VANSA in the Western Cape
The Visual Arts Network of South Africa (VANSA) is to
be launched this month in the Western Cape. All visual
artists, arts organisations and businesses will be
eligible to join this organisation which sets itself
up to make the voices of visual art practitioners
heard and to promote their practice at every level.
Nationally, it is modelled, to some extent, on the
Performing Arts Network of South Africa (PANSA) which
has been a very effective body in lobbying government,
as a discussion forum, and, has run a number of
programmes including, for example, workshops for radio
drama scriptwriters.
VANSA set out some potential strategies in a recent
press release: to bring to the attention of the city
and the state the enormous importance to the national
economy of cultural tourism, and the necessity for
funding the visual arts; to lobby government for
programmes whereby corporate buyers get tax breaks; to
lobby for a 1% For Art� plan for all new buildings at
planning stage. The latter two are standard practice
in many countries in the world, notably in the US
where the 1% For Art� has been tremendously
successful (this policy stipulates that 1% of the
total budget for all new public buildings must be
allocated for art). Closer to home and more particular
to the South African situation, VANSA could also help
provide access to tools, technology and skills for
artists to distribute their work, locally and
internationally. Constructive critical forums could
also be set up to debate matters of interest to
artists.
Nationally, VANSA is chaired by Frank Ledimo. Clive
van den Berg is Gauteng convenor and Storm van
Rensburg (of Durban�s NSA Gallery) occupies that role
in KwaZulu-Natal. Other members include Stephen Hobbs
and Conrad Theuys. Cultural activist Zayd Minty and
director of the AVA Estelle Jacobs are co-convenors of
the Western Cape branch. Other members here include
gallery director Suzette Bell-Roberts, head of Cape
Technikon's Design department Mel Hagan, co-curator of
the recent YDESIRE Kim Stern and artist Pro Sobopha
Typically, although this process started out smoothly
and got going very promptly, there are a few noses out
of joint. The South African National Association of
Visual Arts (SANAVA, formerly the South African
Association of the Arts) was at first happy with the
formation and existence of VANSA (the above-mentioned
Conrad Theuys is an active member of SANAVA) but have
apparently subsequently banned their members from
affiliation with VANSA. Minty insists that the two
organisations can easily co-exist and share members.
He suggests that SANAVA has historically acted as a
network mainly for smaller towns like George and they
have enjoyed association with art galleries all over
the country.
Both the AVA and NSA are former affiliates and SANAVA
still maintains its connection to an apartment at the
Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, which they make
available for winners of the ABSA l�Atelier Award.
They are, Minty adds, traditionally a 'fairly
conservative body� with no history of lobbying
government at all'. Minty adds that despite the fact
that they are run 'fairly autocratically', they have a
definite role to play - 'Together we can be stronger'.
It is, he says, 'VANSA's wish to help support the work
of members and members� institutions not to duplicate
their role'.
VANSA may eventually run a national office and here in
the Western Cape may share resources with other
networks. The organisation will be funded both by
subscription and additional funding, which will be
sought. Membership is free for the moment until later
in the year when the organisation is launched
nationally and members will receive regular
newsletters.
Enquiries can be addressed to Zayd Minty at 083
530-1912 or Estelle Jacobs at (021) 424- 7436. Email:
vansawcape@yahoo.com
