‘Piece of paper’ an insult to EC artists
Prize money will boost arts and entertainment
MTHATHAbased stage actor and playwright Billy Dakada has chastised the organiser of the Mthatha Heritage Jazz Festival for dishing out awards to local artists without any financial reward.
Dakada received a certificate of recognition at an award ceremony in Mthatha last weekend. Other recipients included authors Yolisa Madolo and Soga Mlandu.
The ceremony recognised achievers in arts and entertainment, authors, politicians and business.
But Dakada said local artists could not afford to buy costumes, instruments, or cover marketing and travel fees and as a result “emigrated” to Gauteng to get financial support, recognition and performance bookings.
“Without [prize] money, Eastern Cape artists won’t go anywhere. That is why it it is very important and necessary to invest in them,” he said.
However, event organiser Thando Sapepa-Nogaga said the awards were also in need of a financial boost.
She said the event was her own initiative to thank the “unsung heroes” of the local arts and entertainment industry.
SapepaNogaga said she would not organise the festival next year due to a shortage of funds.
Dakada’s productions – , the Rivonia Trial and The Pain, a story about the role of women in the liberation struggle – have premiered in Sweden (2006), Switzerland (2010) and the Grahamstown National Arts Festival.
It is the second consecutive year he has received an award at the Mthatha Heritage Jazz Festival.
“It is very insulting for an actor and a director of my calibre to get a piece of paper [certificate] which actually destroys [the awards] that I have already received,” he said.
He, however, commended the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council for helping artists financially.
Contacted for comment, Xhosa author Madolo said she appreciated the award as a “good gesture”.
At the risk of sounding ungrateful, she said it was a “norm” in the industry not to put much value on artists.
“I appreciate the awards but at the same time, as with so many other awards, more money is spent on decorations and organising events and not on the artists.
“The least [amount of money] is spent on the person being recognised,” Madolo said.
Madolo said artists could be supported not only in monetary terms.
“For instance, if I got a laptop it would help me to work better,” she said.
Mlandu could not be reached for comment. — loyisom@dispatch.co.za