Arts and Creative Industries

Call for Applications – Truth Lab 2026

A Franco-German initiative by French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) & Goethe-Institut South Africa   ABOUT THE PROJECT Truth Lab is a multidisciplinary programme in Southern Africa aimed at strengthening critical media literacy and countering misinformation. It brings together young journalists, Wikipedians, artists, fact-checkers and digital creators to explore how disinformation spreads and how more reliable, inclusive knowledge systems can be built. Implemented jointly by the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and the Goethe-Institut South Africa as part of the Franco-German Cultural Fund, the programme combines verification skills, artistic practice and community-based knowledge production. Participants will explore how truthful narratives can be constructed and shared, and how creative practices can help respond to the challenges posed by digital manipulation and information disorder.   PROGRAMME STRUCTURE Phase 1: Make &…

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Arts and Creative Industries

Call Closed! Futures_Past: Open Call for Applications from Immersive Artist Teams

Deadline: 9 November 2025 The Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi, with the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and in partnership with Electric South, invite applications from immersive artists in South Africa, Malawi, and Lesotho to take part in an exciting new initiative that reimagines the future of heritage through immersive storytelling.   About the project Futures_Past: Amplifying Memory with Immersive Technologies is a dedicated project that supports archival and cultural institutions in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi to explore new ways of engaging the public through immersive storytelling. The project focuses on reanimating archival collections using digital formats such as virtual and augmented reality, spatial audio, and interactive installations. The project is also designed to support the immersive arts in the three countries through funding,…

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Arts and Creative Industries

Call closed! Open call for archival and cultural institutions: Bring your archives to life through immersive storytelling

Deadline extended to 26 August 2025! The Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi, with the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and in partnership with Electric South, invites applications from archival and cultural institutions in South Africa, Malawi, and Lesotho to take part in a major new initiative that reimagines the future of heritage through immersive storytelling. About the project: Futures_Past: Amplifying Memory with Immersive Technologies is a two-year initiative (July 2025 – March 2027) that supports archival and cultural institutions in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi to explore new ways of engaging the public through immersive storytelling. The project focuses on reanimating archival collections using digital formats such as virtual and augmented reality, spatial audio, and interactive installations. The aim is to strengthen public access to…

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Arts and Creative Industries

Call Closed! CrĂ©ation Africa: South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi – Cultural Entrepreneurship Incubators

After a successful first iteration in 2024, CrĂ©ation Africa South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi is back to support and scale up cultural entrepreneurs in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi. As part of this project, we are looking for an incubator (or consortium of entities that jointly meet the selection criteria) to support, train, and coach selected cultural entrepreneurs in their innovation and development journeys through an incubation and coaching programme. The programme will run from November 2025 to October 2026, starting with the selection of 50 entrepreneurs, followed by a coaching phase from February to March 2026, and an incubation phase from April to October 2026 for the 15 selected cultural entrepreneurs. Selection timeline: Launch of the call for proposals from incubators (7 August 2025) Submission deadline for proposals from incubators (7 September 2025) Review of…

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Jean Spiri, directeur de l'IFAS, s'entretient avec Georges Lory et Daphnée Breytenbach à l'occasion de leur tournée littéraire en Afrique du Sud. Pour plus d'informations sur les événements publics, veuillez consulter le site web de l'IFAS: https://frenchinstitute.org.za/arts-and-creative-industries/literature/french-south-african-literature-conversations-tour-daphnee-breytenbach-georges-lory/.
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.
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