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As a bridge between France and South Africa, Martinon sees the role of IFAS as an institute that is "here to build, not to showcase" – and its work across sectors, with a particular focus on the creative industries, is remarkably engaged and collaborative. The long-running Fête de la Musique is programmed through open calls and provides emerging artists with a platform each year – singer-songwriter Bongeziwe Mabandla played at its fifth edition in 2015 and again in 2025 as headliner. Newer initiatives like Création Africa focus on nurturing creative entrepreneurship, drawing on the expertise of trailblazing figures, fashion designer Thebe Magugu among them.
"Joburg is the crossroads of so many worlds. I knew before arriving that I would like its energy." – France's Ambassador to South Africa, David Martinon
It is heartening that IFAS has had its headquarters in Braamfontein for over a decade and, instead of retreating from the city to the suburbs, is only deepening its commitment to what Martinon describes as a "neighbourhood alive with ideas". Here, alongside its media library Dibuka, IFAS has launched Dibukafé – a cultural space that invites public reading, discussion, and listening as part of the institute's core tenet of intellectual exchange.
We spoke with Ambassador Martinon about what Johannesburg can teach the world, the role of culture in diplomacy, the future of French-South African partnerships, and his life in the city – brutalist architecture and amapiano, notwithstanding.
From Afghanistan to Los Angeles, you've got a world of experience. What excites you about Joburg?
Joburg is the crossroads of so many worlds. A city that didn’t exist 140 years ago, founded on the mining industry. The magnet for migrants coming from all over Southern Africa. The GPS point where Gandhi, Mandela, and Tutu converged. The richest city on the continent, heavily loaded with a terrible past, but also full of opportunities for everyone. I like the mix of architectural styles, including brutalism, but also the Hollywood-style of the Whitehall Court. I knew before arriving that I would like its energy.
Since establishing itself in 1995, the French Institute in South Africa (IFAS) has become so much more than a foreign cultural institute in this city. You've called it an "open studio, an extended hand, a crossroads of imaginations." Tell us about this vision?
That description really reflects what IFAS has become over time. It’s a space that encourages people to work together – whether they’re musicians, digital artists, performers, or researchers. It’s a place where collaboration is not only possible, it’s encouraged. That’s why we call it an "open studio": IFAS brings people together, offers tools, funding, and networks – whatever is needed to move an idea forward. The "extended hand" speaks to our approach – one based on invitation rather than instruction. We don’t arrive with answers; we co-create. As for the "crossroads," it reflects how IFAS operates: always in dialogue, always building links between different cultures, sectors, and disciplines.
We’ve always worked to build strong bridges between France and South Africa, but our focus is increasingly continental – including places like Lesotho and Malawi. What unites all our projects is this belief in the power of shared creation.
IFAS has nurtured so many artistic and creative dreams in Joburg. When you look back over its 30-year history in the city, what stands out most strongly for you?
What stands out the most is IFAS’ consistency – the way it has shown up, year after year, and kept doing the work. In a city where many institutions have come and gone, IFAS has stayed. That kind of longevity matters. You see it in Fête de la Musique, which has given hundreds of young artists their first public stage since 2010. You see it in the Création Africa programme, which supports entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industries with mentoring, networks, and funding. And you see it in projects like Occupying the Gallery, which challenged the idea that art should only sit in elite spaces.
"[Culture is] not just something you consume – it’s something you live, in community."
Before your tenure, which past IFAS projects do you wish you'd been here for?
The France-South Africa Seasons in 2012–2013. The ambition and reach of that initiative were extraordinary. Another project that I wish I could see, presented in partnership by the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), the French Embassy, and the French Institute of South Africa, was The Art of Comics. It was the first time that JAG hosted a large-scale comics exhibition. This took place in 2019, and was a landmark exhibition exploring the parallel traditions and innovations of South African comics and French bandes dessinées.
How do you hope IFAS will continue to have a positive impact on Johannesburg and South Africa over the long term?
That means investing in training, dialogue, and in long-term partnerships. Here in Johannesburg, take the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct: we’ve been supporting young digital creators there for years, while exploring new frontiers, because that’s where the future is.
And now with Dibukafé – a public space at 70 Juta Street in Braamfontein – we’re doubling down on the idea that culture should be accessible, informal, and part of people’s everyday lives. It’s not just something you consume – it’s something you live in community.
