Southern African Theatre Initiative
The Southern African Theatre Initiative is a regional network that serves as a central co-ordinating body for theatre and performance in the SADC countries.
The name is sometimes found written wrongly as either Southern African Theatre Initiatives or Southern Africa Theatre Initiative. The acronym too is found in three forms: SATI, S.A.T.I. or Sati.
History
Founded in 1999 after theatre practitioners from the Southern African Development Community[1] (SADC) region met at a consultative conference in Johannesburg, to discuss problems affecting them. SATI - among other things - aims to facilitate the exchange of ideas, resources and experiences within the region, to facilitate regional programmes relating to development and capacity-building in the arts, to lobby and advocate the recognition and appreciate of the role of the arts and culture in development and education and to encourage governments in the region to promote and protect the rights and welfare of artists. In 2002 SATI hosted a Theatre Administrators workshop north of Lusaka in Zambia (from 9-16 June) to help to improve the management, financial and other skills of theatre practitioners in the fourteen countries comprising the SADC.
A regional non government organisation established in 1998 at a regional conference held in Johannesburg South Africa; involving the main role players in theatre who realised a need to come together and work as a unit for the development of theatre in Southern Africa and was officially formed in March 1999. Its main objectives are to improve, develop and raise the status of arts practitioners in Southern Africa by facilitating the exchange and sharing of ideas, experiences through capacity building programme. SATI identified skills gaps and networking among arts practitioners in Southern African Region as areas that needed intervention.
Aims and functions
The organisation offers SATI Workshops, Seminars, Conferences and Festivals and all SATI programmes are aimed at serving the interest of individual practitioners, community theatre and organisations and professional practitioners; by provide a platform for these practitioners to exchange ideas, networking and skills development toward establishing good management practices, accountability and effective organisations. During the past three years SATI has evolved into an arts resource/information centre not only for theatre practitioners but arts practitioners in all the disciplines and the non-profit organisations in general. The latter have been dependent on SATI for Information, Workshops, Seminars, Conference, Festivals and Cultural Exchange locally and in the Southern African Region.
Objectives:
To improve, develop and raise the status of arts practitioners in Southern Africa ; To facilitate the exchange and sharing of ideas, experiences through capacity building programme ; To facilitate regional programmes relating to the advancement and development arts practitioners ; Strengthen and promote African languages and traditions through networking and cultural exchange programmes ; To lobby for the recognition of the arts and culture in development and education.
Address and contact info
The address is The Executive Secretary, Southern African Theatre Initiative, PO Box 8656, Johannesburg 2000, or tel: 011-838 8932 or fax: 011-492 3411 or e-mail: execsecretary@sati.org.za <mailto:execsecretary@sati.org.za>=20
Sources
www.sadc.int
Munyaradzi Chatikobo. 2009. Examining sustainability of drama and theatre initiatives in southern Africa: a case study of Southern Africa Theatre Initiative (SATI), unpublished MA Research Report, University of the Witwatersrand. [2]
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