Art Conference Will Empower Young Artists

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport in partnership with the British Council and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism in the Western Cape will be hosting an Arts Conference from 9-13 March 2009 at Artscape, Cape Town. It will provide mentorship, information, career and networking opportunities for 100 HDI performers and visual artists from in and around Cape Town who are interested in or already practicing artists in the performing arts or the visual arts.

The focus will be mainly on young people between 18-34 who find it difficult to access the markets and funding structures in the government departments. It will provide an opportunity for sharing the good practice of young people working in the Creative Industries and networking with others who have an interest in this specific field. It will also draw on existing projects that the British Council has run with young people in the Southern Africa and the UK, especially the Identities Programme, the Global Changemakers and the Lines of Attitude.

10 young people from within Africa and the UK, who have been working in the British Council's Identities project over the past two years will facilitate the conference sessions. As youth facilitators and practicing artists, they will share their experience with these young people - as models of good practice, present the work they have been conducting. The aim is so showcase how they built on their work over the past couple of years.

At the end of the conference, the participants will be having a better understanding of how to access provincial government and also a personalised career path.

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For Enquiries:

Angus Flowers
Media Liaison Officer
Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport
Tel: 021 483 9800
Fax: 021 483 9521
Email: aflowers@pgwc.gov.za
Mobile: 078 530 5943

Daniel Johnson
Head Communication and Marketing
Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport
Tel: 021 483 9514
Fax: 021 483 9521
Email: dmjohnson@pgwc.gov.za
Mobile: 083 711 1407