BLACK ART & COMMUNITIES AT HEART (BACAH) - “Liberating Black Artists”

A DECOLONIAL CONVERSATION IN A SPACE WHERE IT MATTERS

The fourth instalment of the decolonial conversations series, Black Art & Communities at Heart (BACAH), will be held at the Makukhanye Art Room in Khayelitsha on 04 November 2017, from 3pm to 6pm. Conceptualised and hosted by Mandisi Sindo, a recipient of a National Fellowship from the Institute for Creative Arts (ICA), the series aims to explore the of importance black art, black artists and black communities in post-1994 South Africa.

The theme for the fourth instalment is “Liberating Black Artists” and will feature writer/director Given Jikwana. The playwright who describes himself as a “theatre activist using theatre for social change,” will be in conversation with Unathi Ndiki, a trained film maker and theatre practitioner. Jikwana and Ndiki will explore how the exclusion and marginalisation of black artists in theatre institutions, universities, theatre awards ceremonies affects the growth of the industry and South Africa at large.

BACAH aims to find concrete ways for art to be used  effectively to address social ills and to effect change. More importantly, BACAH locates these public conversations away from their traditional centre – the academy – and situates them inside the marginalised working-class communities most affected by the subject of the talks. 

Bios:

Unathi Ndiki was born in the Eastern Cape in East London and is the Managing Director of st Railway Communications, and a Radio Station Mentor/Trainer at Children’s Radio Foundation. Ndiki is a trained film maker and theatre practitioner. Unathi studied for a BSc in Occupational Therapy at the University of Western Cape. She subsequently did a film production and arts learnership at Big Fish Digital Film School where she was recognised as the best film producer for ‘Painted Black’, a student documentary. She was also awarded the best actress at the Marikana Festival at Rhodes Univeristy.

Given Jikwana was born and bred in Johannesburg and has worked with strings of black theatre and township theatre gurus including Peter Ngwenya, Ken Gampu, Marcus Digashu, Barney Simon, Phyllis Klotz and Smal Ndaba and many more. Jikwana has performed in pantsula groups, theatre productions, bands, choirs and bheka artists throughout South Africa from as far back as 1991. In 2000, he formed Bapa theatre Academy which produced the like of Ayanda Makuzeni of Hectic 99 on SABC 1, Akhona Ndlela, a media technician in Parliament and Andiswa Mrasi, managing director of Ladida Entertainment.

Mandisi Sindo is a South African actor, director, voice artist, curator, theatre practitioner and a community activist based in Cape Town. He is the founder, artistic director and CEO of Theatre4Change Arts Project, an NPO based in Khayelitsha with whom he has produced the Kasi-2Kasi Public Art Festival. He is also an art director and producer at the Makukhanye Art Room, the only Shack Theatre in SA. In his career he has directed productions like The Sacrifice, The Widow, Pantsul’amagenge, Mari & Kana and Holy Contract to name but the few.

RSVP:theatre4changetherapeutics@gmail.com

Venue:117 BidaCres, Village 4 North,Khayelitsha, Cape Town, 7784

For further information, please contact Mandisi Sindo 084 038 1900 or 076 035 9672