A Life Spent Building the Systems Behind the Music
Born and raised in Addis Ababa, Teshome Wondimu grew up in Fitber, a neighborhood where music and performance were woven into daily life. It was there, amid communal gatherings and informal artistry that his lifelong engagement with culture took root — long before it would carry him onto an international stage.
This year, that journey reached a milestone. Teshome, the founder and chief executive of Selam Ethiopia and the Addis Jazz Festival, became the first Ethiopian to receive the International Citation of Merit from the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA), one of the field’s most respected global bodies. The award recognizes more than three decades of work dedicated to building cultural institutions, connecting artists across borders, and strengthening the infrastructure that sustains the performing arts.
While attending Dagmawi Minilik School in Addis Ababa, Teshome began learning musical instruments and performing at a young age. Music quickly became a constant—less a hobby than a parallel education—shaping his interests and orienting him toward creative and organizational work. Those early experiences, he says, laid the foundation for his later involvement in arts management and cultural initiatives.
His path soon took him beyond civilian life. In Asmara, where he joined the Ethiopian Navy, music entered a more structured environment. He performed in marching bands and later with the Navy’s dance band, where rehearsals and performances were embedded in daily routines. The military setting, he recalled, reinforced music’s collective and social function, situating it within public life and shared experience rather than individual expression.
In 1986, Teshome received a scholarship to study music in Moscow. There, he trained as a conductor and musical director, immersing himself in music theory, classical traditions, and institutional models of performance. The years in Russia, he said, expanded not only his technical skills but also his understanding of discipline, coordination, and rehearsal systems—lessons that would later inform his work as an organizer and institution-builder.
“The foundation of my career was shaped by three stages,” Teshome said: “early training, service in the Ethiopian Navy, and studies in Russia.” Together, those experiences formed a framework that guided his professional choices.
A fourth chapter began in 1990, when he moved to Sweden. While adapting to a new society, he remained active in the cultural sector and pursued studies in cultural administration, focusing on planning, management, and policy. His work gradually shifted away from individual performance toward coordination, program development, and institutional engagement.
That shift culminated in the founding of Selam in Stockholm in 1997. Conceived as a platform to connect Sweden with artists from Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, Selam sought to create space for cultural exchange while broadening access to global music and performance within Sweden. Concerts, tours, and collaborations became its core activities, linking artists with venues, audiences, and cultural institutions.
“Selam was founded to connect Sweden with the rest of the world,” Teshome said, “and to create space for different musical cultures to be presented and exchanged.” Over time, the organization expanded beyond music to include literature, media, theater, film, and circus arts.
As Selam’s footprint grew in Europe, Teshome’s attention increasingly returned to Ethiopia. He began examining how cultural institutions functioned, how heritage was managed, and which systems were missing within the music sector. His focus centered on music education, cultural policy, and the commercial environment surrounding artists—areas he viewed as essential for long-term sector development.
Selam’s work in Ethiopia led to the establishment of a music studio, the launch of festivals including Selam Festival Addis and the Addis Jazz Festival, and the creation of Muzikawi, a company focused on recording, publishing, and rights management. Over nearly three decades, Teshome has been involved in initiatives ranging from research and youth programs to collaboration with government bodies and advocacy around copyright and intellectual property.
His work has also extended beyond national borders. Through pan-African platforms such as the Pan-African Network for Artists’ Freedom and Connect for Culture Africa, he has engaged in continental discussions on artistic freedom, collaboration, and cultural policy, including work with the African Union on cultural funding frameworks.
The effort, he acknowledged, has not been without resistance. Limited engagement from decision-makers and inconsistent investment in culture have been persistent challenges. Addressing them, he said, has required sustained dialogue and long-term advocacy.
“At times, the process has been frustrating,” he said, “especially when long-term experience and sector knowledge are not fully taken into account.”
Despite such obstacles, Teshome’s work has earned growing recognition. He has received several awards, including honors from the City of Stockholm. In 2026, he will formally receive the ISPA International Citation of Merit at the organization’s congress in New York, placing him among global cultural leaders recognized for advancing international collaboration through arts management, education, and institutional development.
“I am honored to receive this recognition from ISPA,” he told The Reporter. “It reflects the contribution of Selam and the people we work with.” The award, he added, both acknowledges work already done and offers encouragement for what lies ahead.
Today, Selam operates as Selam Global, encompassing Selam Sweden, Selam Ethiopia, Selam Kenya, and Muzikawi. The organization continues to produce festivals, tours, and exchange programs, while also working to archive and reissue Ethiopian music recordings, including on vinyl. Plans are underway to establish permanent cultural spaces in both Stockholm and Addis Ababa.
“This award confirms many years of work carried out across countries,” Teshome said. “It is something we share with colleagues, artists, and partners. I will continue building systems that support artists and cultural practitioners in Ethiopia, across Africa, and within international networks.”
