Les Ateliers Sahm opened in the fall of 2012 under the artistic direction of the Congolese artist and writer Bill Kouélany.
This arts center in Brazzaville focuses primarily on the plastic arts, but is also open to other forms of artistic expression such as literature, film, music, and theater. Les Ateliers Sahm provides workspaces, materials, and practical instruction to a new generation of artists and designers, supporting them in the development of their artistic skills and in their critical engagement with their own work, and helping them make important contacts. Every year between September and December, international experts give workshops and seminars on painting, video art, and art criticism. This is followed by an exhibition of the works created in these sessions, which are awarded prizes in several categories. Along with its residency program, les Ateliers Sahm thus provides Congolese artists a platform for their art and a forum for exchange with international artists.