Arts united
The Wits School of Arts (WSOA) and the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design in Ethiopia are currently in talks about finalising a partnership between the two schools.
Professor George Pfruender, the WSOA head of department said the partnership will exchange members of staff, students as well as research projects. Pfruender said the partnership was almost natural because both institutions have similar programmes.
“The Alle School of Fine Arts and Design has a similar structure to Wits, they have both music and drama qualifications and therefore an exchange programme of both staff member and students would be viable.”The exchange programme aims to have students and staff from both universities to share ideas and research projects.
[pullquote]The exchange programme aims to have students and staff from both universities to share ideas and research projects.[/pullquote]
The partnership was made possible by the Goethe Institut of sub-Sahara Africa, which is the seed funder of various arts and culture departments in South Africa and Ethiopia. Pfruender said financial support from these institutions make it easy to exchange art across the African continent.
Berhanu Deribew, head of department of the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design said partnering with other African institutions allowed for changes in the programmes and both students and staff members are exposed to the international community.
Pfruender told Wits Vuvuzela the partnership will allow both institutions to increase their footprint in Africa as joint art institutions.
