Welcome to the

Pan-African Creative Exchange

The Pan-African Creative Exchange (PACE), an initiative of the Vrystaat Arts Festival, is a biennial arts market for African artists, developed for national and international presenters and producers, providing the highest quality inter-disciplinary arts product (theatre, dance, music, craft etc) from Africa, to buyers, artists and the general public.

PACE was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa at a long table conversation between arts professionals from the African continent and international visitors in 2015, and is driven by a ‘coalition of the willing’ from the African continent as well as cultural professionals outside of Africa.

In 2020 there are nine strands to PACE: presenting full shows for tour-ready work; showcasing excerpts of tour-ready work; showcasing excerpts of work in progress; pitching new work; a PACE New Voices programme; a producer’s shadowing and exchange program; critical debate/roundtable sessions; networking programmes; and key PACE programming events.

The aims of PACE are to increase the global reach of Africa’s arts industry to the wider world and to contribute to the continent’s development of future work.

Entangled

Who is PACE for?

The Pan-African Creative Exchange is a platform for the following creatives: Venue Managers – national and international, Artistic Directors, Promoters, Producers, Festival Organisers, Funders, Development Agencies, Policymakers, Critics, Artists, Academia and International peers.

Benefits of attending PACE

• Opportunities to network internationally and, in particular, grow networks across the African continent

• Raise the profile of African artists and their innovative, cutting-edge work on the world stage

• Engage in dialogue and critical debate, raising awareness of the context of African creative works and African artists

• Develop artistic partnerships

• Broaden opportunities for African artists internationally through touring, co-producing and artistic collaborations

• Enable international funders, promoters and presenters to share policy and practice

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BE A PART OF PACE ENTANGLED   

Be a part of the most exciting Showcasing platform Africa has to offer On-line

  MAKE NEW CONNECTIONS  

PACE is designed for people to connect and expand their networks

  BE A PART OF A GROWING INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY  

PACE Delegates and Artists stay in touch and collaborate for years to come

CONTACT US

ADDRESS

59 Nelson Mandela Drive 

Bloemfontein

3301

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EMAIL

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PACE principal funder

PACE founding partners

PACE supporting partners