Speech by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Hon. Goodenough Kodwa on the occasion of the launch of the Young Creatives Programme, 06 July 2023, Benoni, Gauteng Province
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Minister Zizi Kodwa

Programme Director

NYDA Chairperson, Ms Asanda Luwaca

NYDA Board Members

NYDA CEO, Mr Waseem Carrim

Federation of Community Arts Centres in Gauteng, Mr Mpho Molepo

HoDs from different provinces

Provincial Officials

Representatives from different national Departments

Acting DG, Dr Khumalo

DSAC executive Management Team

DSAC officials

Young Creatives

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Greetings to you all

Your presence and support is greatly appreciated as we embark on this journey to empower and uplift the young creatives of our nation.

We are delighted as a Department, to unveil this exciting initiative that is designed to foster and support the talents of young individuals in the field of arts and culture, providing them with a platform to showcase their creativity and nurture their artistic potential.

The Launch of The Young Creatives Programme does not happen outside the context and reality that our young people face. These realities are harsh and even harsher for youth in our Creative sector.

According to the latest figures from StatsSA and other agencies, more than half of South Africa’s population is under 30 years and 60% of this group are unemployed.

The unemployment rate recorded in the 1st quarter of 2023 stood at 32,9%. Out of these numbers, youth unemployment was almost double the national numbers at 62,1%. Obviously these statistics, especially on youth are worrisome and as such cannot be left without initiating and implementing programmes that will decisively and intentionally arrest their upward trajectory.

The Young Creatives Programme, a National Youth Service Programme of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, aims to identify, nurture, and empower young artists, writers, musicians, performers, designers, and creators from diverse backgrounds. It serves as a stepping stone for their professional development and a catalyst for their artistic careers.

By recognizing and encouraging their talents, the programme seeks to inspire a new generation of creatives who will not only contribute to the cultural fabric of our society but will earn a living through the arts.

The Young Creatives Programme offers a range of exciting opportunities for participants, including mentorship programs, workshops, exhibitions, performances, networking events, and access to resources and facilities. By engaging with experienced mentors and industry experts, young creatives will have the chance to refine their skills, expand their knowledge, and gain valuable insights into various art forms and career paths.

We believe that investing in the talents of young creatives is crucial for the growth and vitality of our arts and culture sector. Through this programme, we aim to foster an environment that nurtures creativity, promotes cultural diversity, and cultivates a sense of artistic excellence.

The Young Creatives Programme represents our commitment to supporting the next generation of artists and creators who will shape the future of our cultural landscape.

Fundamentally, this programme is geared towards improving the employability and self-confidence of participants making them to be successful in the job market or in setting up their own enterprises.

The Young Creatives Programme or TYCP will assist the Department to address plight of young people in the Creative industries – by engaging them in meaningful development. 

Many young creatives are often faced with challenges of not having permanent employment as the sector is regarded as informal because it only offers gig work. This is about to change through The Young Creatives Programme.

Amongst others, The Young Creatives Programme :

  • will assist the department in its quest to deliver service in creative arts activities,
  • To promote patriotism and nation-building,
  • To advance social cohesion
  • To help participants to develop occupational skills necessary to be self-employed, to access work-readiness or employability skills of being successful in getting a job and having sustainable livelihood opportunities.

The Young Creatives Programme will be implemented also as a strategy to revive the importance of Community Arts Centres. It will make Community Arts Centres to be at the centre of youth and community development.

Our plan is that while The Young Creatives will be engaged in the current programmes of the Community Arts Centre where they are placed, they will initiate their creative arts activities or projects at these sites, to grow and be active agents of change.

The programme will be implemented in partnership with National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and in the first year, will realise the placement of 270 young creatives in Community Arts Centres across the country.

We are hoping that these cohorts, with the assistance from the Community Art Center managers as well as the provincial DSAC officials and NYDA, will help the community arts environment to be much more viable and importantly, become “1st space of choice” where young people can converge and share their creative and artistic experiences. 

We view our partnership on the programme with National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), as bolstering our aims of mainstreaming youth development. participants will have Community Arts Centres as sites of their community activism using their creativity as a weapon to fight social ills, as well as a tool to educate and entertain the community surrounding their Community Arts Centres.

The NYDA will not only give training to The Young Creatives, but they will also look after these young participants as they exit the programme.

Our partnership with NYDA is not a once off type of association. We are also partnering with the NYDA on other youth development issues, such as the Youth Month and support them on the upcoming BRICS Youth Forum, which will be held this month in eThekwini, in KwaZulu-Natal.

The programme is one of DSAC’s flagship initiatives which solely focusses on the youth whose career ambitions are deep-rooted in the creative and cultural arts sector. It is critical to note that all the youth that are have been appointed to participate in the programme will be contracted for two years starting in 2023/2024.

Each participant will receive a stipend allowance that ranges from R3’500-00 – R4’000-00. Notwithstanding the amount of stipend, they shall receive through their participation in the programme, we are however certain that this will contribute meaningfully and effectively in decisively attacking unemployment and reducing poverty amongst themselves and their immediate families. Participation by young people in the programme will also increase their chances of employability, to a point that some of them may gain greater self-confidence that leads to them being employed.  

To the young creatives, you are endowed with a special gift through which you can influence change in your community, society and the whole world. You have stories to tell, music to compose, poems to recite, designs to change the world and art to beautify our world. Today marks the journey of your life, whose destiny is in your hands and gifts only.

Yours is infinite creative potential, you have innovative capabilities and like many young people, your youth comes with resilience that our country is endowed with. We urge you to be curious, engaged and conscious of the community you are placed in.

In conclusion, we are contend with our partnership with NYDA as they know and understand the challenges that young people face on a daily basis in the Republic of South Africa. They will help the Department to implement capacity building workshops on critical areas such as leadership and mental toughness amongst others.

We are also grateful to the leadership of our sister departments, the MECs and HODs, in all provinces for embracing this important programme targeting our young people. We are confident that they will continue to provide leadership, monitor growth and development of this programme and bring innovative ways to expand the programme.

It is my pleasure to announce that The Young Creatives Programme is officially launched.

 

Thank You.