Pretoria – The Department of Arts and Culture will this financial year focus on identifying and developing young talent to ensure that arts become a career of choice among the youth.
Presenting his department’s 2011/2012 Budget Vote on Wednesday, Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile acknowledged that more work still needs to be done to develop an appreciation for the arts among young people.
He said some of the specific programmes the department will engage in, include working with the Field Band Foundation to build mass participation of youth in music and performing arts.
The department also committed to support this year’s Youth Day celebrations by working together with the Youth Development Agency. The support will include running programmes aimed at raising awareness of the significance of Youth Day, which will be celebrated on 16 June.
As part of the department’s ongoing commitment to supporting the youth in arts, the department has allocated an amount of R6 million for youth programmes.
In addition, through the department’s partnership with the European Union, Mashatile announced that more funds will be made available to advance youth development in the arts.
He also announced that the department has inaugurated boards of its institutions, including the National Arts Council, the National Film and Video Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Museum.
“The process to appoint the board of the National Heritage Council is at an advanced stage. Our intention is to appoint all outstanding boards by the end of the financial year.”
The performing arts, including arts related institutions, has been allocated an amount of R549 379 million, R180 717 million goes to cultural development, while R763 702 million is allocated to heritage, which includes the country’s heritage institutions and museums. – BuaNews
