During a media event on 6 March 2015, held at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, the SA-UK Seasons announced the projects that will be taken forward as part of the SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015 programme.
After an open call for applications in South Africa and United Kingdom in October 2014, which attracted more than 400 submissions, about 40 projects were selected by the SA-UK Seasons’ joint organising committee to be part of the 2015 joint artistic programmes between South Africa (SA) and the United Kingdom (UK). In addition, the SA Season in the UK will be comprised of about 40 projects and British Council Connect ZA comprises of over 20 projects in 2015.
The SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015, a project between the British Council and the South African Department of Arts and Culture, is a multifaceted bilateral collaboration between the two nations, with a particular focus on artistic and creative capacity building and relationship development intended to raise cultural relations between the two countries.
Among the distinguished guests in attendance were the Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy to South Africa, Baroness Scotland, the British High Commissioner to South Africa, Her Excellency Mrs Judith Macgregor and Deputy Director General of the Department of Arts and Culture, Ms Maseapo Kganedi.
Deputy Director General of the Department of Arts and Culture, Ms Maseapo Kganedi, speaking on behalf of the Department of Arts and Culture said: “The Department is delighted at the success of the SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015. Clearly these Seasons are fulfilling their objective, which includes connecting new generations of creative professionals and audiences in SA and the UK. Perhaps more crucially, these Seasons promote the fostering of skills transfer and development and sharing expertise for the growth and sustainability of the arts and culture sector.”
“We are all impressed with the amount of collaborative projects between South Africa and the UK that are already in the making. What is surprising but wonderful is the fact that these projects span across all artistic disciplines, such as the visual arts, theatre, dance, cinema, literature, music and creative economy and are not centred on only one or two creative disciplines. The standards of these projects are very high and with the SA-UK Seasons’ support are sure to be successes,” said Her Excellency Mrs Judith Macgregor.
Nineteen projects are receiving partnership support grants and 22 projects are being issued Creative catalyst grants to further develop these projects and partnerships within the arts. There is a total fund of R6 million allocated to the SA-UK Seasons 2014 &2015 Joint Projects.
Official endorsement of projects by the SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015 are still being considered. These projects will benefit from the overall marketing and publicity of the SA-UK Seasons.
Colm McGivern, Country Director, British Council South Africa said, “All of these successful projects address the importance of strengthening existing relationships and creating new connections within the arts. It is to our mutual benefit to see such valuable skill transfer happening between our two nations. This is fundamental in what the SA-UK Seasons aim to achieve.”
“With regards to showcasing and promoting the SA and UK arts and culture, the programme has presented works that challenges and updates perceptions of contemporary culture and creativity in both countries. In 2014 more than 450 artists participated in prestigious festivals and events across both countries, and the projects of 2015, just announced, will further strengthen this constructive engagement,” says Commissioner-General of the SA-UK Seasons, Mr Bongani Tembe.
The SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015 is made possible because of the eager and talented creatives who see the need for developing the arts; the benefits of forging cross-border relationships, and building a solid platform to ensure the arts live on for future generations.
For more information about the SA-UK Seasons and projects visit:
www.southafrica-unitedkingdom.com
SA-UK Seasons’ (Joint Programme) 2015 Calendar
1 January-30 September
Hurry Hurry Albert Comic Project
The production of a comic book and an animation telling the story of Albert ‘Hurry Hurry Johanneson’, the first black football superstar in the modern English game.
3 January – 30 August
Viva Township Art Project
The Viva Township Art Project is an initiative of the Viva Foundation of South Africa, a registered Non-Profit organisation with the aim to transform informal settlements and other high priority poverty areas with residents in these communities into stable and safe neighbourhoods, providing education, work and recreation to the whole community.
Art is one of the organisation’s 4 focus areas along with Children (Education & Orphan Care), Poverty Alleviation (Skills & Enterprise Development) and the Prevention of- and Response to Sexual Violence.
The art focus likewise has a high transformational component. The idea is to create a Living Art Gallery in an informal settlement, by inviting artists to volunteer their time and talent to transform informal homes into works of art.
Beyond the transformation of the homes, the project also brings underprivileged children and youth into contact with art, through mentorship and workshops. Stimulating the local economy of the community with visitors coming to see the art and participating in the festivals. Local residents offer food, crafts and services.
