Keeping music alive! - CMI

48 Pages·2012·1.03 MB·English

R 2012: 4
Keeping music alive!
A review of Mmino – The South
African-Norwegian cooperation in
music
Elling N. Tjønneland
Joseph Gaylard
Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI)
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development issues.
Keeping music alive!

A review of Mmino
– The South African-Norwegian cooperation in
music

Elling N. Tjønneland
Joseph Gaylard

R 2012: 4
November 2012
Project number
11047

Project title
Norad - Mmino
Contents
Executive summary ......................................................................................................................................... iv
Acronyms and abbreviations ........................................................................................................................... vi
Preface ........................................................................................................................................................... vii
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Organisation and methodology ............................................................................................................. 1
2. The Mmino Project – an overview ........................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Origins, objectives and evolution .......................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Activities and funding ............................................................................................................................ 4
2.3 Management ......................................................................................................................................... 5
3. Assessment of Mmino ............................................................................................................................. 6
3.1 Relevance and overall impressions........................................................................................................ 6
3.2 From activities to results ....................................................................................................................... 9
3.3 Management ....................................................................................................................................... 13
3.4 The ending of Mmino and management of exit .................................................................................. 14
3.5 Summing up ......................................................................................................................................... 16
4. Lessons learnt and recommendations .................................................................................................... 17
4.1 Recommendations to the Norwegian Embassy ................................................................................... 17
4.2 Recommendations to the Department of Arts and Culture ................................................................ 18
4.3 Recommendations to the National Arts Council ................................................................................. 18
4.4 Recommendations to the Concerts Norway........................................................................................ 18
Annex I: Projects funded by Mmino (2000-2011) ........................................................................................... 19
Annex II: List of persons met .......................................................................................................................... 29
Annex III: Terms of reference ......................................................................................................................... 30
CMI REPORT KEEPING MUSIC ALIVE! R 2012: 4

Executive summary

This report provides an independent review of and between South Africa and other SADC
the Mmino programme. Mmino – the Tswana countries).
word for “music” - was an initiative
established in 2000 with the aim of Introduced at a relatively early moment in the
strengthening South African and Norwegian evolution of the arts funding framework in the
musical cultures through establishing links post 1994 period in South Africa, the Mmino
between South African and Norwegian music programme has made a significant contribution
initiatives and individuals. The programme to the music sector. In the broader context of
ended in 2011. The purpose of the review is to funding of the arts in South Africa, the Mmino
examine and evaluate the programme and the programme rapidly established a profile as a
cooperation. Furthermore, the review looks responsive and engaged funder of music
into the modes of the current cooperation and projects, particularly at the
explore whether they are viable for continued emergent/developmental end of the music
cooperation. industry. It has also initiated and funded
several important co-operation projects
Mmino was launched in 2000 as an effort to between Norway and South Africa.
put in place a more structured approach and
management of cultural co-operation between
Results
Norway and South Africa. The National Arts
Council in South Africa was selected as the
The review has not assessed individual projects
implementing institution in co-operation with
funded by Mmino, but has focused on
the Concerts Norway (Rikskonsertene).
assessing achievements in relation to the stated
Norway initially provided funding for a five-
objectives. This turned out to be a challenging
year period. This was renewed in 2005 and
task due to the poor formulation of objectives
2008. The South African Department of Arts
and near absence of their operationalisation in
and Culture came on board in 2008 and
project agreements and business plan. In
provided an additional ZAR 3 million. Total
general, the objectives – and reporting on
Norwegian funding is nearly NOK 32 million
results – would have benefitted from a better
for the whole period.
and more practical formulation. Lack of clear
objectives and purposes easily leads to an
Relevance overemphasis on activities in the reports. This
has reduced the efficiency of the programme
Mmino’s main activity and focus have been as and achievement of objectives has been
a grant-making structure with a specific focus uneven. The identified programme areas has
on music. This has involved inviting however been addressed well and the activities
applications from organisations and individuals and outputs are impressive considering the
in South Africa and Norway and assessing resources available.
applications and allocating funds to specific
projects within selected programme areas. The main failure and shortcoming of the
programme has been the failed integration with
Since 2000, and until the last call for the National Arts Council. Mmino has
applications in 2010, Mmino had received remained a separate programme management
some 2659 applications, of which 668 has been unit within the Council. Mmino has had very
received in the current 2008-2010 period. 322 limited success in influencing the wider policy
applications were successful across this period. and funding framework for music “sideways”
Of the 110 projects that received funding in the (within the Arts Council) and “upwards”
current 2008-2010 period, 21 were exchange (toward for example national government).
projects (between Norway and South Africa,
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CMI REPORT KEEPING MUSIC ALIVE! R 2012: 4

