Dedicated to the celebration and growth of South African arts and culture, the French Institute’s strong relationships with various partners encourages cultural diversity and exchanges between South Africa, France and the rest of the African continent. Our projects range from visual arts to animation, poetry to gaming, and fashion to music. Notable projects in the audiovisual and creative industries have developed long-term partnerships between our respective cultural sectors to exchange knowledge, experience and ideas.

Visual Arts

South African artist Dimakatso Mathopa presents new work in Paris

From 20 to 26 March 2026, South African artist Dimakatso Mathopa presents an exhibition of...

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Literature

Franco-Cameroonian author Kidi Bebey tours Southern Africa

As part of Francophonie Month 2026, Franco-Cameroonian author, journalist and literary presenter Kidi Bebey undertook...

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Performing Arts

Ballet above Braam: Dance meets the city skyline

Later this month, Joburg Ballet will present Ballet Above Braam – Rooftop Sunset Sessions, a...

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Film and Animation

South African animator Lesego Vorster awarded France’s Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres

South African animator, director and visual artist Lesego Vorster has been awarded the Chevalier de...

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Creative Industries

Fashion_The Image opens at the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography and Inside Out Centre for the Arts

The exhibition Fashion_The Image, dedicated to African fashion photography, opened on 26 February 2026 at...

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Dibuka Francophone Library

Dibuka Friday pop-ups return to Lycée Jules Verne in Morningside!

It’s a new year – the Dibuka Friday pop-ups are back at LycĂ©e Jules Verne!...

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Check it out
Arts and Creative Industries

IFAS and South African partners launch IQOQO: A new interface to enhance Cultural Industries collaboration

During an official visit to South Africa by the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ms Catherine Colonna inaugurated the French Institute of South Africa’s (IFAS) revamped campus in […]

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Calls for Applications
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,...

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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,...

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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, Création Africa South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi is back to support...

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Friends of the French Institute

Friends of the French Institute of South Africa

In 2014, former French Ambassador Elisabeth Barbier created the Friends of the French Institute Committee to offer strategic advice to the French Institute of South Africa regarding mainly arts and culture, as well as creative industries and research. The committee meets quarterly with representatives from the French Embassy and the French Institute. Read more about the committee members here.
Key Partners

The French Institute has a range of successful partnerships with educational and research institutions, non-governmental organisations, governmental organisations, cultural organisations and esteemed multinational organisations. We are committed to building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with partners who provide a vital mutual transfer of ideas and support to help us reach our shared cooperation goals between France, South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi. Partner with us today.

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Get in touch

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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
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