associations/industry organisations

Through the intervention of former Australian diplomats, Diane Johnstone and Bruce Haigh and the Australian High Commission in South Africa and the South African Ministry of Arts and Culture, the Foundation was launched in November 2005, by the then Minister of Arts and Culture, the Honourable Dr. Z. Pallo Jordan. The original aim of the Foundation was to repatriate South African struggle-era cultural heritage such as art and art objects back into the country.

Ifa Lethu today manages the largest heritage repatriation effort in South Africa with collections having been repatriated from countries such as the United States of America, Canada, France, Australia, Spain, Holland, the United Kingdom and Germany. Further collections have been identified across the globe and every endeavour is made by Ifa Lethu to facilitate their repatriation to their home country. Ifa Lethu thanks all its generous donors who make this possible.

Recent activities marked a rapid growth and an extension of our mandate, which has resulted in the Foundation focusing on the provision of skills for creative practitioners so they may become successful entrepreneurs. This extension has allowed the foundation to align its work with the national priorities of poverty alleviation and community upliftment. While Repatriation, education and outreach of heritage remain the core business of the Foundation, the development aspect has been fully incorporated into our work. This was guided by the lessons harnessed over the last two years, and by the recognition of current challenges that plague the heritage and creative sectors.

It was also guided by our research which pointed to the lack of available and related skills in this sector and the failure to use heritage to empower communities and create a more entrepreneurial society in South Africa, thus contributing to the economic development of the country. Headed by CEO Dr. Narissa Ramdhani and Chaired by Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, the Ifa Lethu Foundation has, through its sophisticated training programmes developed creative entrepreneurs and reated markets