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Wednesday, December 3, 2014

WUSHWINI ARTS & HERITAGE FUNDRAISER



A good opportunity is on offer on December 15 for leaders in the corporate sector to be part of an exciting cultural development project taking place near Durban.

Her Excellency, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, will be the celebrity keynote speaker at a fundraising lecture titled Opportunities for Creative Arts, Industry and Business in Africa to be held at Moses Mabhida This high profile event will be hosted by the Wushwini Arts Culture and Heritage Centre, supported by Ethekwini Municipality.

Three years ago, when arts visionary Jerry Pooe attended the opening of a community hall in the poverty-stricken district of Wushwini, situated near the scenic Inanda Dam in KwaZulu-Natal’s Valley of 100 Hills, he was dismayed at the plight of the local people, in particular children, who were completely without any recreational facilities.

Pooe solicited the help of Inkosi Bengu, the regional traditional authority. Inkosi Bengu made available a vandalised school, the Department of Arts and Culture donated core funds towards its development, and further funds were sourced and continued to be found by Pooe’s Eager Artists Company.

This led to the realisation of a dream of finding a home base for Pooe’s 21-year old Eager Artists Company, and it saw the brave beginnings of what has since become the vibrant young Wushwini Arts, Culture and Heritage Centre – a venture which is giving hope, motivation and the potential for employment to the community in the area.

“At our presentation at Moses Mabhida on 15 December, we look forward to inviting captains of industry in our region to come aboard and associate their corporate brands with the exciting developments happening at Wushwini,” says Pooe. “After presenting our vision to our invited guests, we will auction off artworks, and offer them opportunities for corporate partnering, by way of naming rights associated with our eight venues at Wushwini, and by making pledges in support of our line-up of high profile performance projects. The event will also offer opportunities for networking amongst guests.”

The Wushwini fundraising event on December 15 runs at Moses Mabhida between 18h00 and 20h00, and will include a sit-down dinner, with prime entertainment by arts luminaries Gcina Mhlophe, Madala Kunene, Nhlangano Home Boys, Twice and Ndunankululu.

For more information, or to be part of this event, e-mail copydog@artslink.co.za or call 082 335 6088.