Report on ARUA/The Guild Special Session: Creative Economies in Africa: Cultures, Innovation and Sustainability
From the 8th to the 10th of September, the Economic Society of South Africa held its Centenary Conference in Somerset West, South Africa.
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Executive Direction - From the desk of Ms Unathi Lutshaba
Preparations are in full swing for the highly anticipated 5th International Conference of the South African Cultural Observatory (SACO), scheduled for the 4th and 5th of November 2025.
Heritage Institutions Reimagined for a New Age
Every September, South Africans gather and celebrate Heritage Month. This is a time to reflect on the rich and diverse cultures, histories, and traditions that shape our nation.
Researching Cultural Policy: National and Comparative Perspective
As part of celebrating Heritage Month, SACO hosted a Brazilian Professorial Mission to strengthen ties between Brazilian and South African universities and cultural research institutions.
Breaking Barriers, Driving Change: Women in the Cultural and Creative Industries
As we continue to honour the more than 20,000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on August 9, 1956, to protest the extension of Pass Laws and the Urban Areas Act.
FINAL Call for Abstracts, Papers & Presentations
The South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) invites you to submit an abstract or proposal for consideration for the SACO’s 5th international conference #SacoConf2025 to be held on 4 and 5 November 2025, at the Cape Town Stadium.
While Athletes Break Records, South African Artists Break Barriers
As South African athletes lit up stadiums and arenas across the globe with history-making victories, the nation’s creative and cultural practitioners were making just as powerful an impact on the world’s stages, galleries, and award ceremonies.
Call for Applications: SACO Scholarship 2026–2027
The South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) has announced a new opportunity for aspiring scholars in the cultural and creative sectors through its 2025–2027 Postgraduate Scholarship Programme.
5th SACO International Conference 2025
The South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) is proud to announce that preparations are well underway for the highly anticipated 5th SACO International Conference, set to take place on the 4th and 5th of November 2025 in the beautiful city of Cape Town, and the registration and abstract submissions for the upcoming conference are now officially open!
Youth Day 2025: Honouring the Past, Empowering the Present and Shaping the Future
On June 16, 2025, South Africa commemorates the 49th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising, a significant moment in the nation's history where thousands of black students protested the imposition of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in schools.
My Sector, My Africa.
Africa Month, celebrated annually in May, holds signifificant importance for the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in South Africa and across the continent. This month serves as a platform to promote unity and cooperation among African nations and reflflects South Africa's rich cultural heritage and artistic expression.
EUNIC launches Spaces of Culture 2025, a call for cultural relations project proposals in Sub-Saharan Africa
EUNIC – European Union National Institutes for Culture – have launched Spaces of Culture 2025, a call for proposals, supporting seven new cultural relations projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. The programme is an evolution of the European Spaces of Culture programme and prioritises collaboration, dialogue, and mutual learning between European and local partners. Spaces of Culture is part of the wider Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture programme from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), which aims to encourage cooperation between African and European artists, creators, and cultural professionals.