Project Phakama is a cross-arts exchange network involving arts practitioners (facilitators) and young people (participants) from eleven countries and four continents. Phakama is the Khosa word for rise up, lift up, elevate.

Project Phakama was initiated in 1996 by LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre) in partnership with Sibikwa Theatre in Johannesburg with an initial month-long creative training programme for artists, teachers and arts education practitioners from each province in South Africa. The programme, facilitated by a team of LIFT-associated artists and arts educators used the workshops to explore existing arts education practice in South Africa and the UK. Training in site specific performance by the LIFT team augmented existing skills. In exchange, the South Africans brought an array of experiences to enhance the LIFT training particularly of working in conflict situations.

This exchange laid the foundation for Phakama's work. Over the last ten years the Phakama network has grown in South Africa and London and evolved a methodology for working with individuals and communities. Phakama is a registered company and charity in both South Africa and London. While it is still run mostly by volunteers in both countries and many people give time and energy for nothing, it has the structures to fund raise and it is supported, at times, both by private sponsorship and public grants. A range of participatory projects involving young people have taken place in London, Cape Town, Seshego, Dublin, Mmabatho and Johannesburg.