Work boost for artists

Artists from marginalised communities had an opportunity to showcase their talent at the Cape of Creativity exhibition, which took place at the V&A Waterfront’s Watershed and amphitheatre on Saturday, July 1.

Artists from Langa, Khayelitsha, Mitchell’s Plain and Delft, among other areas, performed, sang, danced and exhibited their crafts as part of a creative pilot project by the Craft and Design Institute (CDI), supported by the national government’s Social Employment Fund (SEF) to assist creatives across the country.

The Social Employment Fund, which is championed by the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition and administered by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) aims to create 50 000 employment opportunities and support activities that create social value in communities, in areas such as community safety, early childhood development, education programmes, food kitchens, arts and culture and responses to gender-based violence, among others.

It was established as part of phase two of the Presidential Employment Stimulus, which was first announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in October 2020.

The CDI was among 28 organisations across the country elected to benefit from the R800 million national Social Employment Fund.

CDI executive director Erica Elk said over the past nine months, they have been working with 17 community organisations in areas across the city, with a goal to nurture talent and enable over 1 000 formerly unemployed artists to earn a living, become re-energised, and generate new work.

She said CDI had applied for the Social Employment Fund in 2021 with the aim to helping under-resourced communities.

“The thinking behind it is work brings dignity. If you give people work there is purpose in what they do, and there’s a reason they are earning the money. And through the work, they were getting experience and gaining confidence, as well as new opportunities.”

She said with the CDI working in the creative industry, they had to think about how they could create work that was meaningful for creativity and not just a handout.

“We designed this programme called the Creative Community Connectors, during which the CDI worked with arts-based community organisations in Khayelitsha, Mitchell’s Plain, Kayamandi, Du Noon, Athlone and Langa, over a six-month period to create opportunities.”

The organisations then recruited other creatives and sought information from their communities across all disciplines. They created cultural maps ranging from memories and stories of place, to creative and cultural initiatives.

“Our assumption was that in the process, they would be inspired to make new work,” said Ms Elk.

The next phase was just that - to create work with all the information that they had gathered, and then to showcase their work to bring in opportunities.

“It generated so much energy and they became so connected as communities.”

While the project formally ended on June 30, there was so much revitalised energy that they decided they needed a public showcase, culminating in the event at the Waterfront on Saturday.

“This was an opportunity for the participants to be in the public on stage - the first time for many of them. It’s been amazing.”

As part of the programme, Loyiso Damoyi from artistic youth outreach programme Africa Jam in Khayelitsha, said the collaboration helps create a “beacon of hope for the people”.

Mpilo Headman from creative organisation Our Workshop in Langa, said through the programme with CDI, they were able to learn about creativity that they didn’t know existed in their communities.

“We got to hear stories from people in the 1980s and we were so in awe.”

Our Workshop is a space for aspiring artists to create products using upcycling.

Multidisciplinary artist Sydney Lewis from Rocklands, Mitchells Plain, is part of an art support organisation called Sm-Art in the area. He said the organisation gave artists like himself platforms to work with other artists and support, in the form of mentorship and tools, to become successful in their careers.

He said being part of the programme has helped him become more confident and allowed him to tap into areas outside of his art to equip him for the industry.

Mitchell’s Plain Music Academy’s founder, Trevino Isaacs, said the resources available have been instrumental in enhancing music programmes, and improving the quality of music education they offer.

“I believe the scheme has boosted morale in Mitchell’s Plain, and the students were excited to show what they’ve learnt.”

Ms Elk said this was the first time that the CDI had executed the project, and was happy with the outcome.

“We have missed the application for the second round of the Social Employment Fund, and we are hoping there will be a third one, but we have built meaningful relationships and hopefully we can continue supporting these artists.”