Vivendi will open ten theaters in the coming months in Central and Western Africa under the CanalOlympia label, Canal Plus group announced in a communiqué.

The first four CanalOlympia will be in Conakry (Guinea), Cotonou (Benin), Brazzaville (DR Congo) and Dakar (Senegal). Scouting for implementation sites have already begun as well as some tendering processes.

At the same time concert halls, theatres and cinemas, these multi-purpose halls will also offer a stage to local artists. They will make up a network through which tours could been organised particularly on the initiative of the Island Africa label of Universal Music Group. With a recording studio and a rehearsal room, they will allow to spot, manage and ensure the international exposure of talents, whether musicians, singers or actors.

The cornerstone of the first CanalOlympia in Conakry, Guinea was laid on 27^th September in the presence of Guinean President Alpha Condé. The theatre will open by mid-2016 and will host over 400 people. Like the other CanalOlympia to follow throughout Africa, the stage will have the possibility to be set up for open air presentations gathering over 3,000 persons.

The choice of the CanalOlympia brand, portmanteau of two Vivendi concepts, quickly became obvious. CANAL+ is very well known in Africa, with a presence in about twenty countries on the continent for a few decades now and is seen as a sign of quality, impertinence and creativity. Olympia is a legendary theatre in Paris which hosted the most prestigious artists in the world and many young talents.

The creation of the CanalOlympia chain of theatres comes as part of Vivendi’s strategy to strengthen its presence in high growth markets where a middle class constantly looking out for new contents is emerging.