The success of this project lies in the participation of local artists from the community working in collaboration with established artists from various disciplines. It is important to establish and broaden connections with local and international artists and encourage engagement and exchange.
4-11 January
“Under Development”
A unique multi-media theatre experience, in which contemporary artistic talent from SA (Goodcop Films & The Brother Moves On) and UK (Shunt) collaborate to develop a localised version of Shunt’s, “Contains Violence”. “Contains Violence” was a site-specific performance that took place in the windows of an abandoned building, in which the audience observed the entire performance from another building through the use of binoculars and synchronised headphones.
31 January-31 July
African Robots
A project by SA Artist to catalyse innovation in street wire art in South Africa by introducing cheap interactive electronics to wire workers.
25 February – 1 March
Can City x Cape Town
Can City is a project by designers Studio Swine first initiated in Sao Paulo Brazil. Studio Swine developed a mobile street furnace which runs on waste vegetable oil collected from food stalls and restaurants for a clean, free and plentiful fuel. Aluminium is collected from the streets in the form of construction waste and beverage cans. The moulds are made from sand which is re-useable and plentiful from the many construction sites across the city. The furnace is designed to help generate additional income amongst independent waste collectors who earn a very small wage from selling recyclable materials they collect, by smelting and casting aluminium they can provide items for the local community and souvenirs for the increasing tourism that comes to the city. With the help of SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015 and Guild Design Fair this project is being initiated in Cape Town to launch at Guild in February 2015. A foundry has been constructed and Studio Swine will be hosting live demonstrations and workshops.
2 March – 30 October
People2People International Documentary Conference
An International documentary conference, People 2 People wish to receive funding to host their 5th session.
20 – 21 March
Indie Book Fair
The Indie Book Fair is a celebration of independent writing, publishing and distribution. The organisers African Narratives (AFNA) are a not-for-profit organisation committed to the development of a vigorous grassroots literature in South Africa. AFNA sees the versatility and small-scale nature of independent publishing as the natural medium to stimulate the production of high quality books through which South Africans will be encouraged to write and read about their specific realities.
The main objectives of the Indie Book Fair are to celebrate independent publishing as it has a major role in developing literature at a grassroots level, to create opportunity for the establishment of a national organising association concerned with the quality of independent publishing and the stimulation of both writing and reading at the grassroots level, to create a platform for independent publishers to present their services to writers, and lastly to create a platform for writers to present and sell their books to the general public.
22 – 31 March
The Nelson Mandela Legacy Project
A collaboration between artists to develop a project centred on the theme of ‘what freedom means today’. Inspired by a visit to Glasgow’s Aye Write! Festival and the launch of the second edition of the ‘Glasgow Mandela Story’.
1 March-1 June
The Write Stuff
The Writer’s Guild of South Africa wants to collaborate with Creative England with an incubator program targeted at experienced writers to develop 5 full-length South African feature films for the international market.
28 March – 7 May
Beats and Bars
Beats and Bars SA will bring together two organisations, Baby People (UK) and Usuthu (SA), who promote artistic excellence and who currently work with disadvantaged young people. Baby People currently run Beats and Bars in the UK. The project uses laptops to deliver music workshops to young people and is delivered by experienced professional musicians. Beats and Bars SA, a new creative catalyst project will explore ways of collaboration through both organisations engaging in practical workshop activities. This will include running taster composition and recording sessions focusing on positive messages to develop new songs and material, which will be shared on CD and social media.
The Baby People team through workshops and utilising Usuthu’s considerable experience of international work will identify future projects with the goal to support long-term musical collaborations. This will lead to further opportunities for performance and exchange that will link into the future work for both organisations, including performance at events and festivals both regionally, nationally and internationally. It will draw on both organisations methods of working to enhance individuals’ skills and experience.
Beats and Bars SA will explore how the use of music technology, hip-hop and local music culture can be used to engage disadvantaged groups and be developed and expanded in new cultural settings. Exploring new ways of working together and encourage young people to share experiences and develop new projects and collaborative methods of working.
