The African Forum for Social Theatre is a project dedicated to networking, creativity, training, research, and institutional development aimed at promoting social theatre across the African continent. Launched in 2017 in Morocco, the initiative began with a forum gathering representatives from six North and West African countries.

The forum seeks to establish a supportive artistic network that promotes social theatre as a tool for public expression, artistic skill development, cultural and artistic exchange, and civic participation. It also aims to promote cultural rights, highlight and develop existing experiences in North and West Africa, and raise awareness about the importance of this form of theatre and its innovative practices.

Additionally, the forum will work toward building an institutional framework involving all African countries. This includes creating a reflective space and establishing an organizational structure for theatre practices that align with the values and principles of social theatre.

Partner institutions strive to achieve these goals by spreading the techniques of social theatre as mechanisms for societal development. They aim to enhance the artistic skills of their members and civil society actors, establish a platform that supports this type of theatre, and advocate for and support the causes of its practitioners.

Over the long term, the project envisions becoming a space for collective reflection and organizational structuring. It seeks to reintegrate North Africa into its natural continental context by strengthening ties with the rest of Africa. This initiative is not time-limited but represents the first building block of a long-term effort involving multiple African theatre institutions.

The project methodology is based on a participatory approach rooted in horizontal management among partner organizations, along with autonomy in selecting local activities according to each country’s context. This ensures a suitable and non-competitive working environment for both artists and institutions.

The project relies on strong strategies centered around capacity-building and networking through open sessions, as well as creating a shared platform for social theatre. It also aims to develop a comprehensive social theatre guide that compiles experiences and profiles of practitioners across the continent.

Annual meeting spaces will be created to facilitate exchange, collaboration, peer learning, and the identification of institutional needs. Invitations will be extended to various artists, institutions, and coalitions from across the continent.

A digital platform will serve as a safe space for free expression, advocacy, and lobbying efforts targeting policymakers. With further funding, this platform may evolve into the “African Federation for Social Theatre,” creating opportunities for international partnerships and showcasing performances in marginalized areas. The project also supports collective evaluation, adherence to universal human rights principles, the valorization of African culture, and the linking of North and Sub-Saharan Africa through an expansive network.

It further promotes interdisciplinary research and studies in the fields of art, politics, and society, through collaborative research and educational publications.