– Wits University
Wits University and the University of Antwerp are collaborating to advance cultural studies and strengthen arts policy on two continents.
The UNESCO Cultural Entrepreneurship and Policy Co-Chairs are led by Avril Joffé, an expert in cultural policy and management at Wits School of the Arts, and Professor Annick Schramm, Academic Director of Creative Industries at the Antwerp School of Management.
Drawing on their expertise in entrepreneurship, cultural management, policy making and the global economy, the Chair will promote research, education and training, and policy advice in the cultural and creative sectors.
The joint chair will focus on studying and analysing the local specificities of the cultural and creative sector in the context of international and transnational frameworks. Research and policy work on entrepreneurial ecosystems that support artists and cultural workers to live their passion, earn an income and access decent work is a core aspect of the chair.
The UNESCO Chair is based on the mission of supporting inclusive social development and intercultural dialogue.
A wider range of capacity building and exchange programs
“This partnership will not only bring out the best in African studies from a leading institution in the Global South, but also enable collaboration with other institutions on the continent,” said Joffe, whose expertise beyond academia also includes policy development, organizational management, capacity development and evaluation of cultural creation programs.
“Nurturing the next generation of cultural researchers and policymakers is paramount to promoting the sustainability and viability of the cultural and creative sector,” she added.
The Chair will explore cultural entrepreneurship and policy developments in the global North and South, engage partners in different African countries to deepen understanding of the UNESCO Conventions and foster a culture of shared learning and growth, all while addressing gender equality and sustainable practices.
Schramm says the twin chairs offer students a unique opportunity for internationalization.
One of the first programmes supported by the UNESCO Chair will be an International Summer/Winter School programme, to be held in August 2024, in which students from both regions will work together to study amateur and community art in a comparative perspective.
“The field research will also lead to recommendations to the Flemish government and our South African partners. We will work closely together and share knowledge and experiences, with a focus on decolonising the curricula of our two universities. The exchange is partly funded by the Flemish Ministry of Culture, Youth and Media,” concludes Schramm.
The second programme is called “Designing the Future: A Programme on Cultural Leadership” and is supported by the University Council of Flanders, offering two opportunities for six labs to ten cultural leaders from both countries. These cultural leaders are seen as change agents and their organisations as drivers of change. They will be supported with leadership coaching to support an ecosystem that supports innovation.
The UNESCO Chairs look forward to further programmes of learning, reflection and transformation in the cultural and creative sectors, together with the two countries and with partner organizations on the African continent and in Europe.