13 April – 30 May
I See a Different SA-UK
“I See A Different SA-UK” is a photography project showcasing South Africa and the United Kingdom through the lense and style of the I See A Different You collective. The project aims to showcase a different view of the two countries by changing the misconceptions and showcasing a diverse, real and cultural side that isn’t always portrayed by mainstream media. The main focus of the photography will be around people, environment, street style and the hidden beauty of our countries. This will be about capturing the energy of the subject in the photograph and will speak to how the photographer sees the people. This will be a nod to the people of South Africa and the United Kingdom to say “We see You”. The Photos will be exhibited at venues in both countries and the audiences will get to engage with the trio regarding their experiences while doing the project. The engagement will open dialogue around how we choose to see our environments.
April – October 2015
Africa Calling 2015
Africa Calling presents to the UK, the best of contemporary African design; from interiors to fashion
accessories, opening up markets for creative goods from the continent and enhancing people’s understanding of a contemporary creative Africa.
15 – 16 April
The Binary
The Binary is a SA-UK fashion industry exchange programme which will connect the creative entrepreneurs behind Johannesburg based label Missshape and London based label De Rien. The programme is as much about initiating business relations as it is about stimulating cultural exchange between British and South African fashion industries. Missshape will be represented by Jamal Nxedlana and De Rien by Cosmo Wise and Olubiyi Thomas. Both parties will get an opportunity to curate an industry tour, which will include trade meetings, media appointments, studio visits and networking sessions for the visiting parties. The industry tours will happen in
Johannesburg, Cape Town and London providing participants with an in-depth look into their hosts creative processes and business practices. The purpose ultimately being for the participants to leave having acquired knowledge, established relationships and created potential for future business and for future collaborations.
April – May 2016
A Place in Time
The project will present a response to the fleeting contemporary intervention of the Yorkshire sculpture park examining ancient human inclination to make and appreciate objects and marks which define our existence
1 August 2013 – 1 April 2015
Ghost Diamond
A film that tells the story of a Zulu girl’s exploratory journey into a new futuristic urban South Africa. The film will demonstrate innovative digital engagement.
30 – 31 May
Talking Doorsteps
Talking Doorsteps: The Last Word is about bringing together unique emerging spoken word artists from different parts of the globe and giving them the space and platform to collaborate and learn from each other. Hailing from Beirut, Cardiff, Cape Town, Johannesburg, London and Stara Zagora these poets will create brand new work together inspired by the idea of home, and work with professional standard film makers to create films to be released online via Roundhouse’s YouTube channel. Alongside this, they will be running workshops for the public, performing across London and connecting with its vibrant poetry scene. The aims of this culminating moment for Talking Doorsteps is to celebrate emerging talent, connect a global community of spoken word artists, and introduce individuals that are ready to take that step with their poetry, to London’s ever expanding scene.
May – June
Learning from the opposite pole
Learning from the opposite pole is a research project that looks to develop exchanges between organizations and individuals that have an interest in public art, public participatory practice and cultural management between Scotland and South Africa.
Conceptually, there are strong links as both Scotland and South Africa operate at near polar opposites of the world: what are the similarities being at such positions? What can we learn from the differences of our positions? Both formerly colonised places, they are both growing into their own identities in very different ways, and the role of participation and public arts are vital to understanding how populations construct their notions of self: The aim of the project is explore how another culture has done this in order to better understand how to do it in our own country.
1 June-25 September
Creative Week Cape Town
A platform for artists and creatives to showcase their work in Cape Town annually for 10 days. The events and experiences on the programme range from theatre, music, dance, animation, visual arts, the literary arts, public installations to film.
1 June – 26 July
Sunday School Letter #5: Letter from Cape Town
An organisation that wishes to embark on a fact finding mission to Cape Town which will then stage an ambitious exhibition titled ‘Letter From Cape Town’. The exhibition will feature contemporary art that is brought back from the city, and contain a programme of events.
15 – 27 June
Culture as a Driver and Enabler for Youth Development – African Youth Dance & Theatre Festival.
