Arts trust honours elders and their place in the future
At the forefront of recognising the contribution of elders to inspiring the next generation is the Arts and Culture Trust (ACT), established in 1997. It has become a maintaining and sustaining force in arts and culture.
The trust has disbursed more than R20m over the past 20 years as it fulfils its mandate to establish an industry that is self-sustaining, innovative and independent of public funding.
ACT has five annual funding and development programmes, including a creative conference and arts management master classes. Over the years, the organisation has acknowledged many icons of South African heritage, including Miriam Makeba, Johnny Clegg, Dr Mongane Wally Serote, Judge Albie Sachs, Pieter-Dirk Uys, John Kani, Esther Mahlangu, Es’kia Mphahlele, Gibson Kente and Nadine Gordimer.
The 20th ACT annual awards ceremony late in 2017 celebrated excellence in South African arts, culture and creativity. Its prize money of R150,000 was shared among Lindiwe Mabuza, Adele Blank, Dorothy Masuka, James Matthews and The Handspring Puppet Company.
Minister of Women in the Presidency Susan Shabangu said at the ceremony: “We are what we are; our liberation in SA, democracy and the African rainbow we have … because of many things these lifetime achievers have done for us.”
Mabuza, who won an award for arts advocacy, echoed these sentiments: “We are not who we are because of what we ourselves achieved. There are so many beautiful people that have made me. I have stood on the shoulders of great giants — Oliver Tambo, Albertina Sisulu and Winnie Mandela.”
Dorothy Masuka, 85, broke into song after receiving the award. “It is nice to receive flowers while you can still smell them,” she said.
Blank, winner in the dance category, had her daughter and grandson in the audience. “There has been such an explosion of dance over the years. Today dance covers so many forms of the arts. It is done with paintings, sculptures, voice and with or without music. Dance is the breath of life and the future is bright.”
Matthews, 89, received the literary award, sponsored by the Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation. It was presented to him by ACT board member Rashid Lombard, who grew up in Cape Town. “The importance of having a mentor, at any stage of life, cannot be underscored or underestimated. James Matthews is a very special person,” says Lombard.
Matthews is a dissident poet, using his words like bullets to fight oppression. He recalled: “I look at flowers growing or a butterfly flying and I could not write a poem relating to it. When I look at people maimed, shackled and jailed, the meaning is clear that I shall use poetry as a political weapon.”
Some of his collections, including Cry Rage (1972), were banned. Matthews’s writing continues to be a fight against a system that does not fully recognise the power of wisdom. He is promoting the joys of wisdom with his collection Gently Stirs My Soul.
“People seem to fear getting old. Old is a beautiful situation. Every mark on the face is a mark of experience and of joy.”
ACT conference organiser Anastasia Pather says looking back is a powerful way of looking forward. “These icons have given South Africans an identity, and youth development is inextricably fused with identity,” she adds.
She cites the recent sold-out tours and shows of lifetime achievers such as Clegg and Penny Siopis to indicate that there is a growing community of young people seeking out the wisdom of elders as their new role models.
“It is not solely an age distinction but a respect and quality distinction. These elders have earned the respect of generations of South Africans, and their artwork becomes a legacy. Legacies have no time limits,” Pather says.
ACT bestows a younger version of the lifetime achievement award: the ImpACT. The 2017 award went to choreographer, dancer and teacher Byron Klassen. He named dance mentor Alfred Hinkel as his biggest influence.
“His methodology is unique and can transform any who has the potential into a resourceful performer. Receiving and giving is the key to keeping arts and culture alive.”
With funding from Russia, the Department of Arts and Culture was given the task of establishing a Living Legends programme in 2015. The programme took elder artists around the country to conduct master classes. Saxophonist Barney Rachabane says payment has not been forthcoming. Gauteng MEC for sports, arts, culture and recreation Faith Mazibuko recently apologised for “letting down artists”.
The wisdom economy was first identified as arising and evolving out of the knowledge economy about 10 years ago. Where the knowledge economy is “competitive and grasping”, the wisdom economy is “collaborative and gracious,” writes author Julian Dobson. This “wise application of knowledge”, led to growth in the creative economy.
“The lifetime’s achievements reflect, magnify, manifest and inspire new entrants to the creative economy,” says Lombard. Committed leadership, enabling regulation and investment of the right kind has led to the continued growth of the creative economy. Better co-ordination and synchronisation in the arts and culture industry could trigger the wisdom economy. “There is compelling reason and need for the challenges to the wisdom economy to be considered on an urgent basis. This is where the potential for growth lies,” says Lombard.