ARTS AND CULTURE SOUTH AFRICA YEARBOOK 2010/11 2010/11 ARTS AND CULTURE 4 The Department of Arts and Culture is tasked Arts and culture organisa- with creating an environment conducive to the tions and institutions growth, development and flowering of South National Heritage Council Africa’s arts, culture and heritage land- (NHC) scape. The NHC, a statutory body that aims to The department leads and coordinates bring equity to heritage promotion and efforts to promote national identity and conserva tion, was officially constituted on social cohesion. 26 February 2004 in terms of the NHC Act, The 2010 FIFA World CupTM provided a 1999 (Act 11 of 1999). The council creates unique opportunity for the diverse South an environment for preserving and promot- African heritage, arts, crafts and cultural ing South African heritage. sectors to come to the fore. In July 2010, the NHC and Freedom A substantial investment was made by the Park held the Intergenerational Dialogues department to integrate these elements into for the celebration of Nelson Mandela Day the World Cup, as well as to amplify them as at the Freedom Park in Pretoria. The part of the South African experience offered Department of Arts and Culture and the to the world. NHC have embarked on the development The Department of Arts and Culture of the National Liberation Heritage Route, funded 21 World Cup Arts and Culture- which will highlight the contribution of related projects totalling R59 million and set national heroes to the struggle for freedom. aside R127 million for infrastructure devel- opment projects, which were regarded as South African Heritage 2010 legacy projects. Resources Agency (Sahra) The department’s projects included: The National Heritage Resources Act, 1999 • My 2010 Project (Act 25 of 1999), established Sahra to pro- • Fly the Flag for Football Campaign vide for the identification, protection, con- • Tap Roots servation and promotion of South Africa’s • The Rivonia Trial heritage for present and future generations. • Mzansi Sing tribute to Oliver Tambo Sahra has established the National Herit- • MaBrrr – The Musical age Resources Fund to provide financial • Ditšhaba Performance and Craft Hub assistance to an approved body or indi- • Rural Communities, Townships and vidual, for any project that contributes to Schools Programme the conservation and protection of South • Mapungubwe Arts Festival Africa’s national heritage resources. • Wild Coast Festival Conservation categories include: • Ubuntu Abande Ebantwini • national heritage sites, registers, areas • In Conversation with Luthuli and Mandela and objects – Museum Exhibition • protected areas • The African Experience Soccer Lounge • structures of more than 60 years old • Craft Development – Tsa Setso • burial grounds and graves • The Windybrow 2010 Special Pro- • fossils (palaeontology) and archaeology gramme • rock art • Sing the National Song Campaign • underwater cultural heritage, including • The Africa Show historical shipwrecks. • Newtown Music Programme • public viewing areas during the tourna- ment • capital expenditure projects On 11 July 2010, a sell-out crowd in Soweto’s i Soccer City Stadium as well as an audience of • the opening and closing ceremonies of millions across the globe were entertained by a the World Cup colourful ceremony to celebrate the successful conclu- • Business of Craft – 2010 and Beyond sion of the first FIFA World Cup on African soil. Colombian pop star Shakira took centre stage, along • KwaZulu-Natal Heritage and Cultural with local fusion band Freshlyground, with the worldwide Extravaganza hit Waka Waka (this time for Africa). • Dimbaza Craft Hub. Other South African artists who performed included Stoan Seate, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Abigail Kubeka and Mafikzolo. 2010/11 Arts and culture – SOUTH AFRICA YEARBOOK 2010/11 74 In 2010, Sahra declared the graves of Char- • to foster the expression of a national lotte Maxeke in Nancefield, and Lillian Ngoyi identity and consciousness by means of and Helen Joseph in Avalon, Johannesburg, the arts national heritage sites. • to uphold and promote the right of any person to freedom in the practice of the South African Geographical arts Names Council (SAGNC) • to give the historically disadvantaged The SAGNC is an advisory body appointed such additional help and resources as are by the Minister of Arts and Culture in required to give them greater access to terms of the SAGNC Act, 1998 (Act 118 the arts of 1998). The council advises the minister • to address historical imbalances in the on the transformation and standardisation provision of infrastructure for the promo- of official geographical names in South tion of the arts Africa. The council has jurisdiction over all • to promote and facilitate national and names of geographical features and entities international liaison between individuals falling within the territories over which the and institutions in respect of the arts South African Government has sovereignty • to develop and promote the arts and or jurisdiction acquired by treaty. encourage excellence in this regard. