The liaison office of the Swiss Arts Council in Southern Africa

Pro Helvetia Cape Town is one of the Pro Helvetia representations abroad, set up at the beginning of 1998, and the second base on the African continent besides Cairo. Although Pro Helvetia Cape Town has its office in the heart of Cape Town, it is set up with the characteristics of a mobile office to cover the whole of Southern Africa.

Being physically linked with the Consulate of Switzerland, by having an office space on its premises, Pro Helvetia Cape Town cooperates closely with the Swiss diplomatic representations in Southern Africa. The office in Cape Town contains a small library on Swiss and Southern African cultures, which is available to the public in office hours.

Pro Helvetia Cape Town reaches out to most countries in the Southern African region, coordinating projects not only in South Africa but also in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Angola. Fostering cultural interaction between these countries and Switzerland is one of Pro Helvetia’s priorities.

Through a mandate with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Pretoria, the office in Cape Town also supports local capacity building and encourages cultural interaction between Southern African countries.   The activities granted support are projects initiated by young professionals, conceived and executed locally through partnerships with venues and institutions in the region.