Music In Africa Foundation and Goethe-Institut for the development of African creative Industry
Sound Connects Fund in Southern Africa to support the creative sectors in Angola, Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.The fund aims to accelerate development and increase the capacities of practitioners in the region.
The SCF is implemented by the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) in partnership with Goethe-Institut. It is made possible with funding from the ACP-EU Culture Programme, a project implemented by the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and funded by the European Union (EU).
To date, the fund has awarded grants worth over €2m to 23 organisations based in Angola, Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The fund seeks to support projects and activities in the cultural and creative sector that:
- Facilitate the rapid production and distribution of high-quality goods within and outside the Southern African region.
- Increase capacities among professionals.
- Support rapid mobility and exchange among creators.
- Enhance access to new markets.
- Develop visual literacy (especially among underrepresented groups).
- Promote advocacy aimed at protecting the interests of creators.
- Support the existence of sustainable financing structures.
The MIAF is a pan-African, non-profit organisation based in Rosebank, Johannesburg, with satellite offices in East, West and Central Africa. The MIAF's mission is to support the African music sector through promoting knowledge exchange and creating opportunities and capacity for music professionals. The Foundation does this in two ways: digitally via the Music In Africa website and offline through training programmes, artist mobility programmes, workshops, concerts, lobbying, conferences and other related initiatives.
Goethe-Institut is the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany with a global reach. The institute promotes knowledge of the German language abroad and fosters international cultural cooperation. It conveys a comprehensive picture of Germany by providing information on Germany's cultural, social and political life.
