Executive Direction - August 2019
This year the International Women’s Day theme was #BalanceforBetter. It essentially talks to a balanced world being a better world. The International Women’s Day partners adopted a year-long campaign that seeks to encourage as many people to contribute in ‘forging a more gender-balanced’ world while celebrating women’s achievements.
In this newsletter, to commemorate the Women’s month, we took a view to dedicate the entire edition to women who are involved in the arts, culture and creative industries. Our purpose is to encourage them to continue to excel in their chosen artistic areas, while they inspire other women- young and old.
While many female artists may still face challenges in the industry, there are many who continue to push the boundaries to remove the obstacles, not only for themselves, but also for those will follow on their footsteps. Women often face gatekeeping systems that can either open or close off opportunities for them to advance in their artistic careers. The more women who enter the industry, the higher are the chances for dismantling gatekeeping systems
In celebrating the women in the sector, we give them extra courage and acknowledgement that someone notices and appreciates their work. Speaking at UNESCO-sanctioned International Women’s Day event, musicians Victor Solf and Simon Carpentier from the group Her echo this sentiment and contend that “it is important to recognize the talents and achievements of women as creators and cultural entrepreneurs”.
Until then,
Unathi Lutshaba
Executive Director: South African Cultural Observatory
As we all know and have somewhat even become accustomed to it, due to social distancing measures put in place to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, since March 26, we have all not able to travel to any venue to consume any form of arts and culture products. Libraries, archives, museums, films and television productions, theatre and orchestra performances, fashion shows, concert tours, zoos as well as music and arts festivals have all been closed or come to a complete halt. Could this signal a death knell for the sector? The answer has to be a Big No, at least not if we can help it as consumers and key stakeholders of the cultural and creative industries.
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With the disastrous havoc wreaked by the Coronavirus, the world as we knew it yesterday is no more. As humans that occupy the planet earth, we have never found ourselves in this position, at least not in modern times.
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2019. What a year it was. It has been an exciting year for the Arts, Heritage, Cultural and Creative sector.
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As we celebrate heritage month, as we visit various heritage sites, as we remember the journey walked and traversed by our forebears, it is wise to take to heart the words of the Spanish philosopher and essayist George Santayana when he said that “those who do not remember their past are condemned to repeat their mistakes, and those who do not read history are doomed to repeat it”.
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Calling on cultural heritage professionals and curators
The South African Cultural Observatory is conducting a short online survey on the repatriation of African (especially South African) cultural artefacts currently held in foreign museums.
Mitigation plans to minimize the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the Sport, Arts and Culture sector
Statement by Minister Nathi Mthethwa on mitigation plans to minimize the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Sport, Arts and Culture sector.
Executive Direction June 2020
As we all know and have somewhat even become accustomed to it, due to social distancing measures put in place to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, since March 26, we have all not able to travel to any venue to consume any form of arts and culture products. Libraries, archives, museums, films and television productions, theatre and orchestra performances, fashion shows, concert tours, zoos as well as music and arts festivals have all been closed or come to a complete halt. Could this signal a death knell for the sector? The answer has to be a Big No, at least not if we can help it as consumers and key stakeholders of the cultural and creative industries.
COVID-19 Impacts on the Sports Sector
World over, sport is recognised by many societies and governments as a major contributor to economic and social development. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected sports of all types across the world and is likely to have a major negative impact.
Mapping the Economic Value of the Creative Industry
In many countries, the growing importance of the cultural and creative industries is increasingly being recognised. The SA Cultural Observatory recently released its second Economic Mapping of the Cultural and Creative Industries in South Africa 2020 (Economic Mapping Study).
