Arts and Culture Annual Report: discussion

Ms TJ Tshivase (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Draft of Annual Report (finalised document will be available here shortly)
Provisional draft notes - sub-committee report (Appendix)

SUMMARY
A sub-committee was set up to draft an annual report for the Department of Arts and Culture. This report was considered by the Committee, who suggested various changes. The report highlighted a number of Department programmes and objectives. Members also made suggestions about improving the development of arts and culture in South Africa, emphasising development of rural areas and previously disadvantaged persons.

MINUTES
Ms Tshivase (ANC) stated that the main objectives of the Department of Arts and Culture is to promote and achieve national objectives. Namely, to improve and sustain the quality of life of all South Africans, to develop human resources for arts and culture, to build the economy and strengthen the country's competitiveness in the international sphere.

Ms Tshivase noted that there are a few major programmes highlighted in the draft report. Firstly, the Arts, Culture and Language programme focuses on stimulating, nurturing and protecting South African arts and culture, as well as, amongst others, institutional capacity, gender policies, moral regeneration and linguistic diversity. The expenditure on this programme did not show dramatic growth until 2002/03 and reflects an average increase of 8,2%. This increase is smaller than that of the other department programs.

Ms Mbuyazi (IFP) added that this programme targets women and children, and that it should be implemented at a school level. They also wished to target street and rural children. Ms Tshivase added to this that the media should also play a role in moral regeneration.

Ms Tshivase stated that another important initiative of the Arts and Culture Department is the Cultural Development and International Relations programme. This programme focuses on the promotion of the cultural diversity and cultural industries of South Africa, as well as the promotion of cultural relations internationally. More money was allocated for funding in support of cultural industries and the celebration of Freedom Day 2004 internationally. However, challenges remain such as the special allocation for poverty relief that has not been finalised. In addition, it is not possible to analyze expenditure trends on this programme since this programme is new.

Ms Tshivase outlined the third major programme, the Heritage, National Archives and National Library Services programme which plans to sustain and develop heritage, archives and information institutions in order to ensure good governance, the transformation of these institutions and access to these resources for all.

Ms Mbuyazi added that libraries should also be in rural areas and agreed that the equal dissemination of information to South African citizens does indeed promote good governance. She also mentioned that making information available to all people could help the illiterate and elderly. The library going culture in South Africa needs to be promoted. Ms Tshivase added that libraries should also be improved and that archives need to be well kept.

Ms Tshivase then went on to state that the draft annual report also highlighted research on development as a part of poverty relief itself. The Department's poverty relief initiatives specializes in craft industries and technology based small enterprises which seek to embrace the use of resources such as natural fibres for papermaking and textiles.

Ms Mbuyazi agreed with this and explained that Minister Valli Moosa is getting rid of plastic bags and therefore women are using their skills to make bags to carry groceries in. Ms Tshivase added that this promotes both the environment and women's entrepreneurial skills. This could be done in conjunction with local shops in order to devise a marketing strategy. Women should be trained in this skill in order to make them competitive.

Ms Tshivase noted that the Department has been criticised for spending too little on the performing arts. R102 million has been allocated for arts of culture for 2002/03 financial year. R17 million has been allocated for the transformation of heritage institutions.

Ms Mbuyazi stated that people in the performing arts rise and fall very quickly and that the Department wanted to create funds for sustaining their careers. She suggested that the Committee invite the performers and the bodies that represent them to a public hearing and clarify "what makes them poor at the end of the day?" This could perhaps be done in conjunction with the Department of Labour. The sub-committee would make this suggestion to the Committee.

Ms Tshivase mentioned that the language policy has been passed and that it was carefully developed and tested with stakeholders. The Department, in partnership with other Departments, should embark on a R180 million skills training programme for the creative industries, including crafts, film, music and live events over the next three years.

Ms Mbuyazi stated that there needs to be more originality in the arts and that many South African artists imitate each other and their overseas counterparts. In conjunction with the Department of Labour training in the arts must occur through bursaries and universities and the recipient should be channeled at a young age.

Ms Tshivase added that all the cities have adequate training facilities for the arts, but rural areas do not.

Ms Tshivase also highlighted a few aspects which the Committee saw as problematic. Firstly, the shortages experienced by the sub-committee of highly skilled black activists, heritage curators and museum managers. Secondly, with regards to heritage, the Committee has decided to visit Freedom Park to consider the progress so far, and have a debate on it in order to speed up progress.

Mr Biyela (IFP) made a number of suggestions:
-All communities should consider which aspects of themselves are worthy of celebration on Heritage Day and build structures, if necessary, to celebrate Heritage Day.
-Museums, be they provincial or local, need some attention and limited resources slow transformation.
-Language was seen as a major problem in terms of not all languages, and therefore cultures, being represented in institutions, public and private sectors. Language is seen as marginalising the previously disadvantaged.
-Record keeping, in the form of archives, should be available in all eleven languages.
-A national dance troupe should be established in a culturally faithful way that can compete on international stages.
-The film industries are not in the hands of the previously marginalised people.
-There is a need to stimulate the black comedy industry.

