/ 24 September 2003

Celebrating creativity

It is once again time to celebrate the achievements of individuals and organisations who have contributed to sustaining the arts in South Africa. The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) acknowledges the dedication and professional excellence of all the finalists for this year’s awards.

Since its inception nine years ago ACT has consistently sought to play a strategic role in the arts, culture and heritage sectors of South Africa.

By positioning itself as a sustainable trust that offers mutually beneficial partnerships between the corporate sector and the arts, its emphasis falls on channelling resources to the most needy individuals, groups and communities. Through its annual awards ACT seeks to enhance the activities that are indispensable to the arts.

Administrators, managers, sponsors, educators, publicists and the media are all vital for the arts. Without these agents even the most prodigious talent would come to nothing, be stunted or struggle to thrive. In partnership with these critical functions creative potential is more readily actualised.

In this realisation and through their presentation of artistic works to the world, we are brought face to face with the diverse products of creativity.

We see that creativity lies at the heart of social life.

Fashioning a pot from clay or weaving a mat from fabric is creative work. Constructing enchanting objects from natural and synthetic materials is innovative labour. Practising any of a range of expressive and performing arts is to entertain as well as to give meaning and value to existence.

Because human life without culture is unthinkable and self-development without creativity is impossible, ACT is entrusted to support and promote the arts.

Because South Africa is a society of diverse cultures, ACT works to foster awareness of and appreciation of all our cultures. We celebrate creativity by funding it.

ACT nurtures creative skills by linking the arts to education, employment and self-upliftment. For this reason, ACT supports projects that contribute to improving the quality of life in communities where it is most glaringly needed. This is done in conjunction with extending support to innovative projects that renew and advance the arts in South Africa. This is work for the common good as well as for self-fulfilment.

Once a year an independent panel of judges appointed by ACT assesses the work done by the arts sector to realise these goals. The integrity and prestige of the awards are assured by the independence of the adjudicators. The ACT Board of Trustees joins me in thanking the judges for their time and expertise.

The work of ACT cannot be done with- out our founding trustees and all the sponsors of the annual ACT Awards. Our thanks are due to them for grasping the mutually beneficial relationship between their respective enterprises and the arts.

We salute all the finalists and congratulate the the winners.