South Africa and Zimbabwe’s arts councils sign MoU

The MoU was signed by NAC interim CEO Julie Diphofa and NACZ executive director Napoleon Nyanhi at the NAC head offices in Newtown, Johannesburg, on 9 September.

“As the funding agency of the National Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, the NAC is deliberate in ensuring that we are an accessible and responsive funding agency, delivering public value by leveraging partnerships to foster the development, promotion and sustainability of the arts sector as mandated,” NAC said. “As such, we see this MoU as a significant step forward for the two organisations to partner on activities of mutual interest to strengthen opportunities for artists in both countries.”

The partnership between NACSA and NACZ will encompass various areas of cooperation, including cultural and creative exchange programmes, heritage preservation, arts education partnerships, residencies, institution exchanges, internships, training, and research and development.

During the MoU signing ceremony, Diphofa emphasised the importance of mutual knowledge sharing and learning, highlighting the benefits for NAC in refining its policy framework and for NACZ in optimising its funding model. Nyanhi also highlighted the positive impact of the MoU, noting that it will strengthen ties and foster mutual benefits for artists from Zimbabwe and South Africa, promoting a spirit of cooperation and reciprocity.