The Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi, together with the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and in partnership with Electric South, has officially launched an exciting new open call for Futures_Past: Amplifying Memory with Immersive Technologies. This groundbreaking initiative aims to breathe new life into archival collections by exploring the intersection of cultural heritage and immersive digital storytelling.
Running from July 2025 through March 2027, Futures_Past is designed to support archival and cultural institutions in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi in reanimating their collections using cutting-edge tools such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), spatial audio, and interactive installations. By combining creativity with technology, the project seeks to deepen public engagement with local history and foster a sense of cultural connection through innovative storytelling.
A New Era for Archives
The Futures_Past Open Call invites public and private museums, archives, cultural centres, libraries, heritage institutions, and universities or research organisations across South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi to submit proposals for collections that deserve to be rediscovered. Participating institutions will nominate a specific collection or body of work to be reimagined through immersive storytelling.
Selected institutions will be paired with top immersive creators who will explore new ways of interpreting and presenting these materials to the public. While creators lead the artistic and technical direction, institutions will play a crucial role by granting access to archives and helping contextualise historical content.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted by Tuesday, 12 August 2025. Interested organisations can read more about the open call and submit their applications here. This is a rare and transformative opportunity to position your collection at the forefront of heritage innovation.
Funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, this initiative showcases France’s commitment to cultural collaboration and digital innovation in Africa. Through vibrant partnerships and co-creation, Futures_Past is set to become a beacon of how immersive technologies can preserve, reinterpret, and amplify memory for future generations.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this cultural shift. Reimagine the past. Illuminate the future.
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