BUSINESS PLAN 2020-2023 ZAM Magazine +31 20 531 84 97 [email protected] http://zammagazine.com facebook.com/zamthemagazine twitter.com/zammagazine instagram.com/zammagazine Neo Matloga, visual artist, Zanele Muholi, visual winner of the 2008 Koninklijke activist, at the opening of Prijs voor de Beeldende Kunst, her exhibition in Stedelijk Amsterdam/Johannesburg | “I use ZAM as source material. It Museum | “Thank you ZAM was the first magazine to truly Magazine for introducing me reflect people of colour in all to this space.” representations of humanity.” Selay Kouassi, investigative journalist, Ivory Coast | “With the ZAM-AIPC project we can bring in Idris Akinbajo, editor Premium Times, our own issues to be researched and it is much Lagos | “ZAM helped establish the more on an equal base.” African Investigative Publishing Collective (AIPC) themselves as a highly qualitative platform. (…) They wanted to Sangu Delle, author, Accra | check, check, double check all the time!” Thank you for hosting me in Amsterdam. I am a great fan of Koto Bolofo, photographer, your work! Vanity Fair, Vogue, GQ Marlene le Roux, director Artscape Theatre, | ‘I Love ZAM’. Cape Town, February 2017 | “We celebrate the beginning of an exciting partnership between the Artscape Theatre Centre and ZAM Magazine Kalundi Serumaga, writer, Kampala | towards creative excellence.” “I learned a lot more about writing just from ZAM’s method of editing. Nontsikelelo Veleko, photographer, Never forgotten that.” Nimes/Johannesburg | “To ZAM Magazine, a donation to keep the organisation invested in African arts, De Volkskrant, Dutch daily | This well intentioned tone of aid and charity especially those that are working has been shaken off. ZAM builds a towards improving African lives by worldwide network of headstrong, free thinking, creative individuals. Africans for Africans.” Tsoku Maela (photographer, Cape Town) | “I think your platform is Dutch daily NRC Next | “ZAM an exciting space for African art.” contributors position themselves beyond pitifulness and dependency.” Paul Mbikayi | “The choice for Sisonke Msimang as keynote speaker at the 1st Nelson Mandela Lecture shows ZAMs social intelligence. Confronting diverse audiences is an act of civil courage.” ZAM BUSINESS PLAN 2019 Sisonke Msimang delivering the 2019 Nelson Mandela Lecture at the International Theatre Amsterdam. Sisonke Msimang, speaker at ZAM’s Nelson Mandela Lecture, 10 February, 2019 | “If we are serious about shifting the world and ending global poverty and inequality, then how can we lack the imagination to also shift people’s mindsets?” BUILDING A WORLD BEYOND THEM AND US. 3 ZAM BUSINESS PLAN 2019 INTRODUCTION We want to enter the third decade of this century with a sharp positioning, a clear This is an ambitious plan aimed at the presentation and a stronger financial structural reinforcement of ZAM. We are foundation. To achieve this, ZAM has now dealing with a rapidly growing network identified the following 3 pillars: “The of African changemakers in investigative Editors”, our publication platform, “Bureau journalism, photography, art and opinion. Afrika”, our focal point of African investigative We want to represent this network with even journalism and “Studio ZAM”, our meeting greater clout. There is an increasing demand place and breeding ground for creatives and for expertise and knowledge associated change makers from Africa and elsewhere. with ZAM. There are considerably greater opportunities for cooperation and exchange. In this plan you can read how we will make There is huge urgency involved in breaking these three components a success with an through (new) divisions, blockades and walls. even broader alliance of ‘Friends’, donors and But also the curiosity about the perspectives, sponsors. the activist and artistic movements, the challenges and progress in African countries The ZAM Team is increasing. As an international front for all this, ZAM operates under (too) great pressure. Zanele Muholi book signing at Studio ZAM. BUILDING A WORLD BEYOND THEM AND US. 4 ZAM BUSINESS PLAN 2019 MISSION am the master of my faith, I am the captain Building a world beyond them and us. of my soul.” These lines strongly capture the principle of self-determination. Today, a desire VISION for true independence and decolonization Connect and publicize a new generation inspires new generations of changemakers of African changemakers in investigative in many African countries and the diaspora. journalism, photography, writing, arts The fight against the abuse of power, self and thinking. enrichment, (ethnic) hatred and foreign intervention expresses itself not only in OBJECTIVES activism. The works of writers, researchers, journalists, artists and performers are hugely 1. ZAM serves as a platform to introduce the