Arts & Culture
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ArtsArts and and culture Culture YEARBOOK 2011/12 Arts and culture 4 South Africa’s arts and culture are as varied as for developing the best talent in South Africa to one might expect from such a diverse nation. The compete successfully on the world stage. blend of local cultures and diverse influences The department is also working with the make for a melting pot of creativity that never Department of Basic Education to include visual disappoints. and performing arts in the curriculum. As custodians of South Africa’s diverse cultural, The departments will identify and nurture art- artistic and linguistic heritage, the Department of istic talent at an early age, promote the arts as a Arts and Culture aims to develop and preserve career of choice and develop an appreciation of South African culture to ensure social cohesion the arts among learners. and nation-building. By June 2011, the implementation of some of the resolutions of the summit was well under- Funding way. This included the establishment of multi- The department allocated its budget for 2011/12 stakeholder task teams and ongoing discussions as follows: with provinces and municipalities to ensure joint • administration: R178,757 million implementation of these resolutions. • performing arts, including arts-related institu- tions: R549,379 million Arts and culture organisations • National Language Service (NLS), including the and institutions Arts and CulturePan South African Language Board (PanSalb): National Heritage Council (NHC) R101,570 million The NHC, a statutory body that aims to bring • cultural development: R180,717 million equity to heritage promotion and conserva tion, • heritage, which includes the heritage institu- was officially constituted on 26 February 2004 in tions and museums: R763,702 million terms of the NHC Act, 1999 (Act 11 of 1999). The • National Archives and Language Services, council creates an environment for preserving including conditional grants for community and promoting South African heritage. libraries: R694,452 million. In 2011, the NHC hosted provincial summits on the LHR Project to ensure full participation and Arts and culture summit the contribution of all communities and organisa- A national consultative summit on the contribu- tions towards the identification of liberation routes tion of the arts, culture and heritage sector to the throughout the country. economy was held in April 2011 and took a num- The LHR Project is a process of identifying ber of far-reaching resolutions. The aim of the liberation milestones around the country that will summit was to craft a new growth plan to enhance be recognised as liberation routes – a network of the cultural industries’ contribution to the national sites reflecting South Africa’s liberation struggle effort to grow the economy and create jobs. and the road to democracy. These sites will be The more than 1 000 delegates at the summit listed with the World Heritage Committee of the resolved that the following be established: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cul- • an art bank tural Organisation (Unesco). • a public art programme • cultural precincts in all provinces. South African Heritage Resources A tour company is expected to be established Agency (Sahra) to support exhibitions and performances to tour The National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 locally and internationally. (Act 25 of 1999), established Sahra to provide for The summit also resolved to continue the the identification, protection, conservation and implementation of the National Liberation Herit- promotion of South Africa’s heritage for present age Route (LHR) Project, which will tell the stories and future generations. of the country’s liberation struggle. Sahra has established the National Heritage The summit committed to initiating a process Resources Fund to provide financial assistance that will lead to the establishment of the National to an approved body or individual, for any project Skills Academy for the Arts. that contributes to the conservation and protec- The academy will pool all the activities of the tion of South Africa’s national heritage resources. various arts training organisations in the country. It is planned as a centre of excellence responsible South Africa Yearbook 2011/12 – Arts and culture 72 Conservation categories include: - names that may be regarded as an advertise- • national heritage sites, registers, areas and ment for a particular product, service or firm objects - names of living persons. • protected areas Geographical names committees have been • structures of more than 60 years old established in all nine provinces. • burial grounds and graves • fossils (palaeontology) and archaeology National Arts Council of South • rock art Africa (NAC) • underwater cultural heritage, including histor- The NAC, formed in 1997, is a statutory public ical shipwrecks. entity with the Department of Arts and Culture as In July 2011, Sahra declared the Voortrekker its executive authority. Monument, situated outside Pretoria, a national The institution is subject to a complex govern- heritage site. ance framework that includes the NAC Act, 1997 The monument was constructed between 1937 (Act 56 of 1997), and the Public Finance Manage- and 1949, and commemorates the pioneer history ment Act, 1999 (Act 1 of 1999). of southern Africa and the Afrikaner. This sight The NAC is governed by a council whose is architecturally renowned for its art deco style members are appointed by the Minister of Arts designed by well-known South African architect, and Culture after a process of public nominations. Gerhard Moerdijk. The current council was appointed in March 2011. The mandate of the NAC is set out in its found- South African Geographical Names ing legislation as follows: Council (SAGNC) • to provide and encourage the provision of The SAGNC is an official government body opportunities for persons to practise the arts established in terms of the SAGNC Act, 1998 • to promote the appreciation, understanding and (Act 118 of 1998), to advise the Minister of Arts enjoyment of the arts and Culture on the transformation and stand- • to promote the general application of the arts in ardisation of official geographical names in South the community Africa. The council has jurisdiction over all names • to foster the expression of a national identity of geographical features and entities falling within and consciousness by means of the arts the territories over which the South African Gov- • to uphold and promote the right of any person ernment has sovereignty or jurisdiction acquired to freedom in the practice of the arts by treaty. • to give the historically disadvantaged such The Truth and Reconciliation Commission additional help and resources as are required recommended the renaming of geographical to give them greater access to the arts features as a form of symbolic reparations to • to address historical imbalances in the provi- address South Africa’s past, as many of the sion of infrastructure for the promotion of the existing names of geographical features were not arts reflective of South Africa’s society and its quest • to promote and facilitate national and interna- for national unity. tional liaison between individuals and institu- The following principles are adhered to: tions in respect of the arts • each individual feature or entity should have • to develop and promote the arts and encourage only one official name excellence in this regard. • the following types of geographical names In 2010/11, the NAC met its legal mandate of should generally be avoided: disbursing 75% of its allocated budget to projects - approved names of places elsewhere in and organisations, and bursaries to individuals South Africa and institutions across all the seven arts dis- - names of places in other countries, and ciplines. names of countries - names that are blasphemous, indecent, Arts institutions offensive, vulgar, unaesthetic or embar rass- The following arts institutions contribute to a ing sustainable performing arts industry based on - names that are discriminatory or deroga tory 73 South Africa Yearbook 2011/12 – Arts and culture access, excellence, diversity and redress, and Due regard is given to ensuring a spread of pro- encourage the development of the full range of jects across all the cultural and artistic disciplines, performing arts: including, but not limited to, arts administration, • State Theatre, Pretoria arts education, community art, festivals, heritage, • Playhouse Company, Durban craft, fine art, dance, music, theatre, literature, • ArtsCape, Cape Town multidisciplinary and new media. • Market Theatre, Johannesburg Several capacity-building and sustainability ini- • Performing Arts Centre of the Free State, tiatives have been supported by the ACT Building Bloemfontein Blocks Programme. • Windybrow Theatre, Johannesburg. The annual ACT Awards recognise the signif- The institutions receive annual transfers from the icant contributions made by communities, artists, Department of Arts and Culture, but also gener- administrators, educators and journalists towards ate revenue through entrance fees, donor assist- the development and advancement of arts and ance, sponsorships and rental income. culture in South Africa. Business and Arts South Africa Community art centres and (Basa) other cultural organisations Basa is a not-for-profit company whose primary More than 160 community art centres are in aim is to promote mutually beneficial and sustain- operation, varying from community-initiated to