On 12 May 1995, just one year after South Africa’s first democratic elections, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) was officially established in Johannesburg.
From the outset, IFAS was more than a cultural outpost. It was a space of solidarity — a commitment by the French Republic to walk alongside South Africa’s young democracy in support.
IFAS was founded on a unique model: to showcase French culture while offering a platform to local artists whose voices had long been repressed under apartheid. In the French spirit of the arts as a tool of emancipation and dialogue, IFAS chose to amplify and nurture those voices. As a cultural institute its main objective has always been to build bridges between French and South African artists and support creation in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi.
That foundational choice has shaped everything since. Over three decades, IFAS has grown into a space of genuine collaboration, rooted in co-creation and equal partnership. Because no one connects better with an artist than another artist. Cultural connection cannot be manufactured — it must be lived, tested, and challenged. When it succeeds, it transforms the work produced, the people and the ecosystems involved.
Celebrating local talent on a global stage
Some of the most powerful legacies of this spirit are found in projects that have become cultural landmarks. The Fête de la Musique, now in its 15th South African edition, is one such example. First launched in France in 1982, the festival was not intended as a cultural export, but as a movement — a cause.
In South Africa, it has taken on a life of its own: an open-access celebration of music in all its forms, where homegrown talent takes the spotlight. Artists like BCUC, Msaki, and Sun-El Musician have since found international audiences after performing on its stages. This year, Fête de la Musique returns on 21 June at Victoria Yards in Lorentzville, with one mission: free music for all.
Another cornerstone of this cultural partnership is the Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award. Established 21 years ago in honour of the South African painter who lived and worked in France in exile, the award supports emerging visual artists who have not yet experienced international exposure.
The residency at Cité des Arts in Paris has offered artists like Banele Khoza, Lusanda Ndita and Bulumko Mbete time, space and inspiration. More than that, it allows artists from all continents to travel and return home with a stronger network.
Let’s also mention the Cultural and Creative Industry platform IQOQO initiated in 2021 by IFAS to connect ICC institutions and practitioners with international – including French – partners. The platform, first funded by the French ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, has now been transferred to South African partners.
Elevating dance and performing arts
When it comes to dance, IFAS has supported and worked with Buru Mohlabane, co-founder of the Pantsula Via Katlehong dance company, one of the few to have promoted Pantsula, a rhythmic dance style that originated in the South African townships in the 1950s, into an internationally recognised form.
More recently, we have entered a new chapter through the Création Africa programme — an ambitious initiative supporting entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industries. With South African, Basotho and Malawian participants among the first cohort last year, the programme doesn’t simply fund ideas — it accompanies them. From the 702 initial applications, 40 entrepreneurs were mentored, and 12 finalists were selected for an intensive second phase of incubation and support, and several are already gaining international recognition.
These are not abstract stories. They are real people: Kushal Sithlu, the video game developer who imagined a taxi navigating Johannesburg during load-shedding; Thebe Magugu the young fashion designer from South Africa whose work walks the runways of Paris; Jimmy Muteba, the musician who turned an idea into an app, available worldwide.
We are already preparing for the second edition of Création Africa, which will launch later this year. Our aim is to keep spotlighting projects that are rooted locally and resonate globally.
Advancing research and academic collaboration
Furthermore, over these 30 years, IFAS has worked hand-in-hand with IFAS-Research, sharing projects and the same will to establish long-term collaborations and relationships with local partners. IFAS-Research is a research centre supported by the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the French Ministries for Europe and Foreign Affairs and for Higher Education and Research. It supports and produces academic research in the humanities and social sciences, with a regional mandate now covering twelve countries. Together, IFAS and IFAS-Research continue to advance a shared commitment to dialogue, collaboration and co-creation
This is what makes IFAS unique. It is not an establishment — it is a platform, a springboard, a friend in artists’ corners. A place where French and African artists, writers, musicians, dancers, designers, filmmakers and animators meet. A space where the real work of cultural diplomacy happens — between creators who may speak different languages but share the same drive and determination.
France also honours those who have promoted French-South African relations through the arts with the prestigious Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters). Among those recognised are visual artist Mary Sibande, dancer Gregory Maqoma, photographer Zanele Muholi, filmmaker Ramadan Suleman, and many others. Their work has enriched our cultural dialogue and deepened our mutual understanding.
As we mark 30 years of this collaboration, France remains committed to a form of cultural diplomacy built on respect, reciprocity and imagination. We are proud to stand beside South Africa as co-creators of something greater than just our two nations. Because in the end, art belongs to people — and it speaks most powerfully when it speaks together.
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