ACT CALLS FOR LISTING SUBMISSIONS

In December 2011, the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) announced a new partnership with UJ Arts & Culture at the University of Johannesburg which looks set to generate many positive spin-offs for the industry.

One of the primary undertakings of this joint venture will be the establishment of an annual Arts & Culture Conference, aimed at critically unpacking some of the crucial issues facing the individual artists, cultural workers and arts organisations that comprise the South African arts and culture sector. In providing a platform through which to address pertinent industry issues, it is hoped that mobilisation will take place towards the sharing of a common voice.

The mandate of the Arts & Culture Trust is to facilitate the sustainable development and growth of the arts, culture and heritage in South Africa, actualised through mutually beneficial partnerships between the corporate, public and cultural sectors.

In keeping with these ideals, one of the key value components of the conference will be the initial publication of the SA Arts & Culture Listing, a comprehensive national database of stakeholders in the South African arts and culture industry that will to be distributed to participants as part of the conference collateral. The Listing aims to extend and strengthen partnerships between various participants in the industry. Arts industry stakeholders – from corporates to community groups – are strongly encouraged to submit their details for inclusion in the directory.

The closing date for submissions is March 15, 2012.

The database will be managed on an ongoing basis by the Arts & Culture Trust, and will be made accessible to members of the sector on request, in exchange for a nominal contribution to the Trust. Interested parties should follow this link to submit their details, to be a part of this valuable industry initiative: http://tiny.cc/rwo38

The inaugural ACT | UJ Arts & Culture Conference, to be held in the UJ Arts Centre Theatre on the Kingsway Campus, will take an in-depth look at the state of arts and culture in South Africa by providing a platform to engage in discussion around topics of significance for the sector. Further details will be released shortly.

A limited number of sponsored registrations will be made available to arts, culture and heritage practitioners from outside Gauteng. ACT will administer these applications as well as the conference registrations, which will open once the programme has been announced in March.