THE home of the Department of Arts and Culture’s (DAC) newly established South African Cultural Observatory is strategically located in Port Elizabeth’s thriving creative hub in Central.
The city’s central business district has been part of a major urban and environmental upgrade by the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), which has seen the inner city restored to its former glory. The new infrastructure, and an iconic public arts programme, woven throughout the inner city, has re-established confidence in the area, which has seen an influx of creatives and businesses alike.
The South African Cultural Observatory will be housed in the Donkin Village Creative Quarter, which overlooks the Donkin Reserve, the starting point of the city’s public art tourism meander, Route 67.
“We are extremely happy to be situated in the heart of Port Elizabeth’s creative hub,” said South African Cultural Observatory chief executive, Professor Richard Haines. “Not only is the city and the province a site of rich cultural history, but Central is a suburb full of deep heritage. It simply made sense. We are also neighbours with the Port Elizabeth Opera House, the oldest Opera House in the Southern Hemisphere and some of the oldest theatres in South Africa – the spirit of the cultural and creative industries is tangible here.”
DAC, which recently established the statistical research institute to charts the impact of the cultural and creative industries in South Africa, said it the location was fitting.
The Port Elizabeth city blocks of Donkin Hill, Constitution Hill and Victoria Street are some of the oldest in the city centre. The Donkin Village includes the iconic heritage buildings, the Donkin Row Houses that lean down Donkin Hill, built between 1860 and 1880. The entire row was recently restored.
The main purpose of the South African Cultural Observatory is the development of a comprehensive cultural information system which continuously captures cultural data and monitors and evaluates government initiatives in the sector.
South African Cultural Observatory
21 - 23 Donkin Street
Central
Port Elizabeth
6001
Contact – Paula Holmes: paula.holmes@nmmu.ac.za
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