COSMO-ART (The Cosmopolitan Approach as a New Paradigm for Rock Art Heritage Management in Southern Africa) is a French funded (ANR – National Research Agency) research programme that proposes to develop a new approach to rock art management. This approach relies on the so-called Cosmopolitan Theory and seeks out cross-cultural common interest points in the use and perception of rock art that are recognised as relevant to a broad range of users (e.g. local populations, scientists, institutional stakeholders). The goal is to reconcile perceptions and development policies to better achieve sustainability.
The team includes more than 50 researchers and students from 17 scientific institutions in Australia, France, Namibia and South Africa.
The activities of the COSMO-ART team are shared between fieldwork, theoretical exploration, dissemination and outreach actions.
Research is conducted in Namibia, in the Erongo Mountains and Spitzkoppe area, and in South Africa, around Kimberley.
Outputs of COSMO-ART include scientific communications and publications and also productions aimed at a larger audience.
Training and capacity building are also a critical part of COSMO-ART activities.
As part of its outreach mission, COSMO-ART offers resources for those interested in applying the Cosmopolitan Approach to heritage management.