The need for an accessible, independent, and efficient fund to promote African creativity and its regional and international distribution

This research was commissioned by the ARTerial Network, and has been jointly funded by the DOEN Foundation and the Stromme Foundation.

The priority has been to attempt to conceptualize possible models for the proposed African Fund for Arts and Culture informed by a broad contextual analysis of the field. This analysis is based on a review of a selection of existing programmes of support (financial or otherwise) to the cultural sector in Africa, in order to identify possible gaps and opportunities for a new structure.

The feasibility of such an African Fund does depend on the relevance it would have to the sector, and to some extent, on how attractive the African Fund could be to a potential support base of funders and partners. This study offers some comments on the need to market the Fund in different ways to different partners, and hopes to highlight the importance of tailoring relationships that are able to demonstrate mutual benefits to all parties concerned. One of the major research questions has been whether funders would be willing to put resources into a “communal” basket-fund model.

The study provides valuable information about: major themes, legislation and institutions with respects to funding of the arts in Africa; the economic contribution of culture and cultural industries; the development of African national cultural policies, funding bodies and civil society structures, and more.

Authors:

Nicolette du Pressis (South Africa)

Khadija El Bennaoui (Morocco)

Lou Mayitoukou (Congo/Senegal)

Download the document here:

http://www.arterialnetwork.org/documents/Feasibility%20Study%20African%20Fund%20for%20Arts%20and%20Culture%20%20August%202009%20FINAL%20email%20version.pdf

Image: "African Woman",Copyright © 2008 by Nkolika Anyabolu