Culture as a Driver and Enabler for Youth Development is a programme which will facilitate cultural operators, artists and young emerging performers from Brouhaha International (UK) and Artscape (SA) engage in a series of innovative capacity building actions in both the United Kingdom and South Africa. Hosting training activities, arts engagement projects and residencies, performances and professional networking will impact on the participants’ capabilities to operate and act within a globalized cultural sector. Complementing the importance of culture in development and its contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Through building the skills, knowledge, experience and competences of the participants we enhance their capacity and capability to develop employment, create new products and test arts and cultural sector micro enterprises. The projects three main aims are firstly, to connect new generations of creative professionals and audiences in South Africa and the United Kingdom through supporting young dancers, musicians and carnival artists/makers who seek to extend and expand their experience within the cultural sector. Secondly, to foster new talent supported through high quality mobility experiences and the development of artistic skills and the creation of new collaborative cross arts from outdoor performance work. And lastly, stimulate young people’s spirit of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship through engaging them in training, arts and cultural initiatives, volunteering and exchanges in local and international contexts. Impacting on participants’ understanding of global citizenship and encouraging them to make positive contributions to their own development and the development of others.
1-31 July
The Chimurenga Library
The Showroom and The Otolith Collective have invited the Cape Town-based Chimurenga to present the Chimurenga Library in a new exhibition in London, in July 2015.
1 July-31 December
“The Film Will Always Be You”: exhibition histories of South African artists, film and performance.
The Film will always be you is a three-day programme of artists’ screenings, performances and discursive talks exploring the recent history of subjectivity in South African film and performance.
4 July
Waiting by Jason Larkin
While visiting South Africa in 2012, British photographer Jason Larkin was struck by an ever-present sense of people waiting: waiting for jobs, waiting for opportunities, waiting for politics to effect change. Many of his encounters were with people who were ready for this change, but who, for a variety of reasons—personal, political, historical—were left waiting. He saw this not only in daily news and in conversation, but also in his physical experience of Johannesburg. He grappled with the apparent contrast between this experience and the otherwise dynamic and transforming urban environment.
Travelling across the city, often on foot, Larkin realised he could capture the anxiety of waiting in photographs of commuters waiting for public transport to take them home. In his images of these literal and public expressions of waiting, he highlights the actual space occupied by people in the process as well as the hypothetical shadow they wait within. These offer him a visual metaphor for the larger waiting that seems a part of people’s lives in South Africa.
16 – 18 July
Sequins, Self and Struggle:
Performing and Archiving Sex, Place and Class in Cape Town Pageants
Sequins, Self and Struggle: Performing and Archiving Sex, Place and Class in Cape Town Pageants’ is a collaboration amongst the Departments of Drama at Royal Holloway and
Queen Mary, University of London (UK), The Centre for Curating the Archive and the
Centre for African Studies at the University of Cape Town (South Africa), Africana
Studies at Brown University (US) and the District Six Museum. The primary aims are to
research, document and disseminate archives of the Spring Queen and Miss Gay
Western Cape pageants in greater Cape Town by hosting a symposium. The creative output will be realised in an installation that incorporates a 28-minute documentary on the Miss Gay Western Cape and Miss Spring Queen pageants, that takes ‘The Dress’ as an entry point into conversations about ways of living, afterlives of apartheid and freedom. It will also include a visual art pop-up exhibition including a response by South African artist Berni Searle.
15 July – 24 August
The Barter
A cross cultural, cross continental exhibitions programme through the sharing of knowledge, the exchange of artists and artworks and the development of dynamic curatorial exchange.
July – November
Two Newcastles: searching for a shared context.
A collaborative project based on the commonality of Newcastle as place(s) and people(s).
1 August – 30 November
Connected
Through facilitated theatre workshops, these young people (aged 14 to 17) will create a brand new piece of live performance, reflecting the multi-national nature of its participants, using digital technology.
14 August-21 August
Dance Archive Exchange
This exchange will address strategic development around the construction of collections as well as the optimization of operations regarding archiving in dance.
15 August- 30 October
Resonance
Intercultural collaborative project that will reflect the stories of contemporary diverse communities in our cities. The dance work that has been developed by South African artists, in Johannesburg, is of particular interest.
20-25 August
Cross Country Catalyst
To deliver a cross-country platform for the introduction and interaction of UK and South African artists seeking to perform at Fringe Festivals in both countries.
21-31 August
Voices of South Africa
A musical educational initiative. Runs an intensive training programme for young singers selected across SA. Workshops are held every year. Started by Njabulo Madlala.
24 August – 31 October
Fak’ugesi Digital Africa Residency
The Fak’ugesi Residency focuses on the convergence of culture, creative practice and technology. The 2015 Residency is produced between the Fak’ugesi Digital Africa Festival in Johannesburg and the Networked Bodies Festival at Watermans in London. In partnership with Wits Art Museum and Tshimologong Precinct in Braamfontien as a SA-UK Seasons project.
