One of the shining stars of our Debut Programme is Kganya Mogashoa, a gifted visual artist from Gauteng. Since her recognition as one of South Africa's top 25 creatives by the Debut Programme in 2021, her career has been one with many significant milestones. Mogashoa's artwork has graced the auction floor at the Stephan Welz & Co’s Emerging South African Artist Auction, and she has curated captivating exhibitions at various galleries. Her success story is emblematic of the transformative power of the Debut Programme, which, in partnership with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), empowers emerging artists in rural and peri-urban areas by imparting vital business acumen, enabling them to flourish as creative entrepreneurs.
Zanele Madiba, Basa programmes manager, says: “There are many obstacles faced by rural and peri-urban cultural and creative entrepreneurs, including limited access to funding, resource constraints, and a lack of opportunities to launch a thriving business. The Debut Programme is about bridging these gaps, equipping creative entrepreneurs with the resources required not just to survive but to thrive in their respective creative ventures.”
Mogashoa's inspiring journey is just one among several tales of triumph emanating from the Debut Programme. Here, we spotlight three emerging creatives from South Africa who, having honed an array of skills through the Debut Programme, have transformed their artistic passions into thriving, sustainable enterprises, carving out profitable livelihoods from their creative talents:
Laice Sanele Mathebula, a versatile visual and performing artist from Heidelberg, stands out with expertise in graphic, visual, and editorial design. What distinguishes Mathebula's enterprise is its commitment to tailoring each service to meet the unique needs of individuals and businesses.
Xolane Marman, a young stage director and opera singer based in Cape Town, is the force behind SA Operatunity. Marman's vision is to create performance opportunities for emerging opera artists across South Africa, fostering job creation within the music sector.
Xolile Mabuza, hailing from Msogwaba, a village outside Mbombela in Mpumalanga, is the founder of Tendalo Trading. She specialises in crafting environmentally friendly waterproof bags by recycling rubber tubes from vehicles and creating accessories.Zanele Madiba concludes: "We take immense pride in supporting and empowering creative entrepreneurs such as Kganya, Laice, Xolane, Xolile and many others. We have witnessed tremendous growth amongst last year's Debut graduates, and we are even more excited to see what the third iteration of Debut Programme participants has in store for us."
Join us on 2 November 2023, at 1pm at the prestigious Soweto Theatre, as we celebrate the success stories of these remarkable creative entrepreneurs who have blossomed through the Debut Programme.
Please RSVP by 31 October 2023: https://bit.ly/3Sdxlco.
