Ismail Mahomed

Ismail Mahomed is the Director of the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal where he provides executive leadership for the 29 year Poetry Africa festival, the 28 year Time of the Writer festival, the 27 year JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Festival and the 46 year Durban International Film Festival.  With more than 40 years in cultural leadership roles he is also a multi-award winning arts administrator and published playwright. His previous roles include serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Market Theatre Foundation, Artistic Director of the National Arts Festival : Makhanda and as Senior Cultural Specialist of the US Embassy (South Africa). Mahomed is a recipient of the KykNet Fiestas Lifetime Achievement Award, the Naledi Theatre Lifetime Achievement Award and the WOMAD Lifetime Achievement. Mahomed serves on ten boards which includes amongst others the Campaign for Free Expression, the John Kani Performing Arts Academy, the STAND Foundation and ASSITEJ South Africa.