COLLEGE OF MAGIC Annual Report 2018 2018 College of Magic Annual Report 1 for theAnnual year ended 31 Report December 2018 Country of Incorporation South Africa Nature of Organisation The Association is a non-profit organisation incorporated in terms of the Non-profit Organisations Act 1977, on 9 December 1999. Registration Number 007-517 NPO PBO Number 930 019 992 Nature of Operations The aim of this organisation is to see lives and communities transformed through the provision of education and development programmes with a specific emphasis on educational enrichment and supplementary tuition targeting the full diversity of the South African Youth. The organisation achieves this objective through the medium of the performing arts, with an emphasis on magic and the allied arts. Street Address 215 Imam Haron Rd (formerly Lansdowne Rd) Claremont, 7700 Cape Town, South Africa Postal Address PO Box 2479 Clareinch, 7740 Cape Town, South Africa Telephone +27 21 683 5480 Website www.collegeofmagic.com Auditors Horwath Zeller Karro Chartered Accountants (S.A.) Registered Accountants and Auditors College of Magic ‘Walk-about performers’ entertain Artscape Theatre guests at the Imagine! Show, in June 2018. 2018 Chairman’s Report n the midst of difficult socio-economic the future of our country. At the College Iconditions in South Africa, the College of Magic, our aim is to see lives and of Magic stands as a shining light of hope communities transformed through the and joy as we continue to pour our skills, provision of education and development experience, time, passion and energy into programmes with a specific emphasis the lives of young people from diverse and on educational enrichment and challenging backgrounds. Ben Elliot said: supplementary tuition targeting the full “Hope redefines what is probable and diversity of the South African Youth. I am opens the paths to the impossible.” Our pleased to report that during 2018, we activities and programmes generate the continued to make progress towards this outcomes of innovation, creativity, team objective with 200 students attending work, perseverance and achievement. our regular weekly classes, more than These outcomes I believe generate hope, 3000 learners experiencing our Magic where the impossible becomes possible Classroom and continued impact and as we invest, educate, mentor and nurture success through our rural programme our students. which seeks to take our training Educating and preparing the programmes out into marginalised areas leadership skills of our youth is critical to to young people who are not able to 2 2018 College of Magic Annual Report 2018 College of Magic Annual Report 3 access our centre in Claremont. and magicians. Our students also had many • Thank you to our management board performing opportunities to share and and broader group of graduates and showcase their talents and unique style as advisors who assisted the College of they took part in various competitions, in Magic chart our way through a very charity shows for a variety of beneficiaries, challenging year. entertained at a number of prestigious The College of Magic had a tough events, took part in the annual Traditional year financially in 2018 which continues Children’s Magic Festival as well as in 2019 as I write this report. We are very performing in the Imagine Show that grateful to our donors and supporters who took place at the Artscape theatre in Cape sponsor students and who have journeyed Town. So much preparation goes into with us over many years. I would however these performances with many aspects like to appeal to our broader community needing to come together simultaneously of friends and stakeholders to continue to make the show succeed. Dreaming, to donate funds to this organisation. The innovating, planning, building, rehearsing, College of Magic is achieving great results over-coming setbacks, working together and making a huge impact in individual and receiving that applause, are among lives and our broader community, so the many valuable life lessons that enable please join us and become part of this life our students to grow and learn through transforming story that we are writing. both successes and challenges. It is It has been a privilege to serve the through these performing opportunities College as Board Chairman and I look that their character is shaped as we strive forward to our continued reach and to live and role model our 8 star qualities impact in 2019. of honesty, respect, responsibility, initiative, excellence, empathy, humility Bruce Hutchison and wonder. CHAIRMAN There are so many people who enable the College of Magic to thrive who I would like to thank. • Thank you to our approximately 40 volunteers who generously donate their time and skills to training and assisting with various aspects of running the organisation. • Thank you to our full-time staff who put in many long hours so that the show can continue to go on day by day. • Thank you to Yolandi van Jaarsveldt who joined us in March of 2018 as CEO for a 