Latest news with #StandardBankYoungArtistAwards
Daily Maverick
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Maverick
NAF 2025: A Celebration of Identity, Resilience, and the Power of Art
As the curtain falls on the 2025 National Arts Festival (NAF), South Africa's creative heartbeat echoes across the country louder than ever before. From 26 June to 6 July 2025 in Makhanda, the country's most iconic arts festival was a reminder that, even in challenging times, the arts remain important, not only as a form of expression but as a lens through which we define, examine, and reimagine ourselves. Now in its 51st year, the festival has become more than just an annual fixture on the cultural calendar. It is a living, breathing monument to creativity, courage, and community. Standard Bank has been a proud sponsor of the festival for more than 40 years. This year's edition, featuring cutting-edge theatre, experimental visual art, bold dance, soul-stirring poetry, and genre-defying music, was a masterclass in resilience, proof that the creative economy is not only alive but evolving. Sustaining such a powerful creative ecosystem, particularly in a country like South Africa, requires more than talent and vision; it demands a deeply rooted, strategic investment that is consistent and long-term. Standard Bank Group Head of Sponsorship, Bonga Sebesho reflects on the longevity and legacy of the partnership with the NAF. 'We've been a part of this festival for over 40 years,' Sebesho shared during a special broadcast at the festival. 'It's one of the longest sponsorships in South Africa, and it speaks volumes about the trust, partnership, and belief we have in the arts.' Standard Bank's sponsorship isn't just corporate social responsibility; it's a strategic pillar aimed at sustainability, growth, and economic impact. 'The creative economy is a crucial sector. It creates jobs, it uplifts youth, and it shapes how we think and engage with each other. Supporting the arts is not an optional nice-to-have; it's an economic imperative,' he said This year's festival brought together over 2,500 artists across disciplines, from dance and theatre to visual arts and literature, along with production crews, vendors, and service providers, all contributing to the local and national economy. The ripple effect of this activity, especially in a small town like Makhanda, cannot be overstated. 'When we support the National Arts Festival, we're also supporting the small businesses, the guesthouses, the caterers, the artisans, and the community groups who keep this town running,' Sebesho added. Topping the list of Standard Bank's celebrated cultural investments is the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards (SBYA). This prestigious platform has launched the careers of some of South Africa's most celebrated artists, giving them space not only to present new work but also to refine their voices and connect with national and international audiences. 'We're proud to provide a platform where artists can test new work, take risks, and grow,' Sebesho said. 'And not just for national visibility, but for global recognition. We identify artists who are going to make it on the world stage.' Many SBYA recipients, including Gregory Maqoma, Koleka Putuma, and the late Dada Masilo, have made their mark on international stages. The awards, which have now become a career-defining milestone for young creatives, are a symbol of the deep investment Standard Bank has made in artistic excellence. Reflecting on how the bank measures return on such a long-term cultural investment, Sebesho said: 'Yes, there's brand sentiment and love, but beyond that, we look at real impact: how we support communities like Makhanda, how we grow with them, and how we uplift the arts sector meaningfully.' It's not just about visibility during the festival, but about year-round involvement. From sponsoring recycling initiatives and youth workshops to co-supporting community-led road repairs and skills development programmes, the partnership between Standard Bank and the NAF is deeply embedded in the fabric of the town. 'Our involvement with Makhanda doesn't begin and end with the festival dates,' Sebesho emphasised. 'We are part of this community. Our contribution is year-long.' Looking ahead, Standard Bank sees the arts not just as a space for entertainment, but as a vehicle for change. 'We want to continue creating platforms that matter. That means adapting, evolving, and staying relevant to new generations of talent,' Sebesho said. That includes more emphasis on inclusivity, sustainability, and youth engagement, with plans to expand existing initiatives and explore new ones in partnership with festival leadership and local arts organisations. This year, audiences were also introduced to newer festival offerings like the Igwijo youth competition, which invited under-21s to perform alongside legendary music group The Soil, bridging generations and spotlighting fresh voices. It's the kind of grassroots engagement that corporate partnerships can help amplify. The arts spark dialogue, inspire empathy, and shape national identity. They provide jobs, inspire innovation, and empower young people to tell their stories. Without sustained support, many of these voices may go unheard. Standard Bank's pop up restaurant in partnership with local eatery, Nic's Nest. And it's through partnerships like the one with Standard Bank, built on vision, longevity, and belief, that the festival can continue to grow, expand access, and deepen its impact. From bustling pop-up restaurants like 1862 at Nic's Nest, to sold-out runs at Fringe venues and jaw-dropping exhibitions at the Monument, the atmosphere in Makhanda was electric. But it was more than just excitement; it was purpose. So, as we close the chapter on this year's festival, one truth remains clear: investing in the arts is investing in the soul of the nation. And in 2025, that soul was ablaze.
