Expanding horizons for artists in Atteridgeville
“We’ve always wanted to establish our shopping centres in Atteridgeville as places where schools and the local community can exhibit and showcase art.”
A local initiative wants to help artists by allowing them to exhibit their work in public spaces.
The opening of this first-of-a-kind arts exhibition in Atteridgeville will coincide with the announcement of the winners of this year’s visual arts competition, called Jewels of Atteridgeville.
The exhibition is currently open for viewing at Nkomo Village.
Safari Investments, the landlord of Nkomo Village, Atlyn and Mnandi shopping centres in Atteridgeville, is passionate about local creative talent in Pheli.
“We’ve always wanted to establish our shopping centres in Atteridgeville as places where schools and the local community can exhibit and showcase art, music, choir performances and other creative talents,” said Safari Investments marketing manager Anne-Marie Kruger.
“This dream is now realised as we, together with the Department of Arts, Culture and Sport, are now hosting this exhibition until October 10.
Jewels of Atteridgeville was their pioneer project, launched in April 2019 with an art competition at Nkomo Village.
“An art mentor workshop, hosted in August 2019 at Nkomo Village in partnership with a Johannesburg-based artist, was used to embed skills through examples of materials,” she said.
Since then, numerous workshops have been hosted as well as a road trip for artists to galleries such as MOMO, Everard Read Gallery and the Bag Factory.
Eventually, a partnership was formed with the HM Pitje Foundation aimed at expanding the local art and craft economy through training and entrepreneurship opportunities for the youth of Atteridgeville.
The HM Pitje foundation donated furniture and other necessities for the venue at Nkomo Village.
One of the biggest workshops was held in early 2020 with Giggs Kgole, an internationally established artist from South Africa residing in France.
This free seminar was attended by 70 artists from Atteridgeville and the surrounding areas.
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Giggs shared his inspiring story about growing up in poverty and how to succeed through dedication, hard work and persistence.
In 2020, Safari Investments won a South African Council of Shopping Centres award for this community project.
Kruger said that this encouraged Safari to continue in its mission to expand the horizons of young artists in the community and to take Atteridgeville’s creativity to the world.
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