The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General Durban, South Africa of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to develop and implement a program that would leverage Durban cultural events to address skills shortages and unemployment in South Africa. This public-private partnership meets the U.S. Mission strategic goal to promote prosperity and good governance in South Africa with the goal of helping to close the skills gap and mitigate unemployment nationwide. In collaboration with the Consulate, the project would include recruitment of a U.S filmmaker, a published writer, a poet, and a dance troupe to travel to South Africa and provide training in professional skills such as scriptwriting, videography, storyboarding, storytelling, choreography, and performance. Beneficiaries of this program will also gain critical information about the business side of the creative industry. The U.S. experts will participate in four Durban cultural events between February and October 2020: • Time of the Writer • Durban International Film Festival • Jomba! Contemporary Dance Festival • Poetry Africa Applications should be emailed to
[email protected].