Deadline: May 3, 2016
The Arts
& Culture Trust (ACT) is inviting nominations for the eagerly awaited 2016 ImpACT Awards, which are
held annually in recognition and celebration of excellence within the arts,
culture and creative sectors in South Africa.
Nominations
for the 2016 ImpACT Awards
for Young Professionals, sponsored by The National Lotteries Commission (NLC)
and the Distell Foundation in partnership with Sun International, are now open.
This year there will be a total of five ImpACT
Awards to honour young professional artists.
Since
their inception in 1998, the ACT
Awards have celebrated many individuals and organisations that have
made a significant cultural contribution to the country. The awards have gained
national acclaim and exposure throughout the industry, and are presented to
individuals not older than 30 years old, and companies or organisations
operating in South Africa for no more than five years.
Some of the
previous ImpACT Award
winners include: Lindiwe Maxolo, POPArt, Laurie Wiid van Heerden, Benon
Lutaaya, Letlhogonolo Nche, The Muffinz, Blessing Ngobeni, Phillip Dikotla,
Bambo Sibiya, Camron Andrews, Motlaji Ditodi, Ozlo Clothing Store, Nomfundo
Xaluva, Thabo Makhetha Designs, Kyla Davis and Jade Bowers.
The ImpACT Awards are
presented in five broad arts categories with selected disciplines being
eligible for consideration in each. The public nominations are now open in the
following categories:
ImpACT
Award for Visual Art - Artists
working in the mediums of Fine Art, Sculpting, Public Installations and
Photography are eligible for nomination.
ImpACT
Award for Theatre - Artists practicing
the disciplines Acting, Directing and Writing for Theatre, Musical Theatre and
Physical Theatre are eligible for nomination.
ImpACT
Award for Music & Singing -
Classical, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Traditional, Jazz and other music composers,
producers, musicians and singers are eligible for nomination.
ImpACT
Award for Design - Artists working in
the areas of Craft, Jewellery and Fashion Design, Graphic Design and Arts-based
Web Design are eligible for nomination.
ImpACT
Award for Dance – Trained
Contemporary, Traditional, African, Ballet and other dancers and choreographers
are eligible for nomination.
ACT Chief
Executive Officer, Pieter Jacobs is passionate about encouraging young artists
and creatives around South Africa to be recognised and honoured. “For ACT, the
aim of this kind of acknowledgement for having done something superbly well is
so much more than a boost of morale. The highlight these awards cast on its
recipients’ careers offers them valuable exposure that associates them with
individuals and groups that excel in their chosen field. The promotion and
endorsement they receive, even years after being awarded, supports the growth
of their markets and networks,” says Jacobs.
ACT has
opened nominations for the
ImpACT Awards for young professionals until May 3, 2016. ImpACT winners will
receive a cash prize of R10,000 and additional PR opportunities that will be
generated through the ImpACT
Awards.
Winners of
ImpACT Awards
are selected by an independent panel of judges, finalists will be announced at
a media briefing and winners will be announced at the awards ceremony scheduled
to take place in Johannesburg in the last quarter of 2016.
To submit nominations
visit http://bit.ly/21iM2pP
Featuring
prominently as part of the ACT Awards are the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards.
These awards are presented to deserving individuals who have made a profound
impact and who have contributed significantly to the enrichment of the arts and
culture environment in South Africa. The categories for Lifetime Achievement
Awards are; Visual Arts, Theatre, Arts Advocacy, Music, Dance and Literature.
The ACT Awards are presented
in partnership with Sun International, The National Lotteries Commission (NLC),
Nedbank Arts Affinity, Media24 Books, DALRO, Distell Foundation and Creative Feel Magazine.
For more
information about the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) visit www.act.org.za