The meeting was adjourned.

Appendix
PROVISIONAL DRAFT NOTES - SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT
9 April 2003

1. Objective
The main objective of the Department of Arts and Culture is to promote and achieve national objectives, namely to improve and sustain the quality of life of all South Africans; to develop human resources for Arts and Culture, to build economy and strengthen the country's competitiveness in the international sphere.

2. Programme on Arts, Culture, and Language in Society
This programme focuses on stimulating, nurturing and protecting South African Arts and Culture as well as amongst others institutional capacity, gender policies, moral regeneration and linguistic diversity.

-Expenditure on this programme did not show dramatic growth until 2002/3. This programme reflects an average increase of 8.2%. This increase is nevertheless smaller than that, of the other three departmental programmes.
-Transfer payments to PANSALB and the National Arts Council and orchestras.

3 Programme on Cultural Development and International Relations
This programme focusses on the promotion of cultural industries of South Africa, as well as the promotion of cultural relations internationally.
-Expenditure - More money was allocated for funding in support of cultural industries and the celebration of Freedom Day 2004 internationally.There will be a decrease in the expenditure on the programme in 2004/5 because the special allocation for poverty relief has not been finalised.
It is not possible to analyse expenditure trends on this programme since the programme is new.

4 Heritage, National Archives and National Library Services
This programme sustains and develops the heritage, archives and information institutions of South Africa in order to ensure good governance, the transformation of these institutions and access to these resources for all.

- Poverty Relief
The Department's poverty relief initiatives include craft industries and technologies - based small enterprises and embrace the use of resources such as natural fibres for papermaking and textiles. The intention is that these enterprises become sustainable and continue to create expanding employment through training, adoption of effective technologies, effective market strategies.

-Culture of Performing Arts
Challenge - The department has been critisized for spending too little on the performing arts for allowing orchestras to the wall and for neglecting the classics. Hence the rise over the past few years by 25%. R102 million has been allocated for arts and culture for 2002/3 financial year. R17 million allocated for the transformation of heritage institutions.

-Equity in Arts Funding
The department reported that it is involved in bringing equity into arts funding. R10m was allocated to performing Arts Companies and orchestras.

-Language Policy
The Department is finalising a National Language Policy that was carefully developed and tested with all stakeholders.
The Department is in partnership with other Departments of Labour embark on a R180m skills training programme for the creative industries, including crafts, film, music and live events over the next three years.

Challenges
Shortages experienced included musicologists, highly skilled black archivists, heritage curators and museum managers.

Heritage
-Freedom Park
The Committee has to visit the park to look at the progress done so far and have a debate on speeding up progress.

-Museums
Provincial and Local museums need some attention
Limited resources hence transformation is slow

-Language
Language in society vs the usage in institutions, public and private sectors, in Parliament.
Development of Historically Previously Marginalised
Language policy and legislation - cost effectiveness;
PANSALB programme - develop dictionaries in all language including Khoisan, etc.;
Telephone interpreting service for South Africa to enable South Africans to obtain key emergency service advice (eg SA Police services in several languages);
Human Language Technologies programme using new software being developed in South African and elsewhere to develop word processor for spell-checkers in the South African languages to produce automatic translation and voice recognition software.

Archives
Record keeping: Oral history, TRC records. Need national archival record.

Performing Arts
-Formation of a National Dance Troupe under Jonas Gwangwa and Nomsa Manake

-Indigneous dances and dancers need to be developmed in a culturally faithful way to the point where they can compete with the world's best on national and international stages.

-Drama; black comedies. Film industries are still not in the hands of the previously marginalised ( film scripts); film and video foundation; funding of South African stories eg by international funds eg Canada.

-Music: Local music; music industries: ethics

Mission
-Is the mission being carried out? There needs to be support in developing the economic potential existing in the cultural industry; such as film craft, music, publishing and design.

-Poverty alleviation could be achieved through creating job opportunities. Is this really happening through eg crafters, vs marketing, funding.

-The mission should be integral to the programmes and projects designed to achieve the aims of NEPAD; increase the role of governance through the process of provincialisation of the archival function.

Development of the Music Industry
The investing in Culture Poverty Alleviation Programme contributed in small ways to the development of emerging musicians in Durban, Cape Town and Limpopo.

Suggestions
-Venues have to be created for such musicians for the rural musicians to have opportunities to perform through music in public places by the Department of Arts, Culture , Science & Technology.
-The musicians should get some training free.
-Performance of concerts

Development of the Craft Industry
-National Craft Development strategy
Draft strategy document to be researched