The Fak’ugesi Residency brings together SA and UK practitioners from the three fields of software, hardware (maker) and art. The focus will be to create speculative and digital public engagement in response to this theme: “Futurist Visions of Johannesburg / City”
- uncovering place and space, physical and virtual responses to ‘now’ for socio-cultural technologies of the future.
Working together, sharing insights and knowledge while engaging the city and its technology cultures, the residents will bring into being a speculative technological-engagement that asks questions of a futuristic Johannesburg / City.
12 – 20 September
Umsindo
VANSA proposes a collective collaboration between three different organisations and collectives in the United Kingdom and South Africa, with a direct focus on digital multimedia contemporary arts practice, community participation and with artists of African descent working with digital media.
24 – 26 September
Music Exchange 2015
A project to foster partnerships between the entertainment and creative industries. The programme provides creative workers with practical tools and insights into the workings of the music, film and entertainment business so they are better equipped to make a success of their individual careers.
October
UK 2 SA Activism in Arts Project
Will engage with hard to reach youth in UK and SA through music. The young people will be included in a creation, performance and marketing of a music compilation centred upon culture, activism and identity.
5 – 10 October
Belfast to Cape Town
To allow Belfast based company, Replay Theatre, to impact on the creation and development of a theatre piece geared towards the very young within the context of Cape Town based Magnet Theatre. To be done over a week’s residency.
28 October – 1 November
How do I(dentify)
This project aims to flip the script on some stereotypes, through the staging of two Spoken Word artists occupying the same space, at the same time, staring at each other from two completely conflicting perspectives.
November TBC
SA/UK Emerging Artists Collaborating platform
Culminating in a high profile performance installation in the Roundhouse Main Space, On Mass:2015 celebrates young people’s music talent and forms part of EFG London Jazz Festival 2015.
In 2015 young musicians from the Roundhouse Music Collective, in collaboration with young musicians from four partner organisations (international) will be invited to work collaboratively with contemporary composers, David Coulter and Jamie Cullum, to devise a new work to be premiered in November.
The focus of the performance will be one of ‘mass music making’ that puts collaboration, creativity and experimentation at the forefront of the work. Working across geographical borders, and across genres, the new piece will be inspired by, respond to, and celebrate young people’s creativity.
Over the space of three months, major artist/s will travel to partner locations to collaborate with groups of young musicians and devise brand new material that will feed into a collective piece, arranged by the artists. This finished score will be sent back to partners to interpret and respond to, creating a unique performance to form part of the collaborative performance installation.
In addition to key partners, we will initiate opportunities with young musicians and artists in other parts of the UK and across the world via online platforms.
19 – 22 November
Influences-Nailwraps
A workshop geared towards young marginalised women in Benonie and across Johannesburg. Exploration of contemporary feminism and gender equality is explored in an accessible and engaging way through the pop culture of nail art.
December 2014 – December 2015
Curating Conversations
Curating Conversations is an interdisciplinary arts project which creates a dedicated space for critical and convivial conversations to occur in Johannesburg.
Dates to be confirmed
Spier Arts Academy: Site-specific Mosaic
An architectural-scale mosaic artwork, spanning an immense six storeys, will be produced for a London hospital. The project is a collaboration between a renowned, London based artist and the South African based Spier Arts Academy.
Dates to be confirmed
Culture Box
On each episode or webisode of sneak peek, an artist performs four pieces of his or her own work in front of a small audience in an intimate setting.
Dates to be confirmed
Cape Town Opera and Wales Millennium Centre
Cape Town Opera (CTO) and the Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) are realising a staff exchange program during which four young staff members (two from each organisation), will take residence with new and innovative projects in each company’s artistic program. The aim is to strengthen long term connections through new individual connections and development, leading to artistic and outreach projects in both countries. This exchange will foster a connection between new generations of talented artists from both countries through a Primary Schools Outreach program with young audiences in schools and disadvantaged communities in South Africa, as well as new audiences in the United Kingdom through an original touring production and audience development programs in Wales. It will further engage with a new generation of performers in both countries through exchange of ideas and performance practice.
