An evaluation of the transformation process in the performing arts councils in South Africa
Seutloadi, Kedibone Dominica (2003-03)
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Performing Arts Councils (PACs) have been the primary recipients of
national public funding for the performing arts, accounting for nearly half of the
arts and culture budget of the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and
Technology (DACST). They had to be restructured in order to free public
resources for allocation to other disciplines and areas in need of redress. The four
PACs addressed in this study are The Playhouse Company (Durban), Artscape
(Cape Town), PACOFS (Bloemfontein), and the Spoornet State Theatre
(Pretoria). The purpose of the study was to determine whether or not the PACs
had achieved the transformation goals as defined by DACST. The research was
approached from a qualitative perspective to ensure that as much nuanced
information as possible was collected within a limited timeframe and financial
constraints. Where necessary, as in analysis of staff and expenditure, quantitative
The study found that the process of converting PACs to playhouses had been
inconsistently implemented, although some of the PACs had come a long way in
transforming themselves. Funding was obtained from government subsidies, NAC
funding for specific projects, sponsorships, and other minor sources of income
such as box office sales. Traditional forms of the performing arts, specifically
opera and ballet, still accounted for a large portion of the total expenditure. PACs
have had considerable difficulty in obtaining provincial and local government
support, or adequate business sector support to make them viable as stand-alone
entities. None of the PACs has been able to secure sustainable funding on a
reliable basis to meet their requirements.
DACST regards the implementation of a Community Arts Development (CAD)
component and the establishment of the NAC as essential for an equitable arts
dispensation in the country. CAD is meant to provide education and
empowerment of people from previously disadvantaged communities, access to PAC venues and NAC funding, and awareness and outreach programmes. The
CAD component varies substantially from PAC to PAC.
The White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage recognises that the future of arts
and cultural expression lies in the development of new audiences and markets.
Audience development and facilitating access to venues has been left to the PACs,
with little effect in some cases.
The transformation of the staff profile of PACs to reflect the demographics of
their provinces has been achieved.
As the resultsof the study show each PAC took it upon itself to transform itself in
its own way. As a result, transformation by the various PACs was found not
always to be in line with the imperatives contained in the White Paper on Arts,
Culture and Heritage (DACST, 1996).
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Rade vir Uitvoerende Kunste (RUK) was tot op hede die vernaamste
ontvangers van nasionale staatsbefondsing vir die uitvoerende kunste, en het
bykans vyftig persent van die Departement van Kuns, Kultuur, Wetenskap en
Tegnologie (DKKWT) se begroting vir kuns en kultuur verteenwoordig. Hierdie
Rade moes herstruktureer word sodat staatshulpbronne wat vir ander dissiplines
en gebiede wat regstelling nodig gehad het, aangewend kon word. In hierdie
studie is die vier Rade vir Uitvoerende Kunste "The Playhouse" (Durban),
"Artseape" (Kaapstad), RUKOVS (Bloemfontein) en die Spoornet-staatsteater
(Pretoria) bestudeer. Die doel van die studie was om te bepaal of die Rade vir
Uitvoerende Kunste 'n transformasie, soos gedefinieer deur die DKKWT,
ondergaan het. Die navorsing is vanuit 'n kwalitatiewe perspektief benader om te
verseker dat so veel moontlik genuanseerde inligting binne 'n beperkte tydsbestek
en te midde van finansiele beperkinge ingesamel is. Waar nodig, soos in die
analise van personeel en uitgawes, is 'n kwantitatiewe benadering gevolg.
Daar is bevind dat daar deurgaans uitvoering gegee is aan die omskepping van die
Uitvoerende Kunsterade in skouburgteaters, hoewel sommige Rade reeds 'n ver
pad met betrekking tot selftransformasie geloop het. Befondsing was afkomstig
van staatsubsidies, NUK-befondsing vir spesifieke projekte, borge en ander
minder beduidende bronne, byvoorbeeld inkomste uit kaartjieverkope.
Tradisionele vorms van die uitvoerende kunste, veralopera en ballet, het steeds 'n
beduidende deel van totale uitgawes uitgemaak, en Rade vir Uitvoerende Kunste
het groot probleme ondervind om genoegsame steun van provinsiale regerings,
plaaslike owerhede en die besigheidsektor te werf om hulle in staat te stelom as
lewensvatbare en onafhanklike entiteite te funksioneer. Nie een van die Rade vir
Uitvoerende Kunste kon daarin slaag om befondsing van 'n standhoudende aard te
bekom waarop hulle kon reken om aan hul vereistes te voldoen nie.
Die DKKWT beskou die implementering van 'n Gemeenskapskunsontwikkelingkomponent
(GKO) en die stigting van die NUK as onontbeerlik vir 'n regverdige
kunste-bedeling in die land. GKO beoog om voorsiening te maak vir die opvoeding en bemagtiging van mense III die voorheen agtergeblewe
gemeenskappe, toegang tot plekke waar GKO-optredes gehou word, NUKbefondsing,
asook bewustheids- en uitreikprogramme. Die GKO-komponent
wissel aansienlik van RUK tot RUK.
Die Witskrif oor Kuns, Kultuur en Erfenis erken dat die toekoms van kuns- en
kulturele uitdrukking in die ontwikkeling van nuwe gehore en markte opgesluit lê.
Die ontwikkeling van gehore en makliker toegang tot plekke waar optredes
aangebied word is in die hande van Kunsterade gelaat; in sommige gevalle met
Die transformasie van die Rade vir Uitvoerende Kunste se personeelprofiel ten
einde die demografiese werklikheid van elke provinsie te weerspieel was
Soos duidelik uit die studie blyk, het elke Raad vir Uitvoerende Kunste
onderneem om die transformasie op sy eie manier te implementeer. Die gevolg is
dat die transformasie in die verskillende Rade vir Uitvoerende Kunste nie altyd
tred hou met die bindende opdragte wat in die Witskrif oor Kuns, Kultuur en
Erfenis (DKKWT, 1996) vervat is nie.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/49746