Can PR save the arts?
Despite South Africa's current economic climate, people involved in the arts industry push forward in a bid to realise their dreams. Non-profit organisations in this sector also face socio-economic factors. HIV/AIDS has gained and continues to hold the SADC region's focus; poverty and a lack of education are the core focus and arts and culture fall by the wayside.
We find ourselves looking to the west, which promotes and supports its arts and culture initiatives, changing lives and influencing cultures, fashion and lifestyles. Isn't it about time that South Africa and the rest of Africa takes the plunge and does the same? How do we change the perception and image of this industry to make it fly? Putting up a fight for some space in the spotlight is certainly on the cards, as is a lot of PR. So how do we win over some media attention to the flagging of arts and culture? I believe it holds the key to helping us change the mindsets of our nation.
Athol Fugard, a patron of arts and culture said, “The arts are the soul of a people: they express their joys and sorrows, their fears and their hopes. The history of our cultural heritage is one to be preserved and inspire us to new creation.” Fugard is correct! Art is a way of life and should be promoted as such.
What we need is a marriage of creative minds that will be committed to a process that supports initiatives within the arts and culture. A few organisations are laying the foundation for such initiatives, one of them being the launch of Board Bank South Africa.
Empowerdex in association with Business & Arts South Africa (BASA) has introduced Board Bank South Africa (BBSA) to facilitate and provide a platform for non-profit arts and culture organisations to partner with duly skilled and experienced black business people. The aim is to build the capacity of non-profit arts organisations to run as effective, strong and sustainable business enterprises.
It is only through clever and tactical public relations that we can hope to change the mindset and perception of decision-makers in our society to become more supportive of this industry. The BBSA is a step in right direction. Now we need to use a variety of platforms if we are to create awareness and education around what SA's arts and culture means to the people on the ground.
The media places so much attention on the international arts sphere, but what about the scores of talented individuals in their backyard? A branding campaign to reposition this sector is sorely needed. If the ultimate aim is to run these non-profit organisations as businesses, then transformation and advancement should soon follow.
I am looking forward to supporting such initiatives and I aim to add value where possible. Building relationships, networks and a renewed image are prerequisites to embarking on a PR campaign that will give our arts and culture sector the attention it deserves.
Through the arts we will keep our heritage alive and still be able to tell our story in centuries to come. While some creativity is required to bring it all back to life, PR and communication will play a pivotal role.
