Young artists to help define SA cultural
identity
The eagerly awaited announcement of the
winners for the 2013 Standard Bank Young Artist Awards took place at recently
at a function in Johannesburg.
The Standard Bank Young Artist Awards are
presented annually to young South African artists who are either on the
threshold of national acclaim or whose artistic excellence has enabled them to
make international breakthroughs. This year, an award for Performance Art has
been presented for the first time.
“This year's group of Standard Bank Young
Artists are celebrated for their vibrant and cutting edge creativity, their
amazing intricacy of creative expression and their enormous talents which
contribute to developing a stronger and more prosperous creative economy, and
also to making a significant contribution towards defining our country's
cultural identity,” said National Arts Festival Director, Ismail Mahomed.
The winners of the 2013 Standard Bank Young
Artist Awards are: Fana Tshabalala (Dance); Runette Botha (Music); Mary Sibande
(Visual Art); Prince Lamla (Drama); Shane Cooper (Jazz) and Anthea Moys (Performance
Art)
“The Standard Bank Young Artist Award gives
recognition to the trajectory that their professions are taking to reflect the
multifarious ways in which these artists work and to recognise the excellence
of their work. They join an esteemed and celebrated group of previous winners
of this prestigious award,” added Mahomed.
As part of their prize, each of the winners
will be featured on the Main programme of the 2013 National Arts Festival in
Grahamstown (June 27– July 7, 2013), where they will be given the opportunity
to develop and première new works. The winners are also given various
opportunities to represent South Africa on international stages as a result of
their association with the Award.
Mandie van der Spuy, Standard Bank Head of
Arts and Jazz Sponsorship said, “Standard Bank is proud to have been associated
with these prestigious awards for 29 years. Our support has contributed to
nurturing and promoting the careers of many talented artists who have achieved
great acclaim nationally and many at international level as well. Apart from
ensuring that South Africa’s artistic heritage is preserved, we see our
investment in the arts as a significant contributor to the social cohesion of
our diverse cultures while simultaneously contributing to the local economy”.
(To
link to the NAF website for more information, click on the National Arts
Festival banner advert at the top of this page.)
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