"The arts have a vital role to challenge pre-conceptions and to celebrate human compassion and optimism in countries where the struggle simply to survive makes these qualities all too easy to subvert.

Developing Artists provides transforming and sustainable opportunities for people living in immensely deprived environments and I therefore enthusiastically encourage you to generously support their work."

Sir Derek Jacobi, Developing Artists Patron

Developing Artists is a registered charity committed to supporting the performing arts in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2013 we will continue to focus on developing our existing projects, and creating a new one in Zimbabwe.

Developing Artists' projects connect people and institutions in some of the world's poorest countries with an international network of theatre companies and practitioners. Developing Artists strengthens underprivileged communities by providing constructive outlets for their creative life and long-term opportunities for self-expression and professional development.

Developing Artists works in two key ways. It creates collaborative productions in each nation and through these productions identifies talented individuals who would benefit from participation in the charity's Apprenticeship Programme.

Over the last seven years Developing Artists has delivered over 20 projects in eight countries and brought together artists and performing arts organizations throughout the world. The charity fosters a self-sustaining approach to the arts through which individuals acquire the skills to earn an income from their work and begin to support their own projects over the long term. They are further encouraged to share what they have learned within their local communities thereby acting as catalysts for wider change.