South African Cultural Observatory
The South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) is a national statistical and socio-economic research project, established by the Department of Arts & Culture, with the purpose of developing a comprehensive cultural information system in South Africa. The South African Cultural Observatory is hosted by and based at the Nelson Mandela University, and co-hosted in partnership with Rhodes University and the University of Fort Hare. The primary cultural domains, as idenitifed by UNESCO, such as arts, tourism, heritage, libraries and museums, are the main research focus of the SACO and such research will support the development of intellectual capacity across these sectors.
The key functions of the South African Cultural Observatory include the following:
- Policy focused research (surveys, case studies)
- Reviews of current programmes
- M&E – impact of government spending
- Collection of statistics (databases)
- Physical and Online access
- Networking, sharing, partnerships
Executive Direction - From the desk of...
These past few months have seen some good momentum gained in providing direction to the research outputs of the South African Cultural Observatory. In the same vein, the inputs for the Research Agenda have expanded the research possibilities for the Observatory and the sector as a whole.
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Latest News
Congratulations Minister Nathi Mthethwa
Minister Nathi Mthethwa, once again you have been called upon to show responsibility and determine the future of South Africa' Sports, Arts & Culture. You have been called upon to heed a clarion call once made by our legendary Moses Kotane, 'that the future of South Africa is in our hands, and it will be what we make of it.'
Blacks Only - Cabinet Reshuffle
Things are about to get funny!
Blacks Only Comedy Show is no stranger to edgy topics and close to the bone humour and promises not to disappoint.
AFRICA DAY INAUGURATION FOR PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA
South Africa continues to affirm the government’s commitment to advancing the African agenda and to strengthening ties between South Africa and its neighbours. The country is set to inaugurate its fifth democratically elected President on Saturday, 25 May 2019 at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the City of Tshwane.
Africa has lost Binyavanga Wainain - His spirit will live on
Prize-winning Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina has died in Nairobi after a short illness at the age of 48.
He won the Caine Prize for African writing in 2002 and was best known around the world for his satirical essay How to Write About Africa.
Wainaina was also named among Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2014 for his gay rights activism.
Word from DAC
The creative and cultural economies are one of the fastest growing industries and should be at the centre of national strategic priority to unlock the wider socio- economic participation and inclusivity in the mainstream economy.
The impact of commodity-dependent countries like South Africa has refocused attention on the urgency of economic diversification, revitalization and harnessing of human innovation in order to weather the economic storm.
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The 360: News from around the world
INDONESIA is planning to hold the first ever “World Conference on Creative Economy” (WCCE), involving stakeholders and representatives from governments, private sectors, think-tanks, civil society, international organizations, as well as media and experts in the creative economy.
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Open Source: Latest research for download
COPYRIGHT is a big issue in the digital age. The copyright debate is raging largely between the European Union (EU) and the big technology giants. EU lawmakers have been working for two years on proposed legislation aimed at updating copyright for the digital age.
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Progress Report: Updates on CO achievements
The South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) was given a boost with last week’s release of the UN’s Creative Economy Outlook and Country Profile report, giving the institution a fitting recognition.
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