At the Centre des Métiers d’Art, d’Artisanat et de Design (CMAA), we believe that every individual has the potential to create, innovate and transform the world around them.
Our mission goes beyond simply teaching a profession. We train women and men to imagine, create, produce, innovate and build businesses.
The Centre des Métiers d’Art, d’Artisanat et de Design (CMAA) is a leading institution dedicated to training, creativity, innovation, production and entrepreneurship in arts and crafts, design and the Cultural and Creative Industries.
Our ambition is to train professionals who can turn their ideas into tangible achievements, their skills into careers and their creativity into opportunities.
Each learning pathway is designed to develop not only technical skills, but also independence, initiative, the ability to innovate and a commitment to responsible development.
Today, CMAA is far more than a training centre: it is an ecosystem where education, creativity, production, research, innovation and entrepreneurship reinforce one another to prepare the talent of tomorrow.
Every great institution has a story.
CMAA’s story began with a simple conviction: arts and crafts, craftsmanship and design are essential drivers of economic, cultural and human development.
CMAA was founded on a deeply held belief: arts and crafts are not merely a heritage to be preserved. They are a resource for the future, capable of creating jobs, fostering innovation and contributing to Africa’s development.
In 2016, this vision took shape with the creation of the Club des Métiers d’Art, an initiative designed to provide young Togolese people with training based on practical experience, excellence and the promotion of craftsmanship and expertise.
Over the years, this initiative evolved into the Centre des Métiers d’Art, d’Artisanat et de Design, an institution that goes beyond traditional training to build a genuine ecosystem for creativity, innovation and production.
This momentum has gradually expanded through the development of major initiatives such as Tchamba Hub, dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional
weaving; Mamissi Hangoumé, which places women craftspeople at the heart of creativity and economic empowerment; ICC Studio, which supports creative entrepreneurs; and ICC Lab, a laboratory for innovation, research and collaboration.
Today, all these initiatives come together around a shared ambition: to establish CMAA as a Centre of Excellence, recognised across the region for the quality of its teaching, its educational innovation and its contribution to the development of the Cultural and Creative Industries.
Our story continues to be written every day through our learners’ projects, the partnerships we develop and the skills and knowledge we pass on to future generations.
Nurturing a new generation of creators who can turn their talent into impact.
At CMAA, we believe that arts and crafts, design and the Cultural and Creative Industries play an essential role in Africa’s economic, cultural and social development.
Our vision is to train women and men who can preserve the knowledge and skills inherited from our communities while imagining the creative solutions of tomorrow.
We aim to build an environment where tradition engages with innovation, craftsmanship meets design, creativity becomes a source of entrepreneurship and every individual has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.
Through this ambition, CMAA is committed to becoming a Centre of Excellence, recognised for the quality of its teaching, its capacity for innovation, its international outlook and its contribution to the sustainable development of the Cultural and Creative Industries.
We believe that by investing in talent, we are investing in the future of our communities, our country and the African continent.
We envision an Africa where creators, craftspeople and designers are recognised as major contributors to economic, cultural and social development.
Learn. Create. Innovate. Produce. Build businesses. Pass on knowledge.
CMAA’s mission is to support every learner in building a strong professional pathway founded on technical excellence, creativity and initiative.
To achieve this ambition, we are committed to:
Develop professional skills that meet the requirements of arts and crafts, design and the Cultural and Creative Industries.
Encourage artistic expression, the exploration of new ideas and the development of each learner’s own creative identity.
Enable learners to deliver real-world projects in conditions that closely reflect professional practice, through the training workshop and production facilities.
Explore new teaching approaches, experiment with new materials and develop creative solutions to contemporary challenges.
Support young people towards employment, self-employment and the creation of income-generating activities by developing their entrepreneurial mindset.
Preserve traditional craft skills while encouraging their adaptation to the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s markets.
Our mission is to train skilled, responsible and committed professionals who can create value for themselves, their communities and society.
The principles that inspire everything we do.
At CMAA, our values are more than words. They guide the way we teach, create, collaborate and support learners in their personal and professional development.
We strive for quality in every action, every project and every achievement. High standards are at the heart of our educational approach.
We encourage everyone to explore their imagination, develop their artistic identity and propose original solutions to the challenges of their time.
We believe that skills and expertise evolve through experimentation, dialogue between tradition and modernity, and openness to new practices.