Mail & Guardian
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mail & Guardian
Diary: National Arts Festival, Thandiswa live at the Lyric, Sisonke Afrohouse
Thandiswa Mazwai returns to the stage for an intimate, soul-stirring performance at The Lyric Theatre. (Photo supplied) Festival returns with fresh fire and fearless talent For 11 days this winter, Makhanda becomes the beating heart of South African creativity and artistic innovation as the National Arts Festival lights up the Eastern Cape until 6 July. A staple on the cultural calendar since 1974, the festival has long been a space for protest, play and powerful storytelling — and this year is no different. The programme honours Youth Month by spotlighting bold new voices through the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards. Six trailblazers — Asanda Ruda, Siya Charles, Muneyi, Calvin Ratladi, Modise Sekgothe and Nyakallo Maleke — will debut genre-pushing work across theatre, music, jazz, dance, poetry and visual arts. It's a testament to the resilience and brilliance of South African youth and a celebration of the art that helps us reflect, reimagine and rise. Visit Thandiswa live at The Lyric for one night only Thandiswa Mazwai returns to the stage for an intimate, soul-stirring performance at The Lyric Theatre on 29 June at 7pm, marking a year since the release of her fourth studio album Sankofa. Joined by a stellar jazz quartet, she will journey through songs from Sankofa and Belede — two albums steeped in memory, lineage and fierce artistry. Expect stories of mentorship, movement and music, with nods to the likes of Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela. The show offers a celebration of pan-African sound, with reinterpretations of protest jazz classics and new material. Tickets at Webtickets — Get together for an Afrohouse event Sisonke — We Are Together, an Afrohouse music event, is set to launch this weekend. The event is an experience rooted in unity, rhythm, culture, and energy. Sisonke, which means 'we are together' in isiZulu, aims to connect music lovers through sound. The event will take place at The Nest in Johannesburg on Sunday 29 June from 2pm to 11pm. 'Sisonke brings together the immersive power of Afrohouse music and a carefully curated community experience. 'With an emphasis on premium, intimate settings, each Sisonke event offers a deep, soulful celebration of Afrohouse culture from South Africa to the world,' say the event organisers. Rising South African artists Omagoqa and Thakzin will be gracing the Sisonke stage. The full line-up is set to be announced during the course of the week. Tickets are available on Quicket for R300.
The Citizen
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Trombonist Siyasanga ‘Siya' Charles excited to come back home for the National Arts Festival
Trombonist, composer and arranger Siyasanga 'Siya' Charles is the Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for Jazz. On a Thursday evening in April, some of the country's foremost artists gathered in Bryanston, Johannesburg, as this year's Standard Bank Young Artist Awards (SBYA) winners were announced. Trombonist, composer and arranger Siyasanga 'Siya' Charles was named the SBYA for Jazz. A prestigious award, considering that all six recipients from different disciplines — dance, jazz, theatre, visual art, poetry and music — receive national exposure, financial support for their work, and a cash prize. However, there was some uncertainty when Charles' name was announced as the recipient for jazz, because some in the room weren't aware of her and her work. However, those who know, knew who Charles is. 'There were some fellow members of the South African Jazz community who were also Standard Bank Artist alums, such as Sisonke Xonti, Thandi Ntuli and Dr Nduduzo Makhathini, who presented the award to me and who I've had the honour and pleasure of working with in the past,' Charles says to The Citizen. 'He [Makhatini] also produced my debut single, so there were a couple of people in the South African jazz fraternity who knew of me.' ALSO READ: Nduduzo Makhathini on spiritual understandings anchoring his music and remaining modest Siya Charles' homecoming With most of her career spent outside of South Africa, this is likely the reason why she is not widely known and celebrated in Mzansi. She has been a professional musician for over a decade. Currently based in New York City, Charles enrolled for a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Trombone Performance at the University of Cape Town (UCT) which she finished in 2012 and then completed a Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree in Jazz Trombone Performance cum laude also at UCT the following year. In 2022, she received the opportunity to study for her jazz master's in music at The Juilliard School and graduated magna Cum Laude last year. Charles has worked with many greats, including the late Hugh Masekela and Grammy Award-winning musicians Ulysses Owens Jr and Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers alum Geoffrey Keezer. She spent a significant portion of her 20s travelling and forming connections worldwide, working with musicians in Europe and the US. 