A shot in the arm for Nafasi Art Space

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s multi-disciplinary arts centre, Nafasi Art Space has on September 23, signed a Sh3 billion funding agreement with the Switzerland and Norwegian Embassies to Tanzania.

The funding is to launch a ‘Feel Free’ culture program for 2022 with the aim of developing the art and culture sector in areas that are currently under served.

Nafasi art Space board chairman, Paul Ndunguru explained the ‘Feel Free’ grant program will be a boost for Tanzanian artists to further develop and work on their ideas.

“Nafasi will use this opportunity to provide support for a small selection of arts and culture practitioners, organisations, and institutions to implement creative projects that benefit Tanzanian artistes and audiences alike. It is our belief and hope that ideas will come from across the country and will be unique and of help to communities," said Ndunguru.

The programme provides the opportunities of different types of artistic work by including stage performance art, handcraft art and those people who are involved in art issues. 

According to the head of cooperation, Embassy of Switzerland in Tanzania Leo Näscher the ‘Feel Free’ fund will provide grants through different projects.

“Nine grantees including artists and arts organisations received funding through the ‘Feel Free’ grant programme involving projects from printing making workshops and exhibitions to musical theatre and storytelling,” explained Näscher.

The Switzerland Embassy has committed to providing Sh2.1 billion over the next four years and the Royal Norwegian Embassy will contribute to Sh1 billion for the next three years with the aim of contributing to a meaningful long term support to improve access and outreach through annual open calls and causing capacitating cultural managers and spaces in other regions of Tanzania which aligns with the long term Nafasi Art Space strategic plan 2021/26.

“The Embassy will continue to support Nafasi to provide the space and platform where artistes cultural actors and audiences, especially the young can create, learn, perform and exchange,” said Näscher.

Mr. Kjetil Schie, Head of Cooperation, Royal Norwegian Embassy explains that he is very pleased to work with the Nafasi Art Space and announce a new agreement for three years and increase the functioning by 60 percent.

“An encouragement to other potential partners that, don’t hesitate, would like to see more people join us... More people will open their eyes and consider their potential for the future,” said Schie.

The Tanzania art and culture scene has evolved over the past few decades, with music and dance remaining as the most popular art forms.

While the sector has made good  progress yet many challenges remain such as insufficient arts and cultural education, shortage of skilled and qualified cultural managers and lack of cultural infrastructural are some of the challenges that Nafasi is looking to address.