Videos

Reflections on issues of gender equality and gender equity from women involved in the Cultural and Creative sector

Interview with Yvonne Chaka Chaka, a South African Singer/Songwriter and Owner of Chaka Chaka Music, for Women's Day

Reflections on issues of gender equality and gender equity from women involved in the Cultural and Creative sector

Interview with Professor Jen Snowball, the Chief Research Strategist at the SA Cultural Observatory, and Professor of Economics at Rhodes University

Reflections on issues of gender equality and gender equity from women involved in the Cultural and Creative sector

Interview with Unathi Lutshaba, Executive Director of the South African Cultural Observatory

The South African Festivals Economic Impact Calculator (SAFEIC) Guide

The South African Festivals Economic Impact Calculator (SAFEIC) is a free online tool developed by the South African Cultural Observatory specifically for cultural festival and event organisers so they can track the economic impact of their events.

SACO Conference 2018 Highlights Reel

Employment, job creation and the transformative power of creativity were some of the key issues discussed on both Day 1 and Day 2 of the South African Cultural Observatory’s (SACO) 2018 international conference at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Word from DSAC

From the partners

Creative and Cultural Industries under the Spotlight at National Conference

Speech by the Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Nathi Mthethwa

South African Cultural Observatory

The South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) is a national statistical and socio-economic research project, established by the Department of Sport, 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 the University of Fort Hare and the University of Kwazulu-Natal. 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...

As I pen this, I am beaming with excitement. After a four-year-long wait, the 4th SACO International Conference 2022 is finally here. We are literally a few weeks away from the much-anticipated SACO International Conference that so many in the industry have kept asking me about.

Latest News

UNCTAD to Host Africa Launch of Report at the 4th SACO International Conference

The United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will host the Africa launch of its new Creative Economy Outlook and Report 2022 at the conference.

SACO Announces an Exciting Line-Up of International and Local Speakers

The South African Cultural Observatory announces an exciting line-up of international speakers for the upcoming 4th SACO International Conference. The conference has attracted leading minds and experts working in and across the cultural and creative economy on the African continent, in Europe, Australia and the Americas.

UN honours SA arts and culture researcher as one of world’s 'most influential people of African descent'

SA Cultural Observatory executive director Unathi Lutshaba was recognised by the UN as one of the global Top 100 under 40 Most Influential People of African Descent.

Durban visual artist Mondli Mbhele wins 2022 Sasol New Signatures

Full-time artist Mondli Mbhele from Durban was announced as the winner of the 2022 Sasol New Signatures Art Competition. With the win he walks away with a cash prize of R100 000 and an opportunity to have a solo exhibition at the Pretoria Art Museum in 2023.

A Spotlight on 4th SACO International Conference

In our previous editions this section has been dedicated to key highlights from our recent reports with a view to providing insights on some of the main issues facing the cultural and creative industries (CCIs).

SACO hears industry plea – extends conference abstract submission deadline

The deadline for the call for abstracts, papers and presentations has been extended to 9 September 2022.

Word from DAC

Mitigation plans to minimize the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the Sport, Arts and Culture sector

Statement by Minister Nathi Mthethwa on mitigation plans to minimize the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Sport, Arts and Culture sector.

Switzerland-based Levedo Foundation, in partnership with Pro Helvetia Johannesburg, is calling on all professional jazz musicians based in South Africa to apply for its short-term relief fund.

EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market

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.

The SA Cultural Observatory - Measuring and Valuing SA’s Cultural And Creative Industries

The South African Cultural Observatory was established to undertake economic research for the cultural and creative industries in South Africa. The kind research we conduct provides such information as to the economic size of the sector, number of jobs in the sector or transformation. We publish the reports on our website and in various media platforms, including this newsletter, with a view to empower industry stakeholders with information that we hope they will find useful, informative and can be relied upon when making decisions that affect the sector.