Arts and Creative Industries / Digital Arts / Futures_Past: Immersive Arts Mapping Study Sector Briefing

Futures_Past: Immersive Arts Mapping Study Sector Briefing

Arts and Creative Industries
SHARE
THIS:
16 September

Electric South, in collaboration with the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), invites arts, cultural and heritage sector participants to a sector briefing on Futures_Past: Immersive Arts Mapping Study.

Date: Friday, 19 September 2025
Time: 11h00 – 12h00 (SAST)
Online: Register here

About Futures_Past

Futures_Past is a multi-country research initiative mapping immersive arts ecosystems in South Africa, Malawi, and Lesotho. Immersive arts include works using virtual reality, augmented reality, interactive installations, projection mapping and other technologies that engage audiences in sensory-rich experiences.

The study examines:

  • key actors, institutions and creative practices across the sector

  • infrastructure, access to technology, funding systems, and market opportunities

  • gender equity and inclusivity as central themes

Data are being gathered through surveys, in-country focus groups, and stakeholder interviews. The research will generate actionable recommendations to inform public policy, training programmes, and international collaboration; the goal is to support sustainable and innovative immersive arts in the region.

What to expect during the briefing

The sector briefing will:

  • present progress to date

  • invite feedback from participants

  • enable live discussion and Q&A

A recording of the briefing will be made available afterwards.

You might also like

MEDIA RELEASE: Création Africa Top 12 Announced

France announces support for 12 cultural enterprises in final phase of Création Africa programme Création Africa supports cultural and...

Applying to study in France? What you need to know

Applying to study in France? Read more about studying in France on the Campus France South Africa website here.

ENA training courses for South African public servants

The Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA) provide a tailor-made online training course entitled “Public affairs management in the digital and...

Sounds of Southern Africa

IFAS – Research invites you on a musical journey through a history marked by adversity and resilience — from...

Let's get social
This message is only visible to admins.
Problem displaying Facebook posts.
Click to show error
Error: Server configuration issue
Twitter feed is not available at the moment.
The Création Africa Top 50 is a true reflection of the depth and diversity of the cultural and creative industries! #CreationAfrica2 #FrenchInstituteSA
🎉 Meet the selected Top 50 entrepreneurs for the second edition of CrĂ©ation Africa, from South Africa. Lesotho and Malawi 🎉 Congratulations as they begin a seven-week mentorship journey with UVU Africa and its digital skills and innovation division CAPACITI. 👏
A conversation exploring the impact of the 2025 funding cuts for the HIV response, especially for at risk and LGBTQIA+ communities. The panel will consist of leading experts in the field, both within health research and operating directly on the ground with affected groups.
As part of the French Institute of South Africa’s (IFAS) 30th anniversary, this film turns to Lesotho to spotlight artists and cultural practitioners involved in co-creation initiatives supported by IFAS. Shot across the Mountain Kingdom, it features voices that have helped define the Institute’s work over the past three decades. Directed by Adam Heyns.
As part of the French Institute of South Africa’s (IFAS) 30th anniversary, a visit to Malawi captured the stories of artists and cultural practitioners involved in co-creation projects supported by IFAS. From Lilongwe to Blantyre, the film brings together voices that have contributed to the Institute’s work over the past three decades. Directed by Adam Heyns.
Join us for a special talk by Justice Edwin Cameron and Sohela Surajpal, two of the authors of the new book 'Behind Prison Walls'. Their talk will bring together Michel Foucault's reflections on the systems of discipline and South Africa's experience of incarceration, offering an original analysis: how prisons, far from serving as tools of rehabilitation, become instruments of social control and the perpetuation of inequality.
Launched in 2022 under the France 2030 initiative, the ICC Immersion programme supports French entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industries (CCI) as they expand into global markets. Implemented in South Africa by Institut français in Paris, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), Business France, and Business France South Africa and Southern Africa, the initiative connects French companies with key players in South Africa’s dynamic creative sector. This year’s cohort featured nine innovative CCI companies—Allegria, Atrack (Beam for Music), Agence Culturelle PLUS (Reunion Island), Culturespaces, Fabrik & Moi (Reunion Island), France MusĂ©ums DĂ©veloppement, Jakob + MacFarlane, Memorist, and Sound Birth—representing fields from architecture and immersive technology to museum development, cultural consultancy, and music innovation. Altogether, the South African edition fostered meaningful exchange between French and South African cultural leaders, opening the door to future collaborations across the two countries.  Special thank you to the featured sites: Constitution Hill Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation Joburg Contemporary Art Foundation Spier Wine Farm, TRACE Studios Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct Wesgro Wits Digital Dome Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa ----- ICC Immersion is coordinated by the SecrĂ©tariat GĂ©nĂ©ral pour l'Investissement (SGPI) and driven by the Institut Français and Business France, with support from the Banque des territoires, the French Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. The 2025 edition is implemented by IFAS and Business France in Johannesburg.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), this documentary film brings together nearly 50 voices who have been part of IFAS’s journey over the past three decades. From its beginnings in Newtown to its current home in Braamfontein, IFAS has helped shape South Africa’s cultural and creative landscape through collaboration, exchange, and long-term partnerships. Director: Adam Heyns Producer: Lali van Zuydam Music: NØ FØRMAT! Records
For 30 years IFAS has nurtured a vibrant space for dialogue, experimentation, and creative growth. It has helped tell untold stories, amplify diverse voices, and build platforms for both emerging and established talents to shine. Now, as we mark 30 years of impact and memory, we look back at three remarkable decades of collaboration, co-creation, and cultural connection. And in the words of the legendary filmmaker Ramadan Suleman, here's to the end of Episode 1—and the beginning of many more episodes in the eclectic, ever-evolving series that is IFAS. Video Production and Editing: Adam Heyns Music: NØ FØRMAT! Records
Ahead of the 2025 Series Mania Forum taking place from 25th-27th March, IFAS invited delegates from around the world to join and gain valuable insights from our Audiovisual team and Forum organisers on what to expect and how to prepare for the three jam-packed days of pitching, networking, and high-level conferences.
Organised by SAGES Africa (Services for Africa Gaming & Esports), the Mzansi Esports Champions is a key part of the Tekken Africa Queens Challenge, an innovative initiative which aims to spotlight and empower women’s talent in esports, promoting inclusivity and equality within the gaming industry. The 2024 players were: – eSwatini: Setsabile Shabangu, Sugar – Kenya: Sylvia Wahome, QueenArrow – Lesotho: Liteboho Thebe, EL – Madagascar: Safidy Andrianisoa, Sentaku – Malawi: Matimbe Gweyneth Edina, Gwyn Stacy – Namibia: Asante-Sana Maruwasa, ATMBYTES – South Africa: Zahraa Khan, Iron-Fist – Zambia: Bwalia Nkumbula, LiaRose The Mzansi Esports Champions event is part of a larger strategy by SAGES Africa to build a strong esports ecosystem across the continent. Through strategic partnerships, SAGES continues to empower African players and enhance their competitiveness on the global stage. This project is a collaboration of the French Institute of South Africa, SAGES and rAge Expo. It is made possible thanks to funding from the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. --- Credits: Music: Chipego Producer: Junayd Bradlow Creative Director: Tasmin Jacobs Post-Production: Umar Bradlow Creative Studios: The Magic Pixel & The Ultimate Gaming Champions South Africa
Subscribe
© 2026 frenchinstitute.org.za. All rights reserved. Site design by Nicework.
View our Data Policy and Terms.