The City of Cape Town’s Arts and Culture Branch has given 21 emerging artists from around the city the opportunity to showcase their work at the award-winning Zeitz MOCAA Museum.
The artists responded to a call made earlier this year to apply to the City’s Emerging Artists Programme aimed at providing them with access to opportunities and build capacity. The exhibition opened on 2 July 2019.
‘This four-week pilot programme was structured around a series of workshops, excursions and finally an exhibition of the artists’ work which is entitled This is Me: A right of passage. The exhibition gives participants an opportunity to showcase their work and what they have learnt,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
Emerging Artists Programme
‘The Emerging Artists Programme is a City initiative aimed at assisting under-resourced emerging artists based in Cape Town to access opportunities and build capacity. It focusses primarily on artists who’ve not had the benefit of resources, training and exposure as a result of historic inequality and under-development,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
The programme is broken up into two opportunities that are instituted to create sustainable, structured development and continuums for local emerging visual artists from previously disadvantaged circumstances.
These mainly focus on space (exhibition) and support which includes mentorship and networks; and training and development.
‘During the early stages of their careers, artists often face financial stress and struggle to access resources. This programme has given artists the necessary tools and the practical skills to help them leverage opportunities,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
After the exhibition at Zeitz Mocaa, the exhibition will be moved to a number of other venues to expand the artists’ exposure including First Thursday events.
WHERE: Zeitz MOCAA, Silo District, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town 8001
See also Cape Town Green Map
