The Architects of
Real Change
ACT and Tanaka Pictures launch NPO Bootcamp vodcast for South Africa’s arts and culture
non-profit sector
Premiering on YouTube on July 13, 2026, the series shares practical leadership lessons from the people building and sustaining creative sector organisations.
The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT), in partnership with Tanaka Pictures, will launch NPO Bootcamp: Arts & Culture Edition on YouTube on July 13, 2026 under the ACT Centre of Excellence banner.
The vodcast series brings together leaders and practitioners from South Africa’s arts and culture non-profit sector for honest, practical conversations about what it takes to build, lead and sustain organisations working in the creative economy.
Hosted by Nobantu Mqulwana, Managing Director of Tanaka Pictures, the series moves beyond surface-level inspiration to explore the leadership realities, operational challenges and hard-earned lessons behind organisations that are driving change in the sector.
Across South Africa’s arts and culture sector, non-profit organisations play a vital role in creating access, developing talent, supporting communities and expanding participation in the creative economy. Yet much of the practical knowledge needed to build and sustain these organisations is learned through experience, often in isolation. NPO Bootcamp: Arts & Culture Edition responds to this gap by sharing real-world insight from leaders who are actively navigating the work.
The series launches with its first four interviewees, representing the beginning of a broader set of conversations to follow. Featured in the initial release are respected leaders and practitioners from across the arts and non-profit landscape, including Jack Devnarain, actor and Chairperson of the South African Guild of Actors; Nosipho Maketo-van den Bragt, Founder and CEO of Chocolate Tribe; Erica Elk, Group CEO of the Craft and Design Institute; and Nathi Simelane, Chief Operating Officer of Artist Proof Studio.
Through these conversations, the series explores governance, funding, partnerships, programme design, compliance, leadership, creative enterprise and long-term organisational resilience. It creates space for the kind of practical sector knowledge that is often difficult to access, especially for emerging organisations and practitioners working to strengthen their impact.
“What makes this series important is that it captures the knowledge that often lives between people, inside organisations, and behind years of experience,” says Jessica Denyschen, Chief Executive Officer of the Arts & Culture Trust.
“Meaningful change does not happen in the abstract. It starts with real people, with real experiences, doing real work, often while carrying enormous responsibility with limited support. NPO Bootcamp: Arts & Culture Edition is about making space for those voices, and for the practical knowledge within the sector, to be shared more openly. If we are serious about sustainability, we need to strengthen how we work together, share knowledge more freely, and recognise that lasting change is built through collective effort.”
Nobantu Mqulwana, Managing Director of Tanaka Pictures, says: “This series is about making the invisible visible. It is about understanding the realities behind the work, and creating access to the kind of information that is often difficult to find. We want emerging organisations to see what is possible, but also to understand what it really takes.”
As the series develops, ACT and Tanaka Pictures hope to build a wider conversation around the realities, challenges and possibilities of sustaining arts and culture organisations in South Africa. Practitioners, partners, funders, supporters and emerging organisations are encouraged to watch the series, share the knowledge and insights, amplify the conversations, and help identify additional voices and organisations that can contribute to future episodes.
ACT and Tanaka Pictures acknowledge the support of the MTN Foundation, which sponsored the venue for the production of the first leg of the series.
NPO Bootcamp: Arts & Culture Edition premieres on YouTube on July 13, 2026. Audiences are encouraged to subscribe to @NPOBOOTCAMP and set a reminder for the premiere.
The vodcast will also be available via the ACT Centre of Excellence website at www.act.org.za/co.
Watch, follow and
share the series:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@NPOBOOTCAMP
ACT Centre of
Excellence: www.act.org.za/coe
Click to set a
reminder for its premiere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTM0jSQqQa8
About the Arts & Culture Trust
Celebrating 32 years
of arts excellence, the Arts & Culture Trust is South Africa’s premier
independent arts development and investment organisation. ACT’s primary aim is
to increase the capacity for arts and culture initiatives to create sustainable
futures through development and investment in innovative projects that make
meaningful contributions to society.
Through structured development programmes, ACT supports all expressions of arts and culture including literature, music, visual art, theatre and dance, as well as festivals, community arts initiatives, arts management, education and administration. Over the past 32 years, ACT has supported more than 830 arts, culture and heritage development projects nationwide, including creative small businesses.
About Tanaka Pictures
Tanaka Pictures is a
multimedia production house focused on creating uplifting, inspiring and
actionable content for young South Africans. The company is driven by a vision
to make information and solutions more accessible while helping individuals and
organisations chart pathways toward meaningful and sustainable futures.
Through NPO Bootcamp, Tanaka Pictures aims to support emerging South African social enterprises and non-profit organisations with practical knowledge, tools and sector insight to help them strengthen and sustain their impact.