Arts Award relaunched |25 January 2006

The relaunch of the award was announced by the executive director of the National Arts Council (Nac), Emmanuel D'Offay, during a press conference recently.

Mr D'Offay said that the idea to relaunch the award is in response to the wishes of the artists themselves, who felt the need to have an award ceremony dedicated to them, just like the sportsmen have theirs.

He noted that the Arts Award was not the first of its kind as one was hosted in 1991, but was discontinued for no particular reason.

"We have also decided to revive it as we feel there is a need for artists to be rewarded for their many contributions to the country," Mr D'Offay added.

The award is expected to take place every two years and among the categories in which artists are to be rewarded are music, dance, drama, fashion, literature and "gradually other domains such as the media would also be included in the Arts Award," he said.

Talking about the criteria to be used to select the winners, Mr D'Offay pointed out that only those artists who have participated in the 2004 Arts Festival and who have registered for the award will be considered.

"But it takes more than that to win, as we also have to look at other works that the artists have produced after the festival," he stated, adding that it will also be awarded  posthumously.

He said that some 30 artists of different art forms will be recognised at the award ceremony and among members of the committee which made the selection were members of Nac's board and a group of artists.

Winners in each category will receive a cheque for R5,000 and a special trophy made especially for the Art Award. The winning artists will also get the opportunity to work closely with Nac to promote their works.

Members of the public and other artists are invited to come and support the event which will be held at the International Conference Centre on Saturday February 10, from 6.30 p.m.

The ceremony will include entertainment and will be followed by a cocktail.

Tickets cost R125 apiece and are on sale at Nac’s headquarters at the southern end of the Stad Popiler car park.