The NEA, an independent, community-based, non-profit organisation, involved in youth development in the arts, received a three-year grant to the value of R3,500,975 from the NLDTF, for the period 2010 to 2012.
The chairman of the NEA Board of Directors, Johan van Wyk, on delivering his chairman's report at the meeting, said: "The year 2012 saw the NEA continue with its quest to make champions of our youths through the arts, by managing, co-ordinating and supporting eisteddfod activities in various regions and centres - all made possible by the three-year grant received from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF)."
Further to this, given the fact that 2012 was the last year of the current three-year NLDTF funding contract, it is important to bear in mind the overall impact of this project over this time frame:
Since its founding in 1997, the NEA has been contributing to the evolving culture of the South African nation by nurturing the performing arts in all communities, including urban and rural communities. These activities include the DiKonokono Festival (Festival of Champions) that focuses specifically on development; the annual NEA Eisteddfod; the NEA Young Performer Showcase events and the National Eisteddfod Academy's Young Performer Awards competition.
The impact of the NLDTF funding can be seen on all these levels of the NEA's activities. Although there is still an imbalance in the participation of previously disadvantaged learners in the Eisteddfod process, it is gradually improving and, irrespective of this imbalance, some of the top achievers in NEA Eisteddfod activities are learners from disadvantaged and less serviced communities.
A comparison between the recent number of entries received from previously disadvantaged areas and the corresponding number in the period prior to the receiving of the grant, clearly illustrates the impact of the grant: in comparison to the total number of entries that increased by 30.1%, the total number of entries from previously disadvantaged areas increased by 306.4%. The total number of individual entries increased by 34.3% while, by comparison, the total number of participants from previously disadvantaged areas increased by 868.37% (from 1059 in 2009 to 9196 in 2012).
Finally, the number of entries received from previous disadvantaged regions, when expressed as a percentage of the total number of entries, increased from almost 8% in 2009 to close on 19% in 2012. Similarly, the total number of previous disadvantaged participants, expressed as a percentage of the total number of participants, increased from 4.5% to 29.4%. Likewise, the number of participants from less serviced communities that participated in the NEA Young Performer Awards (a platform for awarding top young performers) increased significantly. Recipients of diploma awards (90% and higher) in festivals during the previous year, are annually invited to enter for this competition that offered cash prizes to the value of R50,000 during 2012.
The number of entries from previously disadvantaged communities involved in this competition increased with 380% compared to the 45 entries received during the first year of the NLDTF grant (2010). Even more significant is the increase of 1293% in the number of individuals and groups that participated in the semi-final rounds of the NEA Awards in 2012 (a total of 181 individuals and groups participated, compared to 14 individuals and groups that participated in 2010).
"These statistics are tangible evidence of the impact that the project has on communities", Van Wyk emphasised.
The CEO, Dr Francois van den Berg, said: "Without the support of the NLDTF these learners from less serviced communities would not have had the opportunity to experience the magic of the performing arts. Experience has shown that an abundance of talent exists in all communities and the NEA needs funding in order to provide opportunities for participants that cannot afford the entry fees.
"Sustainability remains an ongoing challenge for any non-profit organisation and, without funding from organisations like the NLDTF, access to projects in the arts, like the NEA, sadly, will only be limited to the more affluent communities."
When adjudicating the NEA 2013 Competition, the National Arts Festival artistic director, Ismail Mahomed remarked: "I feel ecstatic when the arts go beyond tokenism because then it is giving recognition to our real achievers and champions.
"The NEA Awards is an inspiring catalyst for the creative industries. It is a dynamic incubator that gives young children the opportunity to experience and grow through the arts. Not every child will become an artist, but at least we can be confident that those who are exposed to the arts will become passionate supporters and patrons for the arts. Too often in the arts sector, we discuss transformation only in narrow race and cultural terms. The NEA has demonstrated how it goes beyond that discussion. The NEA promotes diversity of expressions across genres, styles and newer evolving forms of urban cultural expressions without getting bogged down by the restrictive politics of race, language and culture."
Greater exposure to, and awareness of, our South African multicultural diversity, through the Eisteddfod process, are direct outcomes of the inclusive approach followed by the NEA.
A former professional ballet dancer and an NEA Dance adjudicator, Fiona Budd, summed it up when she said: "The NEA provides a vital platform for young fledgling talent to be discovered, recognised, nurtured, developed and shared with South Africa."