Management initiatives. Furthermore, lessons from
achievements and failures of Mmino were not
Mmino has been well managed. The Mmino sufficiently taken into account with a resulting
coordinator is regarded as being highly slow start of a new programme.
supportive and flexible in communicating with
applicants and projects funded. Mmino has
Recommendations for the future
also been very good in adapting and
responding timeously to requests and demands
The review finds that there is much potential in
for changes and improvements.
further co-operation between Norway and
South Africa in the music sector. There is an
The reporting from Mmino has been
interest on both sides and great potential for
insufficient, although it has improved in the
mutual benefits. At the same time such co-
last programme period. There has been
operation will need to be carefully nurtured
insufficient attention to results and
and facilitated. Furthermore, the mutual
underreporting with important information not
benefits will generally not be equal between
reported at the level of detail that we would
the two countries. The challenges facing the
have expected. This also applies to the
cultural sector and the performing arts,
financial reporting. This is illustrated with
including music, and the resources and the
reporting on the many cases of forfeited
institutions to deal with these, are vastly
projects. They are often simply declared
different in the two countries. Any viable
forfeited by the programme committee and
strategy for co-operation and partnership will
reported as such to the Annual Meeting with
have to take this into account.
the Embassy and with no further information
or action taken.
In many respects Mmino was a model for the
envisaged new partnership between Norway
Exit and South Africa: a joint programme with
joint funding and co-operation between
The shortcomings of Mmino came together in government agencies and artists in the two
the management of the closure of the countries. In designing a successor programme
programme and in the possible preparation of a the strength of this model must not be
possible continuation. The Arts Council, the forgotten.
Department of Arts and Culture and the
Embassy failed to initiate a process of strategic The review provides a series of
consultation on the future of Mmino. In this recommendations to the Norwegian Embassy,
vacuum Mmino (the coordinator and the to the South African Department of Arts and
Concerts Norway) began a process of Culture, to the National Arts Council and to
developing a proposal to continue the the Concerts Norway. Based on the lessons
programme outside the Arts Council and from Mmino these recommendations seek to
without proper consultation with South African provide guidance in developing a successor
authorities. This led to a situation with a programme.
closure of the programme without proper

attention to sustainability of projects and

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CMI REPORT KEEPING MUSIC ALIVE! R 2012: 4

Acronyms and abbreviations
ACT Arts and Culture Trust
BASA Business and Arts South Africa
CEO Chief Executive Officer
CFO Chief Financial Officer
CMI Chr. Michelsen Institute
DAC Department of Arts and Culture
FLAME Female Literary, Arts & Music Enterprise
NAC National Arts Council
NGO Non-governmental Organisation
NLDTF National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund
NOK Norwegian kroner
Norad Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
PASMAE Pan African Society for Musical Arts Education
SADC South African Development Community
SAIH Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund
SAMRO Southern African Music Rights Organisation
SARA South African Roadies Association
TAU Talented Artists United
ZAR South African Rand

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CMI REPORT KEEPING MUSIC ALIVE! R 2012: 4

Preface
This report provides an independent review of the Mmino programme. Mmino – the Tswana word for
“music” - was an initiative established in 2000 with the aim of strengthening South African and
Norwegian musical cultures through establishing links between South African and Norwegian music
initiatives and individuals. The purpose of the review is to examine and evaluate the programme and
the cooperation. Furthermore, the review looks into the modes of the current cooperation and explore
whether they are viable for continued cooperation. The Terms of Reference is provided as Annex 3.
The review was commissioned by Norad and the Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria. The review was led
by senior researcher Elling N. Tjønneland (Chr. Michelsen Institute in Norway) with independent
consultant, Joseph Gaylard (Director, Visual Arts Network in Johannesburg) as the other member of
the team.
The team began its work in early August 2011 with a first round of interviews in Norway conducted
by the team leader. During a period of nearly 2 weeks in mid-August the team collected data and
interviewed a range of stakeholders and beneficiaries in South Africa. A list of people interviewed is
provided as Annex 2.
The team has benefited from the support of a number of people. Janneke Strijdonk-Xulu, the 2005-
2011 Mmino Co-ordinator, and Ingrid Skjølaas, First Secretary and Margaret Mokhuane, Programme
Officer, at the Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria have provided valuable assistance to the team during
the review. In Norway, Lena Plau, Senior Advisor in Norad’s Department for Global Health,
Education and Research, Tom Gravlie, Head of International Department and Anne Moberg, Head of
International Projects, Concerts Norway facilitated the work of the team.
Above all, the team would like to take this opportunity to gratefully acknowledge and thank Mmino
and its partners and the numerous individuals interviewed. They gave graciously of their valuable time
to provide information, analysis, interpretations and explanations. The views of all of these
stakeholders were crucial in helping the team to formulate its assessments and recommendations.
The draft report was submitted to Norad and the Norwegian Embassy in September 2011. Written
comments were provided by Norad, the Embassy, Concerts Norway and the National Arts Council.
The final report was submitted in early November.
The team has attempted to address the issues raised in the Terms of Reference and in the comments
received. Needless to say, the shortcomings and omissions are entirely ours. The team is also
responsible for the views and recommendations expressed in the report.
This published report is identical with the final report submitted in November 2011.

Bergen and Johannesburg

November 2012

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CMI REPORT KEEPING MUSIC ALIVE! R 2012: 4

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