inspired by a desire to voice the ideals of these works of African creatives to international struggles. audiences; 2. ZAM introduces new perspectives about Relations between Africa, Europe and the African issues into public discourse for rest of the world are changing. Progressive global impact; Africans are claiming their intellectual and 3. ZAM provides an incubator space/visitor artistic right to self-determination. Through center to promote new ideas, creative its networks and collaborations, ZAM seeks to expression and research; build solidarity between those changemakers 4. ZAM continues to build an international and their allies elsewhere. In multimedia alliance for shared impact. publishing and advocating their works and perspectives, ZAM enables the public to Background & History re-imagine Africa, re-consider stereotypes and revise hardcore prejudices and broadly ZAM was established and registered as a non- ingrained perceptions. profit organisation in Amsterdam in 2007. The organisation is based in Amsterdam: In doing so, we are building a world beyond Tussen de Bogen 66, 1013 JB. ‘them’ and ‘us.’ This is not only for the benefit of those who have long been excluded from We share our studio with the organisers of global access and opportunities serving the annual Afrovibes Festival, the Amsterdam the privileged few. Insights in African Black Heritage Tours and Designserver. developments also contribute to a better understanding of crises that affect people ZAM is rooted in the Dutch solidarity worldwide: the gap between rich and poor, movement that struggled against apartheid climate change, refugees, and more. and colonialism – systems of oppression inspired by European ideologies. From the As a safe space, the ZAM studio serves as 1960s onward, journalism, research, critical a hub and outpost to the network, friends, thinking and storytelling have always been partners and audiences worldwide. Owning key factors in the campaigns against these such a base in Amsterdam, 700+ African ‘crimes against humanity’. From 1997, ZAM creatives in the fields of (investigative) was published by the Netherlands institue for journalism, photography, the arts and opinion, Southern Africa (NiZA). are now able to present their works to the public in an appealing and professional This is Nelson’s Mandela favorite phrase from way and without the risk of intimidation William Ernest Henley’s poem Invictus: “I or prosecution. BUILDING A WORLD BEYOND THEM AND US. 5 ZAM BUSINESS PLAN 2019 THE NETWORK Members 1233 Interaction with 780 Since 1997, ZAM has built a network of creatives in African countries and the African countries 35 diaspora. More than 1200 writers, journalists, Countries 15 photographers, designers and artists have international participated in collaborations and contributed to the magazine. From 1997 until 2007 the network concentrated on countries in Gender the southern African region: South Africa, female 47 Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, male 49 Zambia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana and other 1 Malawi. At the end of 2007, the publication of the magazine was brought under the unknown 3 governance of a new, independent entity. The magazine’s focus was no longer limited to the Average age 36 southern African region. With the transition came a new editorial policy and restyling with much more emphazis on arts and culture. In Disciplines: 2012 another transition turned ZAM into an —journalists English language multimediaplatform with —investigative journalists predominantly, but not exclusively, online —writers & essayists publishing as well as events and project —opinionmakers collaborations. —photographers ZAM has consistently expanded its network —activists ever since. People join the network through —performing artists collaborations with our editor and organising —visual artists teams. The following countries top the list —curators of associated participants in the network: —art reviewers South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, —filmmakers Zimbabwe, Uganda, Somalia, Mali, Cameroon —designers and the DRC. Demographics An index of people who became part of the network in collaborations is presently in the making. The following statistics are estimates: BUILDING A WORLD BEYOND THEM AND US. 6 ZAM BUSINESS PLAN 2019 STUDIO ZAM • it functions as a bridgehead between members of our network and international ‘An Amsterdam December media and cultural institutions. is foreign to our bones Yet here we are at home Tendencies of Western fortification and surrounded by our own’ divide-and-rule are extremely worrysome —From the poem Amsterdam Memories to progressive people. However, technology, by Marius Schoon, South African refugee, globalisation and increasing mobility has also