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...
THE SOUTH African Cultural Observatory has a trove of research. Over the past three years we have generated research reports, monitoring and evaluation reports, a ground-breaking mapping study and more. We are intent on sharing this research widely and ensuring that the sector benefits, empowering through knowledge.
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Latest News
Music in Africa Foundation honors Eric Wainaina
Kenyan musician Eric Wainaina was feted with the 2018 Music In Africa Honorary Award at the opening of the Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases (ACCES) on Thursday night.
New administrator joins SACO team
THE South African Cultural Observatory welcomes Rene Derrocks to the team as the incoming new administrator. Rene has eight years’ experience in the tourism marketing environment.
SACO to share important creative research at workshops
THE cultural and creative industries (CCI) are often misunderstood. Not anymore. The South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) has developed a baseline cultural information system to help practitioners, policy-makers and planners better understand the South African cultural and creative economy.
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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