More broadly, across South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi, through Création Africa, we hope to reach more cultural and creative entrepreneurs in the years to come. That’s how we see the long-term impact: not in isolated events, but in ecosystems.
How do you ensure that the initiatives France supports – such as Création Africa or Fête de la Musique – remain rooted in local voices?
By not trying to control the outcome – and by starting with trust. Fête de la Musique, for example, is programmed through open calls – a specialist jury of experts selects the artists, deciding who gets on stage; and the people of the city go out to support them. It’s a celebration that belongs to the public, not to an institution.
With the first edition of Création Africa, the same principle applies: we received 702 applications from South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi, which shows the passion and interest of local creators. The entire idea is to listen to what creators are already doing, and then ask: how can we help you take it further? The next edition of Création Africa will reflect everything we’ve learned – and be even more focused on the realities people face when trying to turn a creative idea into a sustainable career.
While so many have left the city, IFAS has just cemented its attachment to Braamfontein with the launch of Dibukafé – a new cultural space. Why?
Because this is where the energy is – and it’s where we belong. IFAS has been based in Braamfontein for over a decade, and we’ve seen how much creativity pulses through these streets. Students, writers, designers, thinkers – this neighbourhood is alive with ideas. We don’t want to be an inaccessible institution, shut off from people. We want to provide a genuinely public space: where you can come in for a coffee, borrow a book, attend a talk, or just work quietly. It’s about making knowledge and culture radically accessible. Choosing to stay in Braamfontein is a choice to stay close to the conversations that matter – and to the communities that are shaping Jozi.
"South Africa has shown us how creativity can come out of constraint, how art can be a powerful space for truth-telling – even when that truth is uncomfortable."
You have stated that "France is not here to teach, but to learn." What has France learned from its cultural exchange with South Africa over the past 30 years?
A great deal – and we’re still learning. One of the most important lessons is that culture is never just entertainment – it’s deeply rooted in people, in the way people see themselves, how they relate to others, and how they process history, trauma, and hope. South Africa has shown us how creativity can come out of constraint, how art can be a powerful space for truth-telling – even when that truth is uncomfortable. We’ve learned how institutions can be challenged, reimagined, and transformed through dialogue.
Working with partners like Tshimologong, Bassline, and Victoria Yards, or the Création Africa entrepreneurs, and supporting prizes like the Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award, has taught us that solidarity doesn’t mean taking over or controlling outcomes – it means standing next to someone, asking what they need, and offering support without taking over.
What should we look out for from IFAS in the months ahead? Tell us a bit about your plans going forward.
There’s a lot to look forward to! Of course, we are looking forward to the second iteration of Création Africa. The project is expected to kick off in August 2025, so watch this space!
We just launched a two-year project called Futures_Past, which focuses on using immersive technologies to reimagine heritage in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi. From Johannesburg to Maseru to Lilongwe, we’ll be pairing up cultural and archival organisations with immersive artists to explore new ways of engaging the public through immersive storytelling.
Meanwhile, Dibukafé will host a series of talks, readings, and public dialogues in the coming months. And, of course, the annual Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto Award – which has been supporting emerging visual artists across Southern Africa for 21 years.
Finally, this year marks 30 years of IFAS. To celebrate, we are working on a publication – to be launched in September 2025 – that showcases its impact over three decades. This is accompanied by a short film we’ve produced with Adam Heyns, telling our story through the voices of our partners: Celebrating 30 years of the French Institute of South Africa. It’s a must-see!
Rapid-fire round: Five questions about Joburg
What is a surprising thing people might learn about Joburg by having a conversation with you?Johannesburg is now the biggest artificial forest in the world. But 150 years before, there was absolutely no trees! Trees were planted because of the necessity to access wood for the mines.
Your number one tip for a first-time visitor to Joburg?
Visit the Apartheid Museum – no discussion.
The most memorable meal you have eaten in Joburg?
Any meal at Satyagraha House, where Gandhi lived between 1908 and 1910.
If you were Joburg's mayor for one day (average tenure), what would you change?
I would make sure that the incredible art collection from the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG) is shown to the world.
Three words that describe this city.
Cosmopolitan, rough, amapiano.
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