TUT students celebrate creativity on campus
“Where I come from, art is not taken seriously but since I came to TUT, I have realized that I can go far in the arts.”
The Tshwane University of Technology arts students in Pretoria CBD have embraced a festival aimed at promoting their artistic talents.
The TUT Arts Festival is aimed at educating, entertaining, enriching and evolving various artists in Pretoria.
Third-year Textile Design and Technology student Neo Gift Makondo said he had learnt to perfect his craft through TUT.
“I studied to perfect my creative ways here at TUT.”
Makondo said the festival was an inspiration to many artists especially those from the arts campus.
“It is the first step for a student to showcase their work publicly if you have any art, you feel inspired to create more work.”
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He said it also allowed for the students to receive criticism from various people.
“When an artist is criticized, it only allows them to go back to the drawing board and do better.”
He said being critiqued negatively was always positive feedback for an artist.
Makhondo said the festival also allowed students exposure to more exhibitions around Pretoria.
“Before we go out into the world, we are being prepared by this festival.
Makhondo said he was exhibiting the work he created for the festival at a gallery in Pretoria.
He said art was a platform that was not taken seriously by many people, especially parents, however, one could make a living in the arts.
“Where I come from, art is not taken serious, however, since being at TUT I realized that I can go far with art as a lot of people frequently bought various art works.”
Second-year sculpture and painting student Xoli Maboe said the festival was a great platform to showcase ones’ capabilities and gain experience as a young artist.
“Through the festival, as an artist, you learn about so much and draw a lot of inspiration from other people’s artworks.”
He said there were various art departments at TUT and as students, they never got to appreciate each other’s art often.
“We can love and be motivated by various artists at this festival.”
The public was also able to invest in young creatives, whose work was on sale at the festival.
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Irene Botes Faculty of the Arts said this year’s festival included a Talk Fest, Dance and Physical Theatre, Art and Design exhibitions, Performance, and Fringe Activations and Indigenous Games in association with the City of Tshwane and Gauteng provincial government.
“We are also catering for the young ones with our children’s theatre production, Storytime,” Botes said.
Acclaimed dancer, choreographer and TUT dance alumna, Mamela Nyamza, was also set to deliver a lecture about the arts, her work on national and international stages, and share her views on the role of creative arts in activism.
Nyamza is recognised for her immense contribution to the field of dance, specifically, and the arts, generally.
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