With a mission to encourage and foster artistic development in schools in the Free State, the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State (Pacofs) has launched the Kasi-To-Pacofs initiative.
According to Pacofs CEO, Themba Dlamini, the vision and mission of the initiative align with Pacofs as their key focus is in developing and creating a sustainable platform for arts in schools, in particular.
The aim therefore is to build a talent development pipeline for grades RR to 12 for township and rural-based schools in the Free State.
“Pacofs relies on civil society groups and the media to volunteer in capturing the programme and activities as and when it happens at the identified primary and secondary schools. Thus far, schools in Rocklands and Heidedal have been identified on the basis of regular Pacofs clients and audiences.
The Dr. Viljoen Combined School also attended the Pacofs incubator programme,” said Dlamini. He added that workshopping children at an early childhood level and nurturing such career paths would directly and indirectly support the arts industry in Bloemfontein.
“The new management led by a new CEO [Dlamini] is to ensure active citizenry, through such a programme, becomes a reality. Pacofs’ partnership with the University of the Free State’s Faculty of Humanities and the CEO being a member of the Academic Advisory Board is an encouragement of promoting performing arts within the province,” he said.
For Dlamini achieving this does not only need the help from official bodies only, but volunteers can also play their part to continue nurturing communities while aiding in the artistic development within the city and province.
“Mentorship, coaching and promoting work-integrated programmes are key to the performing arts in the Free State. The volunteers from artists to workshop learners at primary and high schools, is a critical success factor in nurturing communities that are keen in this sector,” he said.
To keep up with the ever-changing arts scene, Dlamini mentioned that as the digitisation of productions and the effects of Artificial Intelligence is a game changer, artists have been encouraged to innovate and apply lateral thinking when formulating a script as curatorship remains an important aspect of performing arts.
Follow Pacofs on Facebook to follow the journey of the upcoming projects as the initiative hopes to bring community empowerment through artistic endeavours.
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