Over the years the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) has
consistently supported young talent in the arts and honoured those who have
significantly contributed to the industry. To mark the 18th year of the
prestigious ACT Awards, South Africa’s premier independent arts funding and
development agency, will pay homage to both young and old artists.
To date, the ACT Awards have recognised over 140 individuals
and organisations for their significant contribution to art, culture and
heritage in South Africa. These awards show the sustainable impact ACT pursues
in the creative industry. 2015 will be the fifth year that ACT’s partnership
with the Distell Foundation will see yet another group of young professionals
being lauded for the remarkable impression they have made in the first five
years of their careers.
ACT CEO Pieter Jacobs says: “The ImpACT Awards for Young
Professionals highlight exceptional talent in the industry. This spotlight
creates a platform for these young individuals who might not otherwise receive
this kind of recognition - recognition that has the potential to powerfully
propel sustainable careers in a highly competitive industry.”
With the Distell Foundation’s support, the ImpACT Awards for
young professionals are given annually to honour young artists or businesses
that have reached a notable level in their career. Giving the masses a voice
through the public nomination process, ACT proudly boasts an excellent
selection of these individuals in the categories of Theatre, Visual Art, Design
and Music & Singing, and the newly-added Dance category.
“The Distell Foundation is proud to invest in young
professionals thus assisting them to catapult their careers in the creative
arts industry. We wish them success in growing their individual talent and
businesses,” says Irma Albers from Distell.
This year’s ImpACT Awards finalists include an array of
talented creatives ranging from graphic and interior designers, dancers, visual
artists, curators and entrepreneurs; to singers, songwriters and musicians; and
playwrights, actors and directors. Every year the variety in skill and talent
make the judging process even tougher, and this year is no exception. Each
winner will receive a cash prize of R2,000, a certificate, a spread in Creative
Feel Magazine worth over R30,000 and additional PR opportunities that will be
generated through the ACT Awards. ImpACT Award recipients will also get ongoing
backing from ACT in the form promotional support in their professional careers.
The judges for this year’s competition include musician
Sibongile Khumalo, Fine Arts and Arts Education Professor David Andrew,
choreographer Jayesperi Moopen, actress Warona Seane and arts and culture
development expert and consultant David Thatanelo April. Convenor of the
judging panel and ACT Trustee, Moopen says: “The criteria we used as a panel
was to honour artistic achievement and the impact of that concept and its
aesthetic quality demonstrating talent, determination, imagination and risks.”
The cornerstone of the ACT Awards is the presentation of the
prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards for Visual Arts, Theatre, Arts
Advocacy, Music and Literature. Lifetime Achievement Award winners are
nominated and selected by the ACT Board of Trustees, the recipient is someone
that the sponsors are proud to acknowledge for their contribution to the arts.
The judges specifically choose winners who stand out due to
the artistic excellence of their work; their experience in the industry and the
impact this has had on their community and the commerce of the creative
industry as a whole. The Lifetime Achievement Award winners will each receive
R30,000 cash prize, totalling an impressive R750,000 since 2008.
This year, in addition to the five existing Lifetime
Achievement Award categories, Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has come on
board to support the introduction of the Dance Lifetime Achievement Award. “JTI
is thrilled to have partnered with ACT in introducing this award. Dance is
perhaps the most under-recognised and un-awarded of the arts disciplines. South
Africa’s dancers and choreographers make a profound contribution to the local
and international dance landscape and we thank ACT for affording JTI the
opportunity to give them the recognition they so richly deserve,” says
Corporate Affairs and Legal Director for JTI Lizette Rau.
The 2015 ImpACT Awards are presented in partnership with the
Distell Foundation and Sun International. The ACT Lifetime Achievement Awards
are presented in partnership with Nedbank Arts Affinity, Media24 Books, DALRO,
JTI, Creative Feel Magazine and SAMRO.
The Awards ceremony will take place on November 2, 2015, at
Sun International’s The Maslow in Sandton, Johannesburg. For more information
visit www.act.org.za
Posts
