Fashion takes centre stage in Rand West

The Rand West City Arts Council will host the Rand West Fashion Festival as an educational platform to create a safe space for young people.

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Chairperson of the council, Silas Busang Nyembe, mentioned the event will take place on June 27 to 28 at the Greenhills Stadium. The the first day will consist of a seminar as well as a panel discussion made up of experts.

Various representatives with professional backgrounds will attend the event and advise the youth.

Furthermore, Silas stated creative arts are being used to educate and empower the youth beyond the traditional classroom. The council has taken hands with the Department of Basic Education to create an environment where the youth can learn arts and entrepreneurship in a practical manner.

We are focusing on societal views such as drug addiction, crime and gender-based violence, and we try to allow the youth to express those topics artistically.

“We are tailoring to music, art, theatre and many more,” he explained.

Silas added the programmes that learners can participate in free of charge, allow them to exercise practically. The council also plans on establishing a media hub for podcasting, content creating and many more to allow space for job creation.

“We have mentors, and we stray away from the traditional lessons taught in the classroom. By doing this, we allow learners to study in a much easier way that can also count as a safe space for them.

“This is a sustainable way of saying ‘You are an artist’ and also creating a platform where everyone comes on board to help each other.”

He added they aim to create as many entrepreneurial jobs as possible to let the youth know that their dreams can come true.

“We want to work with local artists and establish stakeholder networks with businesses. We want this event to be community-focused.

We look forward to making art a career path for those who dream of achieving their goals. Everything is art: the infrastructure we build, the music we make, etc. It is a form of therapy and healing,” he concluded.

For more information about the event, contact the Rand West City Arts Council on 067 786 9903.