Sibikwa is grounded in an appreciation of the value of arts, culture and heritage in instilling the capabilities, capacities, competencies and confidence that creatively and democratically transform social spaces and those that inhabit them. We believe that arts and culture have a significant role to play in transforming society and that they deserve a more coordinated and intentional position in education, government policies and communities. Through our Artists in Schools programme, CATHSSETA accredited arts and culture administration courses and Shukuma Mzansi! SA-EU Dialogues, Sibikwa has grown as a respected thought leader, contributing meaningfully to discussions on advancing social transformation in and through the arts.

Our advocacy and lobbying efforts are based in an understanding that as custodians of the arts, we need to cultivate an ecosystem – of community, government, private sector and NGO partners – that allows people and the arts to thrive, collectively. We seek to decentralise and democratise access to, inclusion in and advancement through the sector and related economies. We do this by upholding and preserving our diverse heritage, stimulating Creative and Cultural Industries in peri-urban and rural areas, lobbying for integrated local policies that support arts and culture, and building a culture of understanding and investment in the value of the arts for human development in the South African arts, culture and heritage landscape.