Minister Zizi Kodwa speaking notes – Cultural and Creative Industry Awards Launch - Melrose Gallery
The Program Director, the MEC of Gauteng Ms Morakane Smosupyoe, HOD Mr China Mashinini, the Media present, Ladies and Gentlemen - Good aBernoon.
It is truly an honour to stand before you as a proud South African today, to launch the all new awards plaHorm, an integrated all-encompassing awards plaHorm for the arts, culture and heritage sector. We envisage these to be the most desired cultural recogniKon in the South African creaKve industry in the years to come.
Today is the ideal Kme to stop, take a deep breath, and reflect on the success of how South Africa has progressed over the past 30 years since democracy. And in parKcular, the arts and culture sector that has flourished immensely in the past decade. Also considering the advancements in technology and innovaKon, our culture and creaKve industry has prevailed and made headways throughout the conKnent and the world. South Africa is blessed to have a very diverse cultural landscape that spans from the mountains of the Cape colony to the valleys of the Mapungubwe, allowing our culture to be noKceable throughout the world.
It is important to note that South African ArKsts have proven to be innovaKve and creaKve in many facets of the creaKve industries and have conquered the global stages. We celebrate and congratulate our past and current Grammy winners – Tyla, Zakes Bantwini, Nomcebo Zikode and Wouter Kellerman, and I also congratulate all other South Africans that are making waves in the CreaKve Industries globally. We see you.
These awards will be bestowed annually to South Africa’s leading creaKves in the various creaKve sector categories and sub-domains who exhibit outstanding arKsKc and technical achievement, those who push boundaries of their creaKve ability and show devoKon to excellence. They will shine the spotlight on the most outstanding creaKves from the best.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to you “The Inaugural Cultural And CreaJve Industry Awards”. The Cultural And CreaKve Industry Awards are intended to be the currency of the creaKves in our country; the supreme awards plaHorm that will be recognized by industry insiders as giving recogniKon and legiKmacy to highly talented creaKves in the sector.
Receiving the Cultural and CreaKve Industry Awards will give the arKst or creaKves a sense of honour, recogniKon, achievement, and accomplishment. We hope this will give them confidence and inspiraKon to create more artworks in the future and be the best they can be. These awards aim to make the arKsts and creaKves more credible to the public's percepKon and add value to their works, recognizing their outstanding achievements.
Minister Introduces the Awards Video and Look n Feel
We hope these awards will boost the reputaKon of many creaKves and set them apart from the rest. Boost their morale by highlighKng their achievements. Signaling to the world that they are the best among the best, thereby affirming their credibility. We also hope that through this plaHorm the creaKves will engage with other creaKves to foster a culture of learning from each other and more collaboraKons.
As the DSAC, we believe that the cultural and creative industries have long been recognized as a catalyst for economic growth in South Africa with a potential to contribute immensely to the South African economy and to employment. Recent studies have shown the sector’s tremendous improvement in contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP), revenue collection and its multiplier effect in terms of creating employment.
The historical realities underpinning the development of this sector places an emphasis on the creatives and those who control the means of production to ensure that this industry plays a significant role in nation building and fostering social cohesion, national identify and the participation of those who have been historically excluded from the entire value chain.
We would like to thank the following partners:
- Gauteng department of sport, arts, culture & recreaKon
- BMW
- Redbull
- Southern Sun
- Melrose Gallery
The Department has also worked with enKKes such as the NaKonal Film and Video FoundaKon (NFVF), NaKonal Heritage Council (NHC), South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), Design Commidee, NaKonal Library of South Africa, Art Bank, industry experts and an audiKng company carefully conducted a nit Kght process to formulate the CCIA’s rules and guidelines to ensure that the proper and competent stakeholders are directly involved to describe the merit and characterisKcs of the CCIA’s and that inclusivity, openness, transparency, fairness are what portrays the process and the Awards.
With that, Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to thank you sincerely for coming and for your support as we look to further develop and reward the best amongst us.
Thank you so much
