Project Synthesis

Arts and Culture are seen as important elements of development in the Southern African Regional Programme 2005-2010 of SDC. SDC has collaborated with Pro Helvetia, the Swiss Arts Council, to support various cultural activities in South Africa and more recently through the Regional Programme Southern Africa.

Pro Helvetia’s objective in South Africa is to encourage cultural exchange between Switzerland and Southern Africa through the support and fostering of exposure to diversity, relationships and collaboration between South African and Swiss artists. As a result of the implementation of the Regional Programme Southern Africa (RPSA), the Pro Helvetia mandate has been extended to include support and management for projects that encourage artistic and cultural exchange and collaboration within and between countries in the Southern African region. In addition to working with SDC’s Southern Africa Cooperation Office in Pretoria (with projects in South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe), Pro Helvetia is also currently working with SDC offices in Maputo, Mozambique and Luanda, Angola

Strategy/Objectives

The Regional Arts and Culture Programme aims to contribute to an improved cultural integration and diversity acceptance in Southern African society. It will provide strong support to the development of role models in the field of arts and culture as it is understood that without existing career opportunities there is little motivation for new artists.

SDC has mandated Pro Helvetia to identify and support the following kind of projects:

·        Projects that build social awareness using the arts.

·        Projects that build local capacities in the field of arts and culture in order to ensure their sustainability.

·        Projects that have an international dimension, promoting an exchange between local and international projects/artists with the aim to benefit a local project.

·        Projects that promote opportunities for the expression of cultural differences, thus strengthening the understanding of diversity among artists in the SADC region.

·         Projects that develop new syntheses out of modernity and tradition.

Activities

Supported projects include: ‘Encounters International Documentary Film Festival’ (South Africa, Mozambique); an event demonstrating the use of traditional bow instruments with contemporary interpretation (Angola, South Africa, Brazil); ‘Dance Umbrella’ (South Africa); and photography exhibitions (Mozambique, South Africa) as well as residency programmes for artists in several southern African countries.

Target Group

Support of art projects is directed towards professional artists (artists who work and specialise in a specific arts field). Efforts will be focused on professionals who are at the beginning of their career and projects that have a medium-term span.

Partners

Pro Helvetia collaborates with cultural funding bodies and local cultural institutions in the Southern African region.   

Project duration

Pro Helvetia is in the 4^th phase of this arts programme, meant to be active from 1/2005-12/2007.  SDC contribution will amount to R 4,125,000.-

Geographical area

The Arts and Culture Programme supports projects in and between South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Botswana, Madagascar, Angola and Mozambique. It is foreseen that more countries will become involved in the cooperation.

Contact address

Pro Helvetia

P. O. Box 563

Cape Town

8000

Email: prohelvetia@iafrica.com

Website: www.prohelvetia.ch/capetown