Overview

In March 2014, the South African Department of Arts and Culture and the British High Commission to South Africa, on behalf of the British Council, launched the SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015, a collaboration that will see the two countries engage in creative programmes as a channel to further strengthen cultural relations between the two nations.

The SA-UK Seasons were born from talks which began at the Inter-Ministerial Bilateral forum in London in 2011, resulting in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in Arts and Culture, which set out a platform for cooperation to be implemented by the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) and the British Council.
The SA-UK Season is composed of four streams:

  1. Joint Projects: The Seasons will jointly support projects of a collaborative nature between South Africa and the UK through a joint fund.
  2. SA Season in the UK: South African projects in the UK managed and funded by the Department of Arts and Culture and implemented by the SA Seasons’ team.
  3. Connect ZA: UK projects in South Africa managed and funded by the British Council and implemented by the British Council Art’s team.
  4. Projects Endorsed without funding: A collection of joint projects endorsed to form part of the SA-UK Seasons benefitting from the communications of the Seasons campaign.

 

Objectives of the Season:

  • To promote people-to-people contact, institutional collaboration and programmes that will have the potential for long-term impact and sustainability
  • To connect new generations of creative professionals and audiences in SA and the UK
  • To foster skills transfer and development, sharing expertise and innovation in developing the creative careers of young people
  • To promote the growth and sustainability of the sector including a strong emphasis on audience development, economic growth and market access
  • To showcase and promote SA and UK arts and culture that will present work that challenges and updates perceptions of contemporary culture and creativity in both countries
  • To promote and showcase the inclusion of professionals and emerging artists with disability by building on the rich legacy of working in the performing, visual and creative arts in the UK and SA