David Mann

David Mann, 33, has built a life around stories — telling them, interpreting them and helping others do the same. A writer and editor based in Johannesburg, Mann’s career spans roles at The Centre for the Less Good Idea, ARAK Journal and Cue, where he served as editor for the National Arts Festival’s publication. From Cape Town to Makhanda to Joburg, David’s creative journey began with an epiphany in a student theatre. “Storytelling was essential to how I made sense of the world,” he says. That calling has since evolved into a multi-disciplinary involvement in the arts. His accolades include the Thomas Pringle Prize for Best Short Story (2024), a Visiting Critics Residency in Vienna (2022), and a series of awards for arts journalism. His debut short story collection, Once Removed, has been lauded for its rich narratives rooted in South Africa’s art world. David also mentors writers, hosts workshops and serves on academic boards. He is a contributor to Botsotso Publishing and curates writing events at Johannesburg’s Keyes Art Mile. His guiding philosophy is one of collaboration. “Writing is always a collaborative act,” he notes — a belief that echoes in his work and his relationships with mentors such as William Kentridge and Ivan Vladislavić.

• Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism, Rhodes University School of Journalism and Media Studies (*graduated 2015 with distinction)
• Master’s degree in Creative Writing, University of the Witwatersrand (*graduated with distinction, 2022)

• Received the 2014 Rhodes Investec Top 100 Award in the category of arts, culture, media and society.
• Awarded the 2015 MEC’s Provincial Arts and Culture Award for arts journalism.
• Named 2016 Arts Journalism Award gold winner in the features category for long-form arts journalism.
• Honoured with the 2022 Rhodes University Journalism and Media Studies Distinguished Alumni Award.
• Selected for the 2022 Verein–K Visiting Critics’ Residency in Vienna, providing an opportunity to engage with international artmaking and return to Johannesburg with a reinvigorated outlook on South African art.
• Won the 2024 Thomas Pringle Prize for best short story, reinforcing the ongoing pursuit of both fiction writing and short-form narrative, and validating the exploration of intersections between art criticism and fiction.
• Published the short story collection Once Removed, drawing from the undercurrents of the South African art world; the book has been well received, including a review in the M&G, and has strengthened commitment to short fiction as a viable literary form in South Africa.
• Appointed editor of Cue, the publication of the annual National Arts Festival, in 2023 — a full-circle moment after first engaging in serious arts writing for Cue under the mentorship of Sean O’Toole, with a focus on inspiring new generations of art writers and contributing to the future of arts journalism in South Africa.

Too many to mention here. I am all of the people who have guided and influenced me over the years, but to name a few: Sean O’Toole, Ashraf Jamal and Steve Kretzmann are longstanding influences on my writing and, in recent years, have become both mentors and collaborators. Their commitment to their craft and their belief in art and writing as tools for communicating with the world are huge points of inspiration. Ivan Vladislavić, who was my supervisor at Wits, continues to instruct my writing, as does the late Jane Taylor, who taught me that writing takes various forms and that the act of putting pen to paper is just one of them. I am lucky to work with many of my mentors at the Centre for the Less Good Idea. William Kentridge, Bronwyn Lace, Athena Mazarakis and Neo Muyanga are extraordinary thinkers, makers, practitioners and teachers, and it is my greatest privilege to learn from them daily. My partner, Youlendree Appasamy, is an extraordinary writer and thinker who I am lucky enough to share my life with and learn from each day.