Programme director
The MEC for Arts, Culture, Recreation and Sports, MEC Weziwe Thusi
The Deputy Mayor of eThekwini municipality, Councillor Logie Naidoo
Dignitaries present
Ladies and gentlemen
All protocol observed
We wish to express our sincere delight as the Department of Economic Development and Tourism for being part of the historic occasion, where our government is showing with deeds that it cares for the artists of our province.
Programme director, from time immemorial music has always been part of our cultural and social landscape. Even during the darkest days of apartheid rule, it inspired us to forge ahead with the struggle for liberation and also gave us springs in our steps to face the future with more hope and confidence at the dawn of the new democratic era.
While over the years our province has contributed immensely to the cultural tapestry of our country, the reality is that many of our artists have been forced to relocate to Gauteng in order to realise their dream because our province did not have a state of the art recording facility. Today’s launch of the KwaZulu-Natal Music House heralds a new chapter in the music industry in our province.
Programme director; allow me to share with you the immense contribution that is made by the music industry around the world. In the United States of America alone, a sizeable chunk of the gross domestic product comes from creative industries and music is one of the major contributors to the United States economy.
According to Association of South African Music Industry report (ASAMI), music is a fast growing industry with limitless potential. As one of South Africa’s most significant cultural industries, the music industry is a powerful means of enhancing the country’s identity and distinctiveness, while simultaneously creating employment, developing human skills and generating social capital and cohesion. The report also notes that the music industry, like any South African industry, is infused with the legacy of apartheid’s political economy.
It further notes that as a cultural industry, the music industry suffered additional setbacks because indigenous culture was actively suppressed and distorted by the apartheid regime. One of the most devastating aspects of this legacy is that local music is not developing as fast as it should. Eighty percent of the music sold in South Africa is international music. While international music is thriving in the South African markets, the development of local music is not keeping pace.
In this regard, KwaZulu-Natal province is the source of unique raw talent where the development and nurturing of this talent is an integral part of cultures and heritage. According to the statistics, KwaZulu-Natal is the number one consumer of South African music, and yet the spoils of the industry are enjoyed elsewhere in the country. It is because of this reason that, in 2007/08 financial year, the former MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Dr Zweli Mkhize made a pronouncement of the budget for the establishment of the recording studio, which is aimed at preserving KwaZulu-Natal artists from migrating to other provinces.
It is against this background that one of the priority sectors of the KwaZulu-Natal government as set out in the KwaZulu-Natal industrial development strategy is to promote and enhance competitiveness of music industry as one of the contributors to economic growth of the province. In order to fulfil this mandate, this state of the art building (KwaZulu-Natal Music House) will provide a platform for artists to realize their potential.
KwaZulu-Natal Music House will not only record artists but it will manage the whole value chain of music, including marketing, distribution and sales. Over and above this, KwaZulu-Natal Music House also comprise of a talent search component known as Vezukhono. As part of this, KwaZulu-Natal Music House has been visiting the length and breath of the province in search of new musical talent.
Apart from the recording of the artists, the KwaZulu-Natal province through Music House wishes to announce the assistance that will be afforded to artists in order to mitigate the crisis of bankruptcy when artists could no longer sing.
The resource centre will provide music clinics and workshops to subsequently consolidate the Vezukhono talent search programme. In this regard musicians who did not make it to the final selection stages of Vezukhono talent search will receive further training and development. This programme will be championed in partnership with Department of Arts and Culture in the province as they are critical in the development of artists in the entire province.
As the resource centre will be housed within the premises of the KwaZulu-Natal music precinct, it will be mainly used to network, sourcing of information through archives and mini music library where it will have research work, papers, books, magazines etc. The resource centre will also partner with major tertiary institution and private in providing necessary skills to equip artists with skills such as legal advice on matters pertaining signing of contracts, intellectual property rights, copyright laws and certainly business skills training.
Let me conclude by saying that this state of the art presents the huge window of opportunity as 2010 is knocking at our doorsteps. Most of the artists recorded here will be offered an opportunity to showcase “what their mama gave them”. Our department is committed to ensuring that this initiative becomes a launch pad for musicians from the province to realise their dream.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Economic Development and Tourism, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
9 October 2009
Source: Department of Economic Development and Tourism, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (http://www.kznded.gov.za/)
