Driven by the clear vision to become the leading producer of excellence and job creation for performing arts in the Eastern Cape, the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex on Friday formally acknowledged its status as a cultural institution.
With the province’s talent at the centre of its operations, the institution outlined its three-year financial and programmes plan meant to ensure its vision becomes a reality.
Among its goals, the entity strives to produce excellence through arts education in partnership with the Stageworld Performing Arts School, which will be funded by the National Arts Council.
Mandela Bay Theatre Complex CEO Monde Ngonyama said the theatre school would become the institution’s arts development and implementation space and the theatre complex premises would be the exhibition platform.
“In the next three years the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex shall dominate as the producer of historical plays, cutting-edge sociopolitical storytelling, innovative dance premised on and influenced by traditional African Xhosa and Khoi heritage, repurposing, and reversion of the musical treasure that the Eastern Cape province possesses,” Ngonyama said.
“It would be a sad day when we had artists feeling that they did not benefit from this institution, while those who inside were seen as benefiting.” .
Newly appointed CFO Amit Raj said Stageworld would implement the institution’s educational programme, which includes full-time dance and theatre courses, short courses on the business of arts administration, and performing arts industry in-service training.
The institution’s new status came with the responsibility of transparency and accountability to the public, Raj said.
“We are declared a cultural institution and therefore we have to comply with the public finance management act from today [Friday] onwards.
“Our budget is appropriated and we have to be transparent and accountable to the public on what we are doing, how we are spending money and what impact we are making in our society,” Raj said.
Among its planned programmes, the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex is set to host 47 drama and dance festivals each year.
In July, the institution will stage John Kani’s internationally acclaimed play Kunene and the King.
HeraldLIVE
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