Seventy-five individuals from Eswatini's youth, arts, culture, and creative sectors have gained practical skills to develop and submit competitive funding proposals. This was made possible through a grant-writing workshop held at King Sobhuza II Park on September 16. The workshop brought together representatives of youth organizations, individual artists, creative practitioners, and entrepreneurs working in the creative economy. The event aimed to strengthen the ability of EmaSwati creatives to access local and international funding opportunities.
The workshop covered various topics, including funding landscapes, grant-writing fundamentals, and practical proposal development. Participants worked directly on an active funding opportunity, focusing on the Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture: Southern Africa (AEPC Southern Africa) Grants for Creative and Artistic Practitioners call. This program, funded by the European Union and implemented by the Goethe-Institut, offers grants to creative and artistic practitioners across Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
Under the second round of the AEPC Southern Africa program, at least 99 creative and artistic practitioners will be selected through 11 Heritage Narrative Clusters. Successful practitioners will receive a €6,000 grant, approximately E112,700 at current exchange rates. The program brings together artists from different countries and disciplines to collaboratively explore and create new narratives around cultural heritage over a six-month period.
Eswatini is among the six participating countries and will host two of the Heritage Narrative Clusters. One project, led by Babukisi Foundation, brings together nine interdisciplinary artists to reinterpret siSwati cultural heritage through animation, documentary film, and visual arts. The project will work with cultural custodians, elders, researchers, and creatives to produce animated stories around Swazi ceremonies, traditions, and values.
The Babukisi Foundation project will also produce a documentary exploring everyday experiences, knowledge systems, and cultural practices that shape Swati identity. Additionally, a fine-art exhibition featuring 12 paintings and installation pieces inspired by the 12 siSwati month names and their links to environmental knowledge, seasonal cycles, and community life will be showcased. The second Eswatini-based project, Folklore Futures, will bring together nine artists working across photography, performance, music, and related disciplines.
The two Eswatini-based projects form part of the wider AEPC Southern Africa program, which seeks to strengthen cultural cooperation in the region and between Southern Africa and Europe. The program aims to build the capacity of artists and creative practitioners. According to Babukisi Foundation Executive Director, Thobejane Magagula, the project will work with cultural custodians, elders, researchers, and creatives to produce high-quality artistic content.
The grant-writing workshop and the AEPC Southern Africa program demonstrate efforts to support EmaSwati creatives in accessing funding opportunities and developing their skills. The initiatives also highlight the importance of cultural cooperation and capacity building in the region. With the acquired skills and knowledge, EmaSwati creatives are now better equipped to submit competitive funding proposals and participate in international programs.
Key points
- 75 EmaSwati creatives equipped with grant-writing skills to access local and international funding opportunities
- Eswatini to host two Heritage Narrative Clusters under the AEPC Southern Africa program
- Successful practitioners to receive a €6,000 grant, approximately E112,700 at current exchange rates
