Partnerships between businesses and the arts are celebrated in Parktown
PARKTOWN – Finalists in the Basa awards are announced.
Innovators and creatives were celebrated at the announcement of the finalists for the 21st annual Business and Arts South Africa (Basa) awards held at Hollard in Parktown on 28 August.
The awards seek to acknowledge the business support of and partnership with the arts in South Africa.
Basa CEO Michelle Constant said, “There is intrinsic value to the arts in terms of narrative and instrumental value in terms of business in the economy. These are not binary. The Basa awards try to find the balance between those binaries and create a relationship between the arts and business that tells stories and gives work opportunities.”
Judging chair Kojo Baffoe said the awards served to recognise and celebrate the finalists. “The work these finalists are doing doesn’t need the awards in order to make an impact since each project has already made a difference in somebody’s life,” said Baffoe.
Finalists were announced in a number of categories including beyond borders, cultural tourism, development, first-time sponsorship, increasing access to the arts, innovation, long-term partnership, media sponsorship, small business, sponsorship in-kind and strategic projects.
Lesley Cohen of the Wits Arts Museum expressed her joy at being selected as a finalist in two categories. The museum in collaboration with marketing company Black Africa was selected as a finalist for the sponsorship in-kind award for the Andy Warhol Unscreened exhibition.
“Black Africa put in R500 000 worth of time to assist in publicising the event which resulted in 5 000 people attending the opening night and a total of 24 000 people attending the exhibition, which is really big. It would not have been possible without their help,” said Cohen.
The museum in partnership with the Bank of America Merril Lynch was also selected as a finalist for the Strategic Partnership Award for bringing their exhibition to South Africa. “This is so deserved in terms of Bank of America Merril Lynch’s commitment to the arts. Their partnership has translated into Merill Lynch SA giving significant resources to our education support programme for the next three years,” said Cohen.
Drama for Life and Rand Merchant Bank were selected as finalists in the Mvuso Schools and Community Education Project as well as the Development Award for the 2017 Drama for Life festival.
Caryn Green of Drama for Life, which is based at Wits University, spoke to the Rosebank Killarney Gazette and said the department focused on arts for social transformation and healing. She added that the Mvuso Schools and Community Education Project focused on collaborations between teachers and community-based artists to work with primary school children to facilitate social transformation.
“While it is cool to receive these nominations, it is important to acknowledge our funder and thank them in this way for their support,” said Green.
Winners will be announced on 16 September at Victoria Yards in Lorenzville.
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