ACT|BLA FRINGE GRANTS ANNOUNCED

Arts & Culture Trust in partnership with Breadline Africa announce recipients of 2009Fringe Grants.

The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT), in partnership with Breadline Africa (BLA), is proud to announce the recipients of the ACT | BLA Fringe Grants for 2009.

“This is the second year that ACT has secured funding from Breadline Africa to facilitate the participation of artists, performers, groups and audiences from peri-urban and rural areas at South African festivals. This year the grants form part of the new ACT Festivals programme and more than R300,000 has been allocated to five organisations for eight festivals nationally,” said ACT General Manager, Ashraf Johaardien.

“In line with Breadline Africa and ACT’s strategic objectives, funding has been allocated where it will assist impoverished communities engaged in arts and culture to realise their full potential,” he added.

The recipients are as follows:

Baxter Dance Festival - now in its fifth year this festival aims to provide emerging and established dance makers, dance companies and dance schools with a professional platform on which to present their work, whilst striving to nurture and promote dance in the Western Cape.

Children’s Arts Festival (CAF) - is an exciting educational 10-day creative skills development programme for primary school learners. This annual event which runs concurrently with the National Arts Festival is hosted at the St Andrew’s Preparatory School in Grahamstown.

Ishashalazi Women’s Theatre Festival - the identification of new female talent in theatre is one of the main objectives of this short-play capacity building festival. It provides a platform for the development of female artists and celebrates and reflects the diversity of women.

New Dance Festival - an initiative of Dance Forum, aims to develop the dance festival platform, featuring South African and African contemporary dance practitioners, as well as bringing international artists to teach and perform in South Africa.

SA National Schools Festival - with these festivals, the Grahamstown Foundation aims to enrich the cultural and educational life of young people by promoting the arts as a universal tool of communication and empowerment, and nurture a deep love for South African arts.

Breadline Africa (BLA) is an African-based charity organisation which aims to help break the cycle of poverty within Africa by helping communities to help themselves and encourages communities to achieve long-term self-sustainability. BLA supports projects which will make a permanent difference in the lives of communities affected by extreme poverty, hunger, homelessness, lack of skills-training and unemployment in Africa. BLA further seeks out partnerships of hope and growth that will connect people who are struggling to achieve the most basic living conditions, with others who are more fortunate and in a position to make a difference.

Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is South Africa's premier, independent arts and culture funding and development agency. Athol Fugard is the Patron of the Trust.

For more information visit www.act.org.za