SA, Sweden in R57m arts deal
Zibonele Ntuli
15 June 2004
South Africa and Sweden have signed a groundbreaking R57-million cultural partnership programme to benefit arts and culture projects from both countries.
The programme is regarded as a significant step towards deepening and consolidating relations between the two countries.
The programme will encourage a wide range of cultural institutions and non-governmental organisations to apply for project grants of up to three years, or for one-year planning grants, in order to support and stimulate academic or grassroots projects.
The agreement was signed on Monday by South African Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan and his Swedish counterpart, Marita Ulvskog.
The Swedish government has contributed R45-million, while South Africa's Arts and Culture Department has contributed R12-million for the next three years.
"There has never been a more opportune time for Africa than now to forge new models of collaboration and to challenge our
historic partners in the rest of the world to engage us as equals in creative partnerships", Jordan said at the signing ceremony.
Jordan said South Africa's relationship with Sweden had taken many forms over the last 30 years, and acknowledged Sweden's contribution to South Africa's freedom and democracy.
"Through our cooperation we will continue the partnership on innovative programmes that can impact positively on the continent", he said.
"We are moving away from the one-directional funding of donor recipient, which has traditionally been the norm", Ulvskog said.
"The programme will be overseen by a joint committee, run by coordinators in both countries, and applications will be assessed by a peer review panel in each country before being submitted to the joint committee for recommendations", Ulvskog said.
She said proposals should be committed to education and training, cultural management, capacity building and research.
"All projects
should follow human rights principles and practice, and need to demonstrate adherence to a majority of the criteria for funding."
Source: BuaNews
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