FRED DE BRUIN : "It is our priority to create a cultural infrastructure and cultural education for underprivileged groups. We aim for integration with other roles of the embassy such as education, the prevention of HIV/AIDS and economic development. In addition, projects are aimed at reinforcing cultural identity and increasing mutual understanding between ethnic groups.
South Africa has a booming cultural life. To many people, art offers an escape from the tough reality of everyday life. However, encouraging culture is not a priority for the South-African government. That is why NGOs such as The National Arts Council and the Arts and Culture Trust have an important role to fulfil. The embassy is an important sponsor of these NGOs.
We also have partnerships for cultural projects with the city of Johannesburg, with Port Elisabeth and with Cultural Radius from Durban. We work together with the District VI Museum in Capetown. For this museum we support the restoration of old photographs that give a socio-historic impression of the former residents who were driven out of their homes by the apartheid regime. We also finance a project in Capetown to make the VOC archives accessible and available in digital format.
In principle, the projects are initiated by local partners, after which they are considered by us in terms of our priorities and the reliability of the applicant. The projects that are approved of are completed by the local partner and monitored by the embassy in terms of progress and financial management.
I personally really like the projects in the townships in which young people perform in music and theatre productions making their peers aware of the serious dangers of HIV/AIDS and crime. Their enthusiasm and friendliness are in stark contrast with the harsh reality around them, from which it is difficult to escape."
Culture Budget850.000 euro (C&D) Since1994
Major projects HIV/AIDS information campaign with music and theatre performances | Supporting the Arts and Culture Trust | Cultural partnerships with Johannesburg, Port Elisabeth and Durban | Renovation of photographs in Capetown's District VI Museum
Xhosa finally part of South African literature
Tangencya investigates African modernity in Durban
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Partnerships between art and the business world in South Africa
South Africa's Freedom Day: an international festivity
Sithengi in Cape Town: meeting place for film and television professionals
Worldsite: Steps for the future
South Africa Special: 10 years of democracy in South Africa, de role of culture
Pulse: artists in social projects
South Africa pleads for the use of indigenous languages