12-month contract while David Gore, the founder and director took a half-day sabbatical to research the history of magic 2 2018 College of Magic Annual Report 2018 College of Magic Annual Report 3 ABOVE Clowning antics on stage at the Imagine! Show, Artscape. LEFT The joys of stage performance – Artscape June 2018 – Duma, Anele, Lukhanyo and Yongama. BOTTOM LEFT Vuyolwethu Foslara entertains at the annual Birthday Bash in February. BOTTOM RIGHT ‘Mr Starlight’ entertains in the Light, Colour and Optics Magic Classroom Show. 4 2018 College of Magic Annual Report 2018 College of Magic Annual Report 5 Students enjoy the new Magic Lab, generously sponsored by Vanishing Inc. 2018 Director’s Report SHARING SECRETS lifelong passion for and contribution to magic. In association with Magicana, an n Wednesday 27th June 2018, if you arts organisation dedicated to the study, Owere close to the College of Magic exploration and advancement of magic as you would have heard a huge whoop of a performing art, these awards recognise celebration by some 100 students and outstanding achievement in the pursuit of staff. The large gathering was the cast the impossible. of the 2018 Traditional Children’s Magic Naturally, we were delighted. Festival. The jubilation was triggered Thanks to Guy Hollingworth for by the announcement that the College believing in our magic! Having been of Magic had won the internationally party to “Sharing Secrets” for almost acclaimed, Allan Slaight ‘Sharing Secrets’ 40 years, the award encouraged us on Award for exceptionally creative and many levels in what was a challenging innovative work in the study of magic. year for our organisation. The Allan Slaight Awards is an The art of magic is distinctive in that initiative of the Slaight Family Foundation it involves ‘secrets’ to achieve its goal of in honour of Canadian media mogul entertainment. This sets our art apart. This and philanthropist Allan Slaight, and his gives our art a mysterious appeal for young 4 2018 College of Magic Annual Report 2018 College of Magic Annual Report 5 ABOVE 2018 Graduates and Staff at the Annual Graduation ceremony held at Rondebosch Boys’ High Memorial Hall. people. Secrecy gives the art an unusual of pieces of equipment, a library choc- dimension and power. The College of a-block full of resources and the infinite Magic recognises, respects and harnesses internet, hundreds of one-on-one this special attribute. But the secrets we tutorial sessions, 100+ performance share are not just the mechanics of how opportunities, 8 star qualities, mix magic is created, but also, among others, ingredients gently together with a diverse the secrets of presentation, the secrets of group of 250 students and 40 dedicated becoming a successful entertainer and voluntary teachers and full-time staff! the secrets of transformation. Voila! The Magic of 2018! Our multi-faceted education is known OUR ‘NOT SO’ SECRET RECIPE for the wonderful benefits it provides for everyone involved. In December 2018 Our 2018 recipe: 600+ hands-on training we were featured in an university review sessions, 15 different courses, thousands of magic-based interventions and their ABOVE Judges and award winners at the 2018 Western Cape Junior Magician Championships. 6 2018 College of Magic Annual Report 2018 College of Magic Annual Report 7 effects on wellbeing, ‘Achieving the he was employed by a large retail chain. Impossible’ written by Richard Wiseman There are so many stories that illustrate and Caroline Watts. What the world the meaningful difference that is being is coming to realise is the power of brought about through ‘magic’ in the lives ‘magic’! In South Africa it has a special of young South Africans. relevance as it bridges the many divides Speak to any one of the more than in our society and is transforming and 3000 learners who visited the Magic empowering our young people, giving Classroom in 2018, and you would receive them hope for the future. an enthusiastic account of excitement Take as an example, Dion Wabanie. and the ‘best school outing’ ever! Thanks Dion started at the College of Magic in to Prof Bayla and his team, the Magic 2011, graduating in 2016. During 2018 Classroom programme continues to he joined our learnership programme, create wonder and curiosity – more than having matriculated the previous year. He 45 000 learners and educators since its became the main performer in the Magic inception. There were more than 100 Classroom show, building his real-world performances of the ‘Light, Colour and performing skills. In March he was selected Optics’ theatrical magic show in 2018. to perform at the KKNK Festival and went We are grateful to the HCI Foundation, on to win the coveted title of ‘Western which ensures that the programme is Cape Junior Stage Magic Champion’ accessible to everyone in the greater at the Western Cape Junior Magician Cape Town area, especially through its Championships hosted by the College Golden Arrow Community Transport of Magic in September at the Bergvliet Services sponsorship.