The National Arts Festival has announced six young South
Africans as winners of the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist Award.
This marks the start of a new decade building on Standard
Bank’s 30 years of sponsoring the Awards which was celebrated in Grahamstown
this year. The number of winners who have received this accolade since 1984 now
tallies up to 137.
The Award is made 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.
“The announcement of each year’s Standard Bank Young Artist
Awards offers a window into the dynamic vibrancy with which South African
artists continue to use their talents and skills to resolutely raise the bar on
artistic excellence in South Africa,” says Ismail Mahomed Artistic Director of
the National Arts Festival.
The winners of the 2015 Standard Bank Young Artist Awards
are: Luyanda Sidiya (Dance); Nduduzo Makhathini (Jazz); Kemang Wa Lehulere (Visual
Art); Musa Ngqungwana (Music); Athi-Patra Ruga (Performance Art) and Christiaan
Olwagen (Theatre).
“Standard Bank continues to pioneer and support initiatives
that ensure platforms for the talented voices of our country’s young
established artists. Over the past 31 years, this award has proven to be a
flagship of its kind in the arts in South Africa. We look forward to see what
the 2015 group of winners will add to our national arts treasury, both as
ambassadors of and inspiration for a new generation,” said Hazel Chimhandamba,
Head Group Sponsorship at Standard Bank.
Apart from a cash incentive, each of the winners will be
featured on the Main programme of the 2015 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown
(July 2-12, 2015), where they will be given the opportunity to develop and
première new works.
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