In most countries of the southern African region, arts and culture takes place within a context of limited financial support, lack of infrastructure and insufficient opportunities for exposure to audiences. At the same time there has been a growth of active civil society organisations that are developing capacities on a range of issues including improvement of art technical skills, art management advocacy on art policies and harnessing the potential of artistic expression. The lack of support makes it difficult for them to network, travel across the region and increase their outreach. Income-generation is extremely vulnerable. The professional arts remain a relatively small sector, however one that plays an important role in wider processes of societal development.

Innovative arts and culture activities increase interactions between artists and wider audiences to a meaningful cultural offer that contributes to social, economic and cultural goals in the southern African region.

• Regional art organisaitons and instituions
• Individual artists
• Communities where projects will be staged
• Audiences across the SADC region:

special attention will be given to have activities in under resourced urban and rural areas

• Artistic expression and cultural activities that are transformative in nature, and can be effectively used as catalysts for positive social change, are generated and disseminated.
• Cultural organisations and individual artists supported to collaborate in order to increase exposure enhance knowhow, knowledge and skills transfer.
• Increased circulation of work to new audiences across the region, deploying innovative methods, and producing greater visibility for the cultural sector.

Expected results:  

• Exhibit and perform new artistic works on waste recycling
• At least 80 individuals and organisations generate new artistic works (performances, exhibitions, public art)
• At least 40 collaborative projects and residencies 
• At least 75 participants in structured art skills exchange/knowledge transfer projects
• At least 60% of principal artists engaged in collaborations are below the age of 35, and at least 50% are women

Results from previous phases:  

After six phases, the Pro Helvetia Arts and Culture programme is concluded with the following results:

• More than 300 artists supported in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe to expose their work in platforms across borders leading to a richer cultural offer and an improvement of artists incomes.
• 24 arts managers, 5 theatre directors and 80 performing artists were upskilled in different art management in Zimbabwe. Efforts are underway to institutionalize this training through the accreditation by the University of Zimbabwe.
• A series of master classes on the creative, professional and curatorial dimensions of photographic practice with approximately 15 young South African and Zimbabwean photographers.
• Support of seven organisations involved in the development of network-based projects for skills and knowledge transfer, policy dialogue and the circulation of creative work across the SADC region.

• Pro Helvetia
• Drama for Life
• Capital Cities Institutional Research Theme

• Private sector entities
• Research Institutions and Drama Schools in Universities
• SDC partners of HIV and AIDS programmes
• Pro Helvetia –Swiss mandate

Phase 1 01.01.2015 - 31.12.2017   (Completed)