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommended the re-naming of geographi- Mmino cal features as a form of symbolic repara- Mmino, the South African-Norwegian music tions to address South Africa’s past as education and exchange project, has since many of the existing names of geographical its inception in 2000 been the only funding features were not reflective of South Africa’s organisation in South Africa that funds music society and its quest for national unity. projects exclusively. The following principles are adhered to: Over the past 10 years, Mmino has • each individual feature or entity should funded more than 230 projects and/or have only one official name individuals located all over South Africa, as • the following types of geographical names well as some outstanding exchanges with should generally be avoided: Norwegian artists and institutions. - approved names of places elsewhere The Mmino Project is linked to the NAC, in South Africa but has a separate budget and funding - names of places in other countries, and procedures, and works in partnership with names of countries the Norwegian Riks-konsertene. - names that are blasphemous, indecent, offensive, vulgar, unaesthetic or embar- Arts institutions rass ing The following arts institutions assist to cre- - names that are discriminatory or deroga tory The Department of Arts and Culture held sev- - names that may be regarded as an eral events during Women’s Month in August advertisement for a particular product, i 2010 to celebrate South African women’s service or firm achievements. - names of living persons. • The department, in partnership with the University Geographical names committees have of the Western Cape, hosted a memorial lecture in been established in all nine provinces. honour of struggle icon Dulcie September, who died in exile during apartheid. These committees play an important role in • The department unveiled the Sarah Baartman standardising geographical names. Centre of Remembrance Architectural Concept Design on 22 August 2010 in Hankey, Eastern National Arts Council of South Cape. • The department also hosted a women’s writers’ Africa (NAC) symposium with the theme: Women’s Words: Afri- The mandate of the NAC is set out in its can Worlds: Renewing a Dialogue between African founding legislation, the NAC Act (1997), as Women Writers and Women of African Descent. The follows: symposium took place on 25 and 26 August 2010 at • to provide and encourage the provision of the Windybrow Theatre and Museum Africa. opportunities for persons to practise the The department marked the end of Women’s Month with a concert featuring female artists. Prominent South arts African female musicians were invited to be part of this • to promote the appreciation, understand- musical extravaganza, including Siphokazi, Abigail ing and enjoyment of the arts Kubheka, Dorothy Masuka, Thandi Klaassen and the • to promote the general application of the Mahothella Queens. arts in the community 75 SOUTH AFRICA YEARBOOK 2010/11 – Arts and culture ate a sustainable performing arts industry based on access, excellence, diversity and The national anthem redress, and to encourage the development of the full range of performing arts: • State Theatre, Pretoria Nkosi sikelel’ i Afrika • Playhouse Company, Durban Maluphakanyisw’ uphondo lwayo, • ArtsCape, Cape Town Yizwa imithandazo yethu, • Market Theatre, Johannesburg Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo. • Performing Arts Centre of the Free State, Bloemfontein Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso, • Windybrow Theatre, Johannesburg. O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho, The institutions receive annual transfers O se boloke, from the Department of Arts and Culture, O se boloke setjhaba but also generate revenue through entrance sa heso, fees, donor assistance, sponsorships and Setjhaba sa South Afrika – rental income. South Afrika. Business and Uit die blou van onse hemel, Arts South Africa (Basa) Uit die diepte van ons see, Basa is a non-profit company that aims to promote mutually beneficial and sustain- Oor ons ewige gebergtes, able business-arts partnerships that benefit Waar die kranse antwoord gee. society. Its purpose is to attract corporate support for the arts and culture sector, and Sounds the call to come together, to lift the profile of the arts and artists in And united we shall stand, South Africa. Let us live and strive for freedom, The company was founded in 1997 as a In South Africa our