The African Art Centre is currently hosting the Velobala Mentorship Programme exhibition, which features the works of Dumisani Nzuza, Lindele Msweli, Sthenjwa Luthuli and Wonder Mbambo.
“The African Art Centre has always
recognized the need to become more concerned in the role that we play in
supporting art education in communities who do not have the means to further
their education or develop their skills,” says Sharon Crampton, the African Art
Centre’s director. “In 1994, we initiated an innovative programme, The Velobala
Group, which offers visual art instruction and fine art education to young
creative black artists located away from the traditional urban clusters of arts
infrastructure.”
Each year, a group of 25 individuals
between the ages of 18 and 30 are mentored on the premises of the Department of
Fine Art at the Durban University of Technology. The classes and modules are
coordinated by Development Officer at the African Art Centre, Nozipho Zulu, and
are facilitated by post graduate Fine Art Students, professional artists and
lecturers from the Durban University of Technology.
At the beginning of 2012, The African Art
Centre received funding from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture
for the Velobala Mentorship Programme. This exposed four visual artists, who
previously attended the Velobala Group Programme and had demonstrated
determination, initiative and potential to a more extensive programme of Visual
Art.
The four young artists worked in a formal
environment, together with students of the Department of Fine Art at the Durban
University of Technology, an opportunity which allowed the young artist to
collaborate with the students and experience tertiary level education in a
formal setting. The group was mentored by Themba Shibase, artist and Fine Art
lecturer at the Department of Fine Art at the Durban University of Technology.
The exhibition is a culmination of the work
produced by the young artists over a period of four months. It includes paintings and drawings. The African
Art Centre is situated at 94 Florida Road, Durban. More information from the
Development Officer, Nozipho Zulu, at 031 303 4634.
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