Activated in 2000 _sanman has evolved out of a range of contemporary art experiments dealing with the relationship of art, technology and business. In this process the need for a network for resource sharing, information exchange and new media art development became evident in the Southern African region. _sanman was therefore founded with the following aim:

to promote the relationship of art and technology and its resulting production of new media artworks

to enable skills transfer of new media art related practices

to educate around technological advances and their potential alternative/ creative applications

to build a support and development structure and network

to promote the creative use of new technologies for both the current technology user and new audiences and practitioners

_sanman - the name:

	Southern African – Exposure across southern Africa has made it evident that there are similar struggles and difficulties of varying degrees across the region. South Africa has, to many people in the adjacent countries, become the route to reaching international activity and South Africa has an existing industrial, transport and development network that reaches into various locations in the region. Positioning itself in South Africa allows _sanman to make use of the strong infrastructure of the country to develop activity northwards and share its processes that have been tested in one country as it expands to others.
	New Media Art – While the term ‘New Media Art’ is often misused to explain anything that has to do with an alternative form of production using some kind of technology, it is consciously chosen for _sanman. In this context reflects a type of site-specific relevance of the use of media that have not been used before. The under-developed relationship of art and technology in this region makes a broad definition of practice that encompasses electronic, digital and alternative media most suitable to allow for inclusion and development.
	Network – The network is to be understood as both a formal and informal manifestation of linking, sharing, exchanging and supporting across the region. In the southern African counties one often finds that the notion of a network is seems more valuable as an informal system where family and friend networks have a more powerful reach than the communication technology and networking technology._sanman aims to explore these informal networks and find ways of tapping into them for more effective dissemination of information.

funding and support:

Sine 2000 _sanman is self funded and is therefore developing at the pace of the supporters and project developers. Its aim for 2004 is to expand its supportive structure to address attracting fiancial and other resources in oder to expand its impact and develop additional developmental programes.