The Cultural Programme takes place in a challenging context characterized by weak legal, policy and institutional frameworks for arts and culture and by an extreme scarcity of available funds, particularly at provincial and local level. The governmental structures for arts and culture suffer from excessive centralisation and low competences. The artistic and cultural scene itself remains extremely fragmented and lacking means for making its voice heard. However, the richness and potential of the cultural sector in Mozambique are not only remarkable but they are particularly relevant from a point of view of development processes. They are an important uniting element for all Mozambicans; the artistic language (e.g. theatre, songs, etc.) has traditionally been a particularly well adapted vector of messages; cultural activities at the community level have a strong social dimension; and cultural actors tend to be outspoken, creative and entrepreneurial actors.

• To strengthen institutions and platforms that can act as provider of cultural and artistic services to their surrounding communities; as providers of knowledge, space and services to cultural agents; or/and as advocates and promoters of arts and culture in general.  Expected outcome: Enhanced capacity and motivation of cultural. actors to interact with and bring about a meaningful cultural offer to the Mozambican population.
• To involve vulnerable people into cultural activities as a mean to boost their selfesteem/ confidence, sense of responsibility and initiative.  Expected outcome: Empowered local community members.
• To promote debates and critical thinking through arts and cultural activities. Expected outcome: More aware, vocal and arliculate people.

Civil Society Organisations and/or cultural houses reporting to the State in the Provinces of Niassa, Cabo Delgado and Nampula as well as in Maputo and its surroundings; Youth, artists, arts managers/producers participating in activities/courses organised by the aforementioned; artists.

1. Strengthening key culture-providers in the North

This line aims at ensuring that in each of the 3 provinces of the North, there is one cultural institution that is empowered^enough to provide cultural and artistic services to its surrounding communities, and to assist other cultural agents in their province through sharing knowledge, space, facilities etc.

2. Strengthening artistic/cultural education

This line will help one particularly promising institution (i.e. with nation-wide outreach) to become more professional in^cultural education, most probably in Maputo.

3. Strengthening a professional platform/network/association in arts and culture

This line will promote exchanges and knowledge-sharing within one cultural field (e.g. theatre), improve the social relevance and visibility of its actors, and help that field to analyse, formulate and defend common interests at country level.

4. Scaling up of one small action

As the last phase showed that there is a significant number of small initiatives in the field of arts and culture that should be scaled-up through this line, one such outstanding small action will be supported.

5. Small Actions Line

This line is a flexible instrument that will allow to continue to respond to emerging concrete small opportunities and issues in arts and culture.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

Promising cultural agents are encouraged to remain active in arts and culture by having contributed for a revalorized status of arts and culture in Mozambique

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

The previous phase of Cultural Programme succeeded in making a contribution to the perpetuation of local cultural activities in Mozambique. It provided Youth with alternative ways to gain knowledge and to build self-esteem as well as with constructive means of recreation. It also succeeded in breaking the isolation of poor but extremely active cultural/social workers and allowed them to learn from and join forces with others. Cultural Programme helped generate income for deprived actors; and developed their capacities and skills; diversified the cultural expressions and views they - and the general population - were exposed to. Both international actors and government representatives have praised SOC for this; in particular, its outreach to the North and to deprived communities has been welc.omed and inspired others. Lessons learned from Cultural Programme also pointed at the need for more solid human resources to manage the programme, as well as for more stringent objectives and internal coherence. The experience gained shall lead to more long-term efforts on a partner-based approach in order to increase its impact and sustainability.

Phase 3 01.07.2013 - 31.12.2017   (Completed)