The Arts & Culture Trust’s next
five-year strategy will see the organisation making bold changes.
South Africa’s premier independent arts and
culture funding and development agency has played a strategic role in the
development of arts and culture in South Africa since its establishment in
1994.
Over the past 23 years, ACT has been
growing trust in the arts through its efficient and responsive implementation
of a range of activities that have made a meaningful contribution to the
dynamism of the creative sector. ACT’s consistent steady growth, good
governance and financial management track record have made it a partner of
choice for a range of growing sponsors.
“Not being afraid of change has served the
Trust well over the years and we’re not going to start resisting it now,” says
Pieter Jacobs, CEO of ACT. “In order to remain relevant and to ensure that the
Trust’s investment in the arts has the biggest possible impact, it is vital to
reflect and adjust where necessary.”
In addition to the restructuring of a
number of programmes, moving into its own premises by the time the Trust
celebrates 25 years, is among the ambitious plans for the next five years.
To ensure equitable disbursement of funds
to all arts disciplines and regions across South Africa, for the next five
years, ACT will change the grant-making programme drastically. The Trust’s
funding programme will consist of three major aspects with a focus on the
development of arts and culture in under-served regions, post-graduate studies
in the fields of arts journalism and arts management and underwriting of
feasible creative projects.
“Grants to the value of more than R23
million were disbursed to more than 800 projects since 1994, and with this new
direction ACT hopes to rectify the slight imbalance in the allocation to
certain regions and disciplines,” says Jacobs.
Since the inception of the Scholarships
Programme in 2009, more than R2.3 million has been invested in the careers of
young aspirant performing artists. This programme has also undergone a shake-up
with it now catering for after-school discipline-specific studies and training
across disciplines. In addition to hosting musical theatre auditions,
participants interested in pursuing a career in specifically acting, singing
and dancing will be able to audition for those only without having to
demonstrate competence in other disciplines.
Through the annual ACT Awards, the Trust
celebrated more than 150 individuals and groups who have made a meaningful
contribution to arts and culture in South Africa. Among those are icons such as
Miriam Makeba, Nadine Gordimer and John Kani. For the first time since the
launch of the Awards in 1998, a limited number of tickets will be made
available for purchase. At the same time, the format of the event has been
reinvented. In addition to a stellar line-up of entertainment and five-star
hosting, guests will enjoy a talk-show format with the winners.
“Since we’ve shifted focus to the
acknowledgement and celebration of the stalwarts of the local creative sector
in 2008 by increasing the number of Lifetime Awards allocated, their acceptance
speeches have become the highlight of the event. We believe that the new format
will maximise the opportunity to get to know these icons and their stories,”
says Jacobs.
For more information visit www.act.org.za
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