(Lifetime Achievement Award winners: Mimi Coertse, Helen Sebidi and Mannie Manim. Photograph by John Hogg)The 14th annual Arts and Culture Trust (ACT) Awards recently celebrated the talents of both veteran and young-and-upcoming artists at Monte Casino’s La Toscana in Johannesburg.
In the Lifetime Achievement category, internationally-acclaimed Mmakgabo Mapula Helen Sebidi won the award for Visual Art; Mannie Manim for Theatre and Mimi Coertse for Music. ImpACT Awards for Young Artists, within the first three years of their professional careers, were awarded to Chantelle de Lange for Design; Mack Magagane for Visual Arts; Jaques de Silva for Theatre and Ilke-Lea Alexander for Music and Singing.
Lifetime Achievement winners were selected by the ACT Board of Trustees and the ImpACT Awards were adjudicated by some of South Africa’s most recognised artistic talents - Aubrey Sekhabi (Artistic Director of the State Theatre in Pretoria); Bongi Dhlomo (artist, cultural activist and currently the Project Manager for Content Development for the Steve Biko Centre); Eugenie Drakes (founder and owner of piece, a high-end craft retail store) and Mark Hawkins (renowned dancer and founder of Very Very Big Productions). The ACT Awards results were audited by Quarter Master Financial Services.
ACT Chairperson, Brenda Devar, said: “It is vitally important to acknowledge those who have served the industry selflessly, who have held on to a vision and who has been the light bearers for all of us. We’ve managed to single out three exceptional human beings worthy of recognition for their lifelong commitment to their art, but we also acknowledge that there are many others who have enabled those people to achieve. In a landscape that is fairly devoid of gratitude, we recognise how important it is to celebrate achievement.”
The ACT Awards are presented in partnership with the Vodacom Foundation, the Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO) and the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO). The ACT Awards are supported by Classicfeel Magazine, Distell and Business and Arts South Africa.
The ACT Awards are considered to be one of the most prestigious Arts and Culture Awards in the country. As one of the oldest funding agencies in South Africa, ACT exists to secure financial and logistical support and resources for arts, culture and heritage. In addition to the Awards, ACT offers support to South African Arts and culture through its Development, Festivals, Scholarships and Building Blocks Programmes. For more information visit www.act.org.za
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