Standard Bank Young Artist Award winners announced

“Each year, we marvel and celebrate a new group of artists whose work demonstrates innovation and artistic excellence,” said National Arts Festival Artistic Director Ismail Mahomed. “These are artists who are courageously exploring new ways to shape or affirm our cultural experiences and identities. Their work inspires their peers. It enthralls our audiences. It revitalises the arts sector. Their incredible talents and creativity are the immense investments that we engage at the National Arts Festival to grow our arts economy.”

The winners of the 2016 Standard Bank Young Artist Awards are:

• Siya Makuzeni for Jazz
• Avigail Bushakevitz for Music
• Themba Mbuli for Dance
• Jade Bowers for Theatre
• Mohau Modisakeng for Visual Art

Winners from various artistic genres are selected by the National Arts Festival Committee, chaired by Brett Bailey. The winners receive a cash incentive, and are given support to develop and premiere new works that will be featured on the Main Programme of the 2016 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, which will run from 30 June to Sunday 10 July 2016.

The strong partnership between the National Arts Festival and Standard Bank, which has sponsored the award since 1984, has helped develop South Africa’s cultural treasury, which reflects the country’s artistic past and serves to inspire new generations of artists, performers and musicians.

“The value of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award goes beyond just celebrating five new talents,” said Mahomed. “The 31 years of identifying and nurturing Standard Bank Young Artists has given South Africa a rich cultural legacy with many of its earlier winners now being some of the leading cultural legends in our country.’

“Providing an opportunity to exhibit and showcase one’s works to key audiences is a critical part of a sustainable development programme. We facilitate this by showcasing the artists at our sponsored and owned arts properties such as the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz and the Standard Bank Gallery. We are proud of these trailblazers and look forward to working closely with them as they progress in their careers,” said Hazel Chimhandamba, head of Group Sponsorship at Standard Bank.

This year’s award winners join a celebrated roll call of honour that now stands at 144 since its inception in 1981. Previous winners have gone onto make their mark in the music and arts industries. They include musicians Johnny Clegg (1989), Gloria Bosman (2000), Tutu Puoane (2004), Concord Nkabinde (2006), Bokani Dyer (2011), Afrika Mkhize (2012), Kyle Shepherd (2014) and Nduduzo Makhathini (2015).