Today, the Department of Arts and Culture and the interim leadership of the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of South Africa invited artists and cultural organisations to a consultation tomorrow in the Western Cape, as well as three other provinces on the same day. Now for the first time...(the sector) will have a body to represent them at governmental, economic and societal level says the media release. Many of us would love to have a credible structure that represents our interests and that is taken seriously at the highest levels of policy-making, funding and other decision-making related to our sector. But to be invited to a 5-hour consultation the day before?? Do we simply drop everything and attend in the hope that, this time, its going to be the real deal? (Notwithstanding an almost 20-year history where representative structures created by organisations and artists within the creative sector themselves have routinely been ignored, undermined and disrespected by those in authority?). Is this - being invited to a consultation without any agenda or documentation being provided and the ridiculous timing of the invitation - not signs of utter disrespect for the sector? Will these provincial consultations simply tick some box, with the desired outcomes already predetermined? I cannot help but have that battered partner feeling, where we as the creative sector constantly go back to the DAC in the hope that this time, things will be better, only to be abused and disappointed, yet again. Perhaps things will be better this time, but with the manner and timing of the invitation, I wont be holding my breath.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 18:17:44 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015