WITNESS HILTON ARTS FESTIVAL REQUIRES ADMINISTRATOR

Following the retirement of the long-serving incumbent, Hilton College is looking for a highly organized and capable person to join the Festival team as Administrator.

Duties will include responsibility for managing and organizing the event, including budgeting, bookkeeping, contractual arrangements with participants, and a host of other details.

“We seek to employ someone who will embrace the Festival with passion and enthusiasm and help us to continue to deliver KZN’s premier Arts event,” says a Festival representative.

Whilst a full job description will be made available to suitable candidates, the following are amongst the essential requirements for the position:

-       Demonstrably excellent administrative skills

-       Meticulous attention to detail

-       Bookkeeping experience

-       Ability to manage the demands of a complex and varied job description

-       Ability to cope with pressure

-       Excellent inter-personal skills

The appointment will be for a contract period of eight months, renewable annually. The Administrator will be required to work half-day for four months and full-day for four months.  The appointment will be from April 1, 2014.

Full CVs should be submitted to: The Director of Development, Hilton College, Private Bag 6001, Hilton, 3245, or by email to dcv@hiltoncollege.com.

The closing date for applications is February 19, 2014.

JOEY RASDIEN AT SUNCOAST

Popular actor and writer will perform at Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World this evening and tomorrow with his new show, Evolved.

Rasdien is well known for his roles in the movies Running Riot, Bunny Chow, Vaatjie Sien Sy Gat, Dollars and White Pipes, Blitz Patrollie and Material. He also wrote, co-produced and acted in his own sitcom, Rasdien, on SABC2.

Evolved has performances at 20h00 tonight and tomorrow night (January 31 and February 1). Tickets R100 available at Computicket. For more information visit www.suncoastcasino.co.za

RETHA BECOMES A KNITWIT

(Retha Cilliers & Kim Davis)

The latest Durban creative personality to embrace the 67 Blankets for Madiba project is Retha Cilliers, CEO of the massive national Field Band Foundation.

Currently confined to bed for cancer treatment, she decided that she wanted to crochet to make her personal contribution. So friend and colleague - and now fellow Knitwit - Caroline Smart headed for her home armed with crochet hooks and wool. She found herself with two eager learners because Kim Davis, Retha’s close friend and carer, also decided that she would like to learn the skill.

“It was a delightful couple of hours watching them get to terms with wool and crochet hooks which often decide to do their own thing! Another challenge was one of Retha’s adored cats who decided the entire process was for his benefit!”

The project was the idea of Zelda la Grange, former personal assistant to late former president Nelson Mandela, who presented a challenge to well-known Johannesburg live-wire personality Carolyn Steyn to knit 67 blankets by July 18 for Mandela Day. These blankets would then be distributed to those in need.

Carolyn Steyn initially put the idea out to the arts community and the response was incredible. Leading theatre personalities, both women and men - not to mention the Minister of Arts & Culture, Paul Mashatile – responded immediately. Before long, Knitwits (as they have come to be called) have been popping up everywhere, inside and outside South Africa, inspired by the values of the project. The list grows by the minute.

For the full story visit http://news.artsmart.co.za/2014/01/join-knit-wit-revolution.html

It’s also well worth taking a look at the 67 Blankets for Madiba Day Facebook page where the most wonderful array of knitting and crochet work is being produced, from the most basic to those which should be displayed on an exhibition!

MASONWABE LUNCH HOUR

(Young Mambazo)

Durban’s Stable Theatre welcomes audiences to a free two-hour midday concert on February 6.

Stable Theatre launches its 2014 programme of productions with a Masonwabe concert when all are welcome to enjoy the performances of the featured artists who have been signed to perform. They include: two indlamu groups, Imfene, a mixed-gender Indlamu group, and Isivinini, an all-woman Indlamu group; and noted Isicathamiya exponents, Young Mambazo (a new-generation off-shoot of the famous Ladysmith Black Mambazo group) and Beautiful Stars.

“Our Masonwabe concert is in line with our policy of developing local artists and giving them an opportunity to perform at Stable Theatre as part of our lunch hour programme,” says Stable Theatre Manager, Thanduxolo Zulu.

“Thanks to our generous sponsors and donors, we look forward to welcoming our patrons and friends to our theatre for this attractive programme, also to the line-up of other great shows we have on offer over the next two months, including an exciting mix of song, dance and drama,” he adds.

The Masonwabe concert takes place from 13h00 to 15h00 on February 6. Entrance is free.

With easy access off the N3 Warwick Triangle flyover, Stable Theatre is situated at 115 Johannes Nkosi Street (formerly Alice Street), and is supported by the KZN Department of Arts and Culture, Ethekwini Municipality, the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, the National Arts Council and the KZN Performing Arts Trust.

For enquiries about these shows and other projects happening at Stable Theatre, log onto www.stabletheatre.co.za. Alternatively call 031 309 2513, or email stabletheatre@telkomsa.net

ARTSMART JOINS THE KNITWITS

(Caroline Smart & Pauline Dalais and the beginnings of the artSMart blanket!

Pic by Kajal Bagwandeen)

Inspired by the 67 Blankets for Madiba Day project, an artSMart team comprising editor Caroline Smart with manager Pauline Dalais is putting together a multi-coloured blanket.

The artSMart office is ablaze with the different colour wools and well-known actress and television presenter, Kajal Bagwandeen, was kind enough to photograph the two new Knitwits (as those involved in the project have been dubbed). Online manager Clinton Marius ensures the stories get out to the public!

The project was the idea of Zelda la Grange, former personal assistant to late former president Nelson Mandela, who presented a challenge to well-known Johannesburg live-wire personality Carolyn Steyn to knit 67 blankets by July 18 for Mandela Day. These blankets would then be distributed to those in need.

Carolyn Steyn initially put the idea out to the arts community and the response was incredible. Leading theatre personalities, both women and men - not to mention the Minister of Arts & Culture, Paul Mashatile – responded immediately. Before long, Knitwits were popping up everywhere, inside and outside South Africa, inspired by the values of the project. The list grows by the minute.

“I have been crocheting and knitting things since I was very young,” explains Caroline Smart. “I love creating things and sometimes go a bit overboard. Once, when I was crocheting a double-bed blanket, I decided to take it on a trip to the UK so I could crochet while we were driving fair distances. I even worked on it on the plane. Must have been crazy! To think of doing something like that now boggles the mind!”

While Smart needed no encouragement to pick up her crochet hook again, Pauline Dalais required a bit of persuasion.

“I never thought that I would ever crochet in this lifetime - but look at me go!” she says. “When Caroline asked if I'd like to assist on the 67 Blankets for Madiba Day Project, I laughed ‘cos I know absolutely nothing about crocheting. Within an hour, she taught me how to crochet and I was hooked! Although, I must admit my technique is more croch-knit! I don't know if I'll ever get the hang of holding the crochet needle in the conventional manner! However, I feel all the more blessed to be involved on this project, as I feel that I have benefited! The process is both therapeutic and gratifying! I am a proud Knitwit!”

For the full story visit http://news.artsmart.co.za/2014/01/join-knit-wit-revolution.html It’s also well worth taking a look at the 67 Blankets for Madiba Day Facebook page where the most wonderful array of knitting and crochet work is being produced, from the most basic to those which should be displayed on an exhibition!