Blantyre, 28 June 2012
PRESS RELEASE
Norway gives MK 260 mill to support arts associations
Recognising the important contribution culture makes towards development, Norway has since 2000 been supporting the cultural sector in Malawi. The support has mainly been channeled through government cooperation with the Department of Culture and through civil society organisations such as Nanzikambe Arts, Mua Mission KuNgoni Arts Centre and the Copyright Society of Malawi. In total approx. 32 mill Norwegian kroner, or between five and six million US Dollars have been invested in the cultural sector by the Embassy.
In continuation of this support, Norway has today signed an agreement with COSOMA for the sum of NOK 5.9 mill, or approx. MK 260 million to benefit arts associations.
The support to the associations was established in 2004, and this is the third phase of the program.
The aim of the support is to promote and strengthen the capacity of the arts associations to manage their organisations better and more efficiently. The programme will include the following components:
- Operation of the Arts House in Blantyre, where the associations will be offered office space and guidance
- A budget from which the arts associations can apply for funding of activities
- The Peer Gynt Award, a competition for fictions writers, where the winners will be offered editorial advice from international standard editors and to have their books published
- Preservation of traditional Malawian music, through digitizing of music recorded by Malawi Broadcasting Corporation through decades
- The possible exchange programme between Malawi and Norway, building on traditional music
The programme will be run for a period of three years to 2015. The scheme will be managed by COSOMA.
For more information, contact COSOMA.