of and threaten other the historic areas of Addis, which define its character and its national historic sense of place. This fact coupled with the artistic community being underrepresented in a such a large city suggests the need for the creative arts to work with heritage conservation groups to promote art and the historic street scenes of the city to help the city and its artistic community, support each other.

Although famous artists that have led the way in Addis including Afewerk Tekle (22 October 1932 – 10 April 2012), Gebre Kristos Desta Nego ( 1932–1981), and Gebrekristos Desta, artists struggle to have enough support, work and exhibition space, despite the efforts of the Alliance Ethio Francaise Gallery, Goethe-Institut Addis Abeba , Guramayne Art Centre, and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura. The Director of the only academic art program in the city, The Addis Ababa School of Fine Arts and Design, is trying to create an academic program that encourages artists to be socially engaged and it hoped this proposal will build on the efforts of all the artistic groups to help fulfil this.

The project which Mark is assisting with aims to promote public and private historic property, neighbourhood engagement, community awareness, for the good of the city. It is hoped that outcomes will bring a superior aesthetical quality to the cityscape, symbolize our cultural base and create an art destination for visitors and tourists.

 

 

 

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2018
Day 6: Promoting Tourism through Conserving Heritage Conference Final day in Ethiopia Conservation Management Plans and Goodbye Day 4 Lime Training in Ethiopia Day 5 Lime Training in Ethiopia Day 3 Training in Ethiopia Day 2 of Lime Training in Ethiopia Empress Mentewab's Kuskuam Complex Lime Training in the Royal Compound at Gonder Day 1 of Running Lime Training in Ethiopia Conservation at Guzara Palace Earth mortars and Northern Ethiopia Inspirational Wattle and Daub in Ethiopia Providing Lime Training Out of the Rain An introduction to Silicate Paints Natural Pozzolana described by Vitruvius in the Roman Era Faux Marbling and Traditional Paints Training test Spenfield House Decoration Inspires Training Day Training at the Jewellery Quarter Birmingham Lime render finish coats for innovative design Paint Stripping Samples for Wythenshaw Hall A refresher day on Hot Limes for Mono Masonry Cast Roman Cement from 1840 on a building in Liverpool The colour is great and lots of very positive comments Fiona's Sheep formed from Womersleys Stone Repair Traditional Stand Oil Paint on new garden gate Tithe Barn now finished after Womersleys supply foamed glass insulated floor Ryedale Plasterers honing their skills & techniques Stone and Brick Repairs We would love to see you at Harrogate free tickets are available here Womersleys Insulating Lime Render Plaster and Moisture Buffering New Wattle and Daub supplied by Womersleys Ordsall Chord is coming to a successful finish Oil Paints and Distempers used to create an Illusion The iron rich limestone and aggregates of south east Sicily Marbeleizing with Natural Oil Paints Lime Mortars have always had to with stand extreme weather and seas The Cathedral Church of Saint Nicolo presents a fine Baroque façade The beautiful Noto limestone cladding Noto's Baroque Buildings Beautifully weathered lime render Lime stucco repairs to capitals Brick and Stone Formwork Exposed behind Lime Stucco Render Historic Lime Kiln at Shap Lime Stucco Work by Giovanni Bagutti Plaster, Daub and Render Survey at Old Hall Farm Repairing clay daub and lime plaster on panels of riven lath and insulating externally with insulated lime renders Use of mobile elevated platforms in Theatres Creating Formwork and Constructing an Arch An introduction to Lead Work Training Day Working with volunteers on the Chesterfield Canal Helping the Canal and River Trust Volunteers Training Course Sicily Building Kiln Training Course Sicily: Chuch of San Nicola Womersleys training course Sicily It really is as beautiful as they say Traditional buidling techniques Garden Corner Tower circa 1650, Agra Living Heritage Real Market Places Fine polished lime plaster ensured opulent splendour Indian Mortar Mill India Gate Lotus Flower forming 17th Century Column Bases Seventeenth Century Chrysanthemum Detail The Lotus Flower and the Indian Flag 17th Century Lime Stucco on brick Seventeenth Century Indian Frescoed Lime Stucco RIBA accredited CPD paint seminars Ceiling Survey Reveals a Glimpse of Former Decorative Glory Clay Infill found in Exeter's Grand Royal Clarence Hotel Foamit Sub Base for Great Tythe Barn
2016
Get your free tickets for the National Home Building Show Understanding Marple Lime Kilns It would be good to see you Sensitive refurb planned for Forge Cottage Last of Five Days at Grand Designs promoting Womersleys Stabilising a boundary wall with Hydraulic Hot Lime Mortar Its nice to be appreciated Training with Help the Heroes Volunteers The historical development of a simple wall Trialling hot lime mortar Lime Mortar Training Yesterday at Womersley's Breathable and natural paints for Lighthouse Aglaia emulsions used at St Leonard's Latest build by Guy and Straw Works Ltd Advice on Breathable Insulation for a Windmill More Lime Wash for West Wycombe Park Our latest article in the Listed Heritage Magazine Toft Gate Lime Kiln in Nidderdale The whole is greater than the sum of its parts What a pleasure to be booked in to resurvey the Apollo Tim's Nidderdale Dream Womersleys helping with Conservation Skills Training Programme Lovely Chamfers Working with our German Paint Partners The Ceiling Centre Tells a Story Historic Mortar Analysis for North Bar, Beverley New Foamed Glass Sub Base for Beamish Park Gardens Refurbishment Plasterwork survey at Oakwell Hall Completed Please call in to see us if you are at the Great Yorkshire Show Renovation in the Prettiest Village in the County Offering Paint Advice at Holy Trinity Church, Hull Developing Thornton's Conservation Area Assessment to Guide Develeopment Talbot Yard Malton Wins Award Insulating an Old Building with the Internal Warmshell System The Hairy Builder (Biker) Promo Traditional and Natural Paints featured in LPOC magazine Results of Plaster Survey at Wythenshaw Hall following fire damage New pre mixed Ironstone mortars introduced Results of Plaster Analysis at Castle Dairy Kendal Womersleys continue to supply lime mortars to Pontefract Castle Plaster Survey at Wythenshaw Hall following fire damage Holy Trinity Church Sunderland Plaster Survey Investigations in to the condition of the plaster on the walls at the Exchequer Building, Palace Green Library, Durham Plaster Analysis at Castle Dairy Kendal Free Illustrated Case Studies detailing Insulated Floors for Old Buildings