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Thursday, August 26, 2021

ACT BUILDING BLOCKS PROGRAMME GRADUATES FOR 2021!

The Arts and Culture Trust (ACT) proudly announces the 38 graduates for The ACT Building Blocks Programme 2021 funded by the National Arts Council (NAC) and supported by Sun International and Eastern Cape Provincial Arts And Culture Council (ECPACC).

The ACT Building Blocks Programme that ran from May to July 2021 and saw more than 160 applicants from across the country compete for one of 45 spots on the programme concluded with 38 proud graduates on August 17, 2021.

The Building Blocks Programme remains one of ACT’s most impactful and relevant programmes in the arts and culture sector, empowering a large number of arts and culture practitioners across South Africa to hone their professional and business development within an arts specific framework. Through the Building Blocks Programme ACT strives to increase the capacity and sustainability of South African arts and culture organisations and practitioners, small and mid-level creative enterprises and entrepreneurial artists.

The extensive and updated ACT Building Blocks curriculum which aims to capacitate and bolster the entrepreneurial spirit and strengthen the resilience of small (microbusiness) to mid-level organisations and arts practitioners included training and mentoring in:

-ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) in the arts

-Digital Skills

-Marketing

-Governance, Monitoring & Evaluation.

All nine provinces were included in the open call and a selection committee selected five artists/organisations from each province. Of this selection, 43 individuals/organisations participated in the programme and 38 successfully completed the rigorous curriculum.

ACT would like to congratulate the following graduates on their dedication, commitment and resilience in completing the ACT Building Blocks Programme

Kwa-Zulu Natal graduates are Jarryd Watson – Organisation (The Wentworth Arts and Culture Organisation) and Noxolo Thandeka Mlungwana – Individual

 

Included in  the other successful graduates are:

GautengBuhle Martha Radebe – Individual; Lungile Zaphi – Organisation (Morris Isaacson Centre of Music); Lethabo Gumede – Individual; Kganya Mogashoa – Individual

Free State: Lerato George Thulo – Organisation (Raycreek (Pty) Ltd); Lana Combrinck – Individual; Pheello Rasello – Organisation (Black Roots Productions (Pty) Ltd); Berlina Medupi – Organisations (Tidimalo Dance and Theatre Productions)

Limpopo: Makwena Manamela – Organisation (Deft PR); Nthwaleng Selinah Tlaka – Organisation (Ipopeng Cultural Group); Boitumelo Kodibona – Organisation (Manyalo Music Awards)

Eastern Cape: Litha Ncokazi – Organisation (Art Versatile Institute for Arts Development, Entrepreneurship and Research); Sibusiso Molefe – Individual (BANG Entertainment); Heidi Sincuba – Individual (Sincuba Studios); Gary Ndlovu – Individual

Western Cape: Christie van Zyl – Individual; Xolane Marman – Individual; Ralton Nolan – Individual; Kirsten Pienaar – Organisation (Biblioteek Productions)

Northern Cape: Balfour Lekgwathi – Organisation (On The Beat Communications); Richie Cloete – Individual; Vuyo Mayesa – Individual; Monnapula Maranda - Individual

North West: Amogelang Mokonoto – Individual; Thina Minya – Individual (MaCa – Mareledi Centre of ARTS); Thabo Mauco – Individual; Nonhlanhla Pitseng – Organisation (Raikaga Performing Arts); Tshepo Mothudi - Individual

Mpumalanga: Smangele Theledi – Organisation (Youth Nest Foundation NPC); Speelman Mabena – Organisation (SM Pro Studios); Clement Mokoena – Individual (FunkMusiq); Joseph Mandla Mahlangu – Organisation (Joed Multipurpose Organisation)

 

Additional graduates, from the ECPACC’s Creative Enterprise Accelerator Programme, include:

Athenkosi Kilane – Organisation (HNP Production Company (Pty) Ltd)

Colleen Mapatwana – Organisation (Daughters of Entergrity Publishers & Distributors (Pty) Ltd)

Cynthia Nontsikelelo Mshweshwe – Organisation (Waterfalls Creations)

Monwabisi Ngcai – Organisation (Fingwa Photography & Production)

 

ACT CEO Marcus Desando says: “We are proud of every single graduate in this programme. The dedication and commitment it took to fulfil all the requirements to qualify for graduation demanded real investment from the participants. Graduating from the ACT Building Blocks programme is a proactive move towards entrepreneurial progress and enablement in entering or sustainably participating in the economy as an arts and culture practitioner or organisation.”

The Building Blocks Programme will strengthen the operational infrastructure of the programme participants by providing technical assistance and relevant developmental tools through Masterclasses and mentoring and in so doing serving the creative sector holistically.

To link direct to the Arts & Culture Trust’s site, click on the ACT logo to the right of this article or visit http://www.act.org.za