Preserving arts and crafts means, above all, passing knowledge, techniques and values on to future generations.
We value the diversity of people, cultures, skills and individual journeys. Respect is the foundation of every relationship within CMAA.
We prepare our learners to meet the quality standards expected by businesses, clients and partners.
We encourage responsible creative practice that takes account of resources, local communities and environmental challenges.
We believe in the strength of the collective. Learning, creativity and success are built together in a spirit of mutual support and cooperation.
Building a Centre of Excellence for African talent.
CMAA does more than train professionals. Our ambition is to contribute to the transformation of arts and crafts, design and the Cultural and Creative Industries in Africa.
By 2030, we aim to become a Centre of Excellence recognised for the quality of its training, its capacity for innovation, its commitment to research, its international outlook and its impact on economic, cultural and social development.
This ambition is reflected in the creation of an ecosystem where learning, production, entrepreneurship, research and collaboration work together to support talent at every stage of their journey.
At CMAA, we are not simply preparing graduates. We support creators, entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers who will contribute to the development of their communities and enhance Africa’s influence and visibility.
Our ambition is to nurture a generation of creators, craftspeople, designers and entrepreneurs capable of imagining solutions, creating value and contributing sustainably to Africa’s development.
An ecosystem where every organisation contributes to a shared vision.
CMAA operates within a unique ecosystem designed to support learners far beyond their training.
Each part of our ecosystem plays a complementary role, supporting talent from training through to employment, entrepreneurship, research and international development.
By bringing together training, research, production, entrepreneurial support and partnerships, CMAA creates an environment where ideas come to life and talent is given the resources to thrive sustainably.
At the origin of this dynamic, the Fondation Mablé Agbodan carries the vision and supports CMAA’s development.
The Foundation works to advance vocational training, youth employment, the promotion of arts and crafts, and the development of the Cultural and Creative Industries through high-impact projects.
The Centre des Métiers d’Art, d’Artisanat et de Design lies at the heart of this ecosystem.
It provides learners with vocational training, equipping them with the technical, creative and entrepreneurial skills they need to succeed.
Each learning pathway combines training, experimentation and practical projects to prepare professionals for an ever-changing environment
Manufacture-école
The Manufacture-école is where training meets production.
Learners contribute to real client commissions, discover professional quality requirements, learn to work as part of a team and develop professional experience in conditions similar to those of a real business.
This environment also encourages independence, responsibility and an understanding of market realities.
ICC Studio
ICC Studio supports creators, entrepreneurs and project leaders working in the Cultural and Creative Industries.
Through a progressive programme combining awareness, development and incubation, it helps talented individuals structure their ideas, develop their business models and transform their creativity into viable projects.
ICC Studio provides a bridge between training and entrepreneurship.
ICC Lab
ICC Lab is CMAA’s laboratory for innovation, applied research and collaboration.
It promotes experimentation, practice-based creative research, artist residencies, academic collaborations and international projects to imagine the creative solutions of tomorrow.
It helps establish CMAA as a recognised contributor to innovation in arts and crafts and the Cultural and Creative Industries.
The Institut des Arts et de l’Artisanat (IAA) represents the next stage in CMAA’s development.
Designed for higher education, it will enable graduates to continue their studies through specialisation, research, innovation and academic excellence.
The IAA will strengthen the links between vocational training, higher education and the research community.
CMAA’s development is also supported by several projects that bring our vision to life.
Tchamba Hub
A hub dedicated to preserving, modernising and promoting traditional weaving while creating economic opportunities for craftspeople and local communities.
Mamissi Hangoumé
An initiative that showcases traditional craft skills, promotes women’s economic empowerment and encourages creative production based on local resources.
Centre of Excellence 2030
The roadmap guiding the development of CMAA and its ecosystem. It sets out the strategic priorities, objectives and projects that will enable the Centre to become a regional leader in training, innovation, research and entrepreneurship.
Learn. Create. Innovate. Build your business.
Oui. Tout au long de leur parcours, ils participent à des ateliers, des projets collaboratifs, des productions de la Manufacture et, selon les opportunités, à des commandes réelles.
Oui. Les périodes de stage et d'immersion professionnelle font partie du parcours de formation.
Le CMAA favorise l'insertion professionnelle grâce à la Manufacture, aux partenariats avec les entreprises et à l'accompagnement entrepreneurial.