'I did receive a lot of welcoming [aboard]. I do believe in going where you are appreciated. I think that's very important as an artist to be surrounded by a supportive community. As much as I have experienced that in parts of Europe and New York, I am also excited to come back home and plant my roots in the South African jazz scene because it's been a while since I've been away,' she shared. Charles started attending the National Arts Festival in her teens. 'This year will be the 20-year mark of my time at the National Arts Festival and Youth Festival,' she said. She has performed at the National Youth Jazz Festival, played in the Standard Bank Schools Big Band in 2006 and 2007, and has also been part of the national youth jazz band in 2010 and 2012. This year's National Arts Festival will be held from 26 June to 6 July in Makhanda. Charles says it has sunk in that she's a recipient of the award, describing the win as a 'huge honour', and says she didn't expect the award since she's a person who is comfortable being in the background. 'I didn't think I'd be acknowledged in this manner, but I have to give a big thank you to Alan Webster who is the director of the national youth jazz festival, he has witnessed my growth over the last 20 years as a trombonist-he really advocated for me to win the award,' said the musician. She wants to use the award to champion other musicians who are women. ALSO READ: Lamiez Holworthy cancels work commitments due to illness Missing home She has performed on various stages, including the Arcevia Jazz Feast in Italy and Sweden's Stockholm Jazz Festival. Like most South African expats, Charles says she misses food from home the most. 'Nothing like South African home-cooked food, I definitely miss the food. I do miss Ubuntu, one thing that South Africans have is: we are so kind,' said Charles, speaking from the US. She says in New York, everyone is focused on what they want to do. Her goal is to be bi-continental, where she can work and collaborate with musicians from various parts of the world, while also giving back. 'My goal is to establish jazz education programs, which can also combine as feeding programs where kids can go to a couple of workshops, receive a warm cooked meal and learn some music.' ALSO READ: SA Gen Z's love for new-age Maskandi and Americans' craze over Amazayoni music Importance of education Formal education is usually frowned upon in the creative space, with artists preferring to lean on the flow of their creative juices. Charles, who admits to being a bit of a nerd, says she sees the value of formal education despite having interacted with legends who received no formal education. 'For me, I just wanted to develop certain skills that I may not have been able to have, had I not gone for formal training,' said the artist. She began attending the National Youth Jazz Festival at the age of 15, where she participated in workshops that explored the intricacies of jazz. 'I learnt a lot of skills going to school, firstly at the University of Cape Town. I was able to learn composition and arranging skills, something that I enjoy doing very much,' the composer shares. Through formal training, she has acquired skills in writing charts properly, being a band leader, and other elements that make up the ecosystem of music. All these teachings, she says, help one with longevity in the industry. ALSO READ: Simthande Myeza 'abducted and robbed' during e-hailing trip: TikToker's family speaks Still very much an artist She is both talented and has acquired formal training, a skill not many musicians possess. 'It is a skill to balance the creative with the cerebral. I am quite a cerebral person,' says Charles. In her performance at the Standard Bank Jazz Festival, just before performing one of her songs, Ascension, she mentioned that the song had come to her in a dream. Formal education has not stifled her creativity. 'I enjoy the technicalities of it [music] but I think it's amazing that I have this source that is outside of myself where I'm able to hear these melodies in my sleep,' shares Charles. She says her musicianship is linked to her faith, especially her compositions. 'A lot of the songs I hear them while I'm asleep, I see them as like musical downloads from the hereafter.' The beauty of the balance she strikes between the creative and the intellectual allows her to create musical notations after 'downloading' them in her dreams. '…cause sometimes you'll hear a song, and you don't write it down, it just disappears into the ether where it came from, so I've learnt how to balance the creative with the cerebral.' ALSO READ: 'Bucket list checked': Zakes Bantwini graduates from Harvard New music There are snippets and fragments of Charles' music online, particularly her live performances, but there's only one song available on streaming platforms. 'I've been very much focused on my studies, and now that I've graduated, I'm set to record my debut album between sometime this year and next year.' She says the music and the personnel are there; it's just a matter of making time to go into the studio. Charles's grandfather was a self-taught musician, despite never recording music. Her only song on streaming platforms, KwaLanga, is an ode to him. 'There isn't any documented work of his playing, but that song I dedicated to him, and there are a couple of songs that I've written, dedicated to family members that I love very much who are no longer with us,' she said. She will perform some of these compositions when she takes the stage at the National Art Festival. NOW READ: 'Black Women and Sex': South African filmmaker wins at American Black Film Festival
