Awards / About
"...Two other important parts of ACT's work in support of the sector have been the ACT annual awards and the development of a network of media partners who promote artists and the sector. Artists have talked of the prestige associated with being nominated for an award, as well as the recognition that the awards (and receipt of funding) from ACT serve as a measure of quality in the sector."
(Gillespie External Evalution of ACT 2007)
Nominations open for 10th Annual Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) Awards
Nominations are open for the tenth annual Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) Awards 2008 presented by Nedbank, supported by CLASSICfeel Magazine and Fine Music Radio 101.3.
Since inception ACT has providing funding in the amount of R12 million for more than 500 projects in all arts disciplines across South Africa. The ACT Awards are an important part of ACT’s work in support of local arts, culture and heritage. The prestige associated with being nominated as a finalist or winning an award serves as a measure of quality in the sector. Through the Awards, principal sponsor Nedbank highlights its commitment to arts and culture development, promotion and preservation in South Africa. In addition to providing the funding for the ACT Awards the funding received from Nedbank Affinities annually subsidises the operating costs of ACT and to date Nedbank has contributed a total amount of R8 million to ACT. Commenting on Nedbank’s long-standing support, Tom Boardman, Chief Executive of the Nedbank Group, said it was a privilege to invest in and help sustain the growth and development of arts and culture in our country. “Nedbank is proud to be part of the tenth annual ACT Awards. Through this great initiative, Nedbank remains committed to arts and culture development, promotion and preservation within South Africa.”
"Cultural creation, production and presentation are at the heart of new development strategies and the Awards recognise outstanding contributions by those who have demonstrated commitment and excellence in ensuring that the arts do indeed mirror the soul of South Africa,” said ACT Chairperson, Kutlwano Masote who is also a celebrated musician, conductor and art manager in his own right. “This year’s Awards marks a decade of ACT honoring the achievements of those individuals and organisations who work tirelessly behind the scenes to support, manage, teach, market, develop, build and sustain the arts or who in some way make the arts more accessible to all South Africans," he added.
Previous winners of the prestigious ACT Awards have included amongst others, Sandile Mamela, Michelle Constant, Bridget van Oerle and Lynette Marais as well as arts and culture projects like the South African Schools Festivals organised by the Arts Education Department of the Grahamstown Foundation, Buskaid and Artslink amongst others. Winners of the prestigious ACT Lifetime Achievement Award have included Gibson Kente, Es’kia Mphalele, Sylvia Glasser, Sophie Mgcina, Esther Mahlangu and most recently Ronnie Govender.