Compiled by: Phillip Speek – 2010 Provincial Arts and Culture Coordination
Context
The Arts and Culture sector in the Northern Cape Province has generally operated from shoestring budgets, mainly relying on the enthusiasm of individuals and not according to a well thought-out strategy. This has meant that progress has faltered and overall direction is not clear. Furthermore, the province has no clear artistic brand recognition, and looks unevenly-served and lacking in coordination and organisation.
Little progress has been recorded regarding the growth of the sector, the department of Arts and Culture has now taken up a decision to develop a provincial overarching strategy that will guide the development and growth of the Arts and Culture sector. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to highlight a strategic plan and recommendations that can be carried forward, developed and subsequently implemented.
A key question is whether a vibrant Arts and Culture scene is necessary for the Northern Cape and/or does the province really needs Arts and Culture? While this question will require further research and analysis, it is clear from the world and South African cities and provinces that a vibrant arts and culture sector contributes enormously to their distinctiveness and excellence. As a result, the Northern Cape’s production of arts and culture should aim to be of at least as high a standard as other provision in the country.
In order to ensure the most effective and strategic outcomes in support of the wider institutional ambitions of the department, it is imperative that the department produces in parallel with the Provincial Arts and Culture Strategy, a Northern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Policy for the future of Arts.
Working in true partnership with the community is the best way to ensure the department carries out its functions easily and successfully. The Arts and Culture Strategy will therefore set out the way in which to build, maintain and enhance the important relationship between the department and the arts and culture community.
Across all provinces of South Africa there is evidence of artists’ backlash rising due to insufficient engagement between the department and artists, or through engaging cultural practitioners at the wrong stage of programming or by misunderstandings about the level of engagement being offered (i.e. people were told they will be “consulted” and then find they were merely “informed”). These issues can be avoided by ensuring you plan properly and identify community engagement as a top priority for the project right at the start.
Meanwhile, the Arts and Culture Strategy must underpin the development of arts infrastructure, by supporting the community in accessing arts and cultural activity and in turn creating audiences for venues such as the Northern Cape Theatre, Mayibuye Centre, employment and support for local artists and organisations and opportunities for artists to learn new skills and access new opportunities.
Recommendations
In a Strategy of this nature a two set of recommendations is required to outline the way forward. These are Broad Recommendations and Specific Recommendations. In this case Broad Recommendations will outline long term goals while Specific Recommendations outline the high priority short term goals for the sector.
However, the recommendations should not be presumptuous and should be based on scientific findings captured through a smooth analytic process.
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1 comment:
Your article raises issues which are of universal relevance to all lesser endowed provinces in this country. The tendency has been to try and function under the aegis of the nation-based White Paper which really does not address the specificities of these provinces. The general lack of expertise at policy formulation here has proved a serious handicap. Provinces and towns have just bludered along without any sense of direction. The problem with the article is that it raises issues without eventually caring to tie them up in the end. The question why a strategy is important is not exhaustively tackled. Who are the "community"? Why do they deserve preeminence overall? Who are the other players and what is their role in the greater scheme of things? This last question addresses the value chain. The importance of Arts & Culture is attributed only to its role in providing, to give it concreteness, identity - something to do with distinctness. In the end, issues are just skimmed over. An aligning of the whole approach with the broader issues of social and economic development in the country and continent is a sine qua non. This requires a definition of the respective roles of the National, Provincial and Local tiers of goverment - a synchronising of sorts. I end there, more will require payment at consultancy level.
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