An initiative funded by the SA-EU Strategic
Partnership – the Dialogue Facility which contributes to the strengthening of
relations between the European Union and South Africa and encourages
cooperation between equal partners in a number of areas in the economic, social
and cultural fields. The Shukuma Mzansi Conference enables the South
African community arts centres to share their experiences on capacity building,
programming, innovative sourcing of funding and policy implementation with
their European counterparts and vice versa.
Simultaneously, the conference is a means to
reflect on the state of the South African community arts centres and their
contribution to the 2030 Development Plan in terms of skills development for
the youth, economic growth, job creation and rural development. Key
stakeholders are interacting and engaging with critical challenges and are
finding innovative solutions that are part of the process of growing the
outputs and efficacy of the community arts centres across the country. Taking place at the Sibikwa Arts Centre in Benoni
Ekurhuleni Metro.
The Shukuma Mzansi! Conference has the potential to
yield a network of optimally-functioning and policy-driven Community Arts Centres that
have the
capacity for sustainable delivery of appropriate services and programmes, and
to also put South African Community Arts Centre on a global map. 
Community arts centres are integral to fostering a culture of creativity
and inclusion.
The National Department of Arts and Culture has partnered with the Sibikwa Arts Centre to realise a sectoral dialogue between Irish, Flemish, French and South African Community Arts Centres with the purpose of increasing institutional capacity, policy implementation and best practice.
This conference is a starting point for new perspectives, new challenges
and new objectives.
“Research shows that communities who have access to the arts are more cohesive,” says Phyllis Klotz, the director and cofounder of the Sibikwa Arts Centre.
The Shukuma Mzansi! project consists of three segments:
1.
A pre-conference study tour by South African delegates to Ireland,
Flanders and France which took place in January;
2.
A pre-conference study tour by EU delegates to South Africa which took
place in February;
3.
The International Conference on Community Arts Centres 22 – 24 March
2017.
The conference comprises presentations by Irish, Flemish, French and
South African experts that will focus on policy implementation, the role of
government, audience development and programming, and the creation of a
national cooperative Community Arts Centre platform. The conference will also
feature practical case-studies, round-table discussions and showcases by
community artists.
