The Department of Arts and Culture is complementing and supporting the work of the Department of Basic Education as regards the protecting of children, youth and women. All our institutions and theatres will be showcasing their exhibits and artistic talents during this period. We have finalised an arts and culture guide for this period which has many different programmes of activities for adults, families and children and will be distributed throughout the country.
Many of our institutions, such as Iziko Museums, Ditsong Museums and the Grahamstown Arts Festival have special programmes targeting children and the youth. The Grahamstown Arts Festival has been extended to 10 days for 2010 and a Children’s Arts Festival that runs from 20 June to 4 July focusing on children between the ages of 4 and 13 years. The daily schedule is drawn up by arts education specialists and includes music, dance, handcraft workshops, festival productions, lunchtime concerts, exhibitions and visits to crafts markets.
There is also evening entertainment for those enrolled in the boarding programme. Participants are allocated to specific groups, depending on their age and ability, with a maximum of 20 pupils per group. Each day includes different plays and workshops. This ensures a variety for those who attend on a regular basis. Adult supervision is guaranteed.
The Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival has become one of the most significant jazz development programmes in the country, annually bringing together over 300 students and 40 teachers from diverse backgrounds all over South Africa with nearly 60 professional jazz musicians and educators. This programme incorporates innovative jazz performance, rehearsals, workshops, lectures, networking and an opportunity for South Africa’s future jazz stars to interact personally and musically with their peers and the country’s top performers.
The Ditsong Museums consist of a cluster of various museums, the National Cultural History Museum, Natural History Museum, Pioneer Museum, Agricultural Museum, The National Museum of Military History, the Tswaing Meteorite Crater, Sammy Marks and Paul Kruger Museums. Many of these museums have holiday programmes for groups of specific age for children who learn history and culture at these institutions. They have a chance to experience archaeological fossils, such as “Mrs Ples and Karabo”.
Freedom Park offers the viewer a unique and exceptional opportunity to experience and appreciate the history of this nation. The park is divided into different areas, each one dedicated to a different aspect and serving a dedicated purpose. Programmes for school children and families are also organised to educate them about the history and heritage of our country going back to 3.6 billion years ago
The National Library of South Africa is divided into two campuses one in Cape Town and the other in Pretoria for historic reasons and both campuses have an invaluable collection of books. In Cape Town the Centre for the Book is part of the National Library of South Africa. The centre’s mission is to promote a South African culture of reading, writing and publishing in all local languages, providing easy access to books for all South Africans. Amongst its activities the Centre also coordinates various events and functions including writing workshops for teachers, youth and children. The centre has a children’s reading room.
The Iziko Museums also consist of a cluster of museums in and around Cape Town. They are the South African Museum, South African (SA) National Gallery, Castle of Good Hope, the Slave Lodge, the Bo-Kaap Museum and the Fossils Museum on the West Coast. The Iziko Museums offer pre-booked tours tailored to the level of the learners.
The public viewing areas situated in different parts of the country offers families a chance to view the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament and participate in this historic period when the world comes to South Africa. Municipalities will be in charge of these public viewing areas and will therefore work with SAPS to ensure the safety of all viewers.
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) will be announcing a youth project launch on Monday. (The NYDA may approach Department of Arts and culture (DAC) to work with them in commemorating 16 June Youth Day in Mpumalanga this year.) Leading up to the Youth Day, NYDA will together with the Nelson Mandela Foundation hold Memorial Nelson Mandela Lecture, before 16 June, promoting dialogues after this Lecture.
On a long term basis, DAC and Department of Basic Education (DBE) have been in dialogue over an exciting project titled artists in schools. Plans and budgets are being discussed to evaluate how promising this project will be.
Finally as we count down to the actual 2010 FIFA World Cup on 11 June, this will be a unique African World Cup, the best that we can offer. I wish everyone a safe, memorable and enjoyable African World Cup. Government is confident that this grand tournament, the biggest in the world, will be a major African success and cultural celebration.
Source: Department of Arts and Culture (http://www.dac.gov.za/)
