Workshop grooms future artists
GAUTENG - The Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation is making strides in its efforts to groom future artists to ensure the sustainability of the creative industry.
The Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation is making strides in its efforts to groom future artists in a bid to ensure the sustainability of the creative industry.
Two groups from Alexandra, Women Liberation and Not Mad But Haunted, attended the Ishashalazi Development Workshop from 3 to 9 October at the scenic Sedeba Kwela Lodge outside of Brits.
The Ishashalazi Theatre and Poetry Programme of the department which organised the workshop, seeks to identify, nurture and showcase the talents of theatre performers and poets.
The workshop was the culmination of the Ishashalazi audition which saw 187 theatre groups from across Gauteng vying to be on the programme. About 25 theatre shows and 12 poets were selected to attend the week-long workshop to develop their acts.
The workshop involved 13 facilitators who provided the performers with training, including acting, writing and producing. The performers were also given the opportunity to expand their repertoire and skill set by experimenting in other performance styles such as music and stand-up comedy, as well as taking part in sporting activities.
The workshop also included a directors’ symposium, where advanced skills in directing were taught.
Following on from the workshop will be the Ishashalazi Festival which will take place at the Soweto Theatre in December on a date still to be set. The five-day festival will see selected and groomed theatre groups and poetry acts taking to the stage to perform their works.
Several of the facilitators at the workshop noted the excellent standard of work and how much the bar has been raised, which they said would make for an exciting festival in Soweto with top quality performances.
Deputy director of creative industries at the Gauteng department, Andrew Makhaya encouraged aspiring performers to get involved in programmes such as Ishashalazi, which aim to increase the skills and job opportunities in the arts and promote economic growth in the cultural industries such as theatre, TV and film.
Details: Nomazwe Ntlokwana 011 355 2578 or nomazwen@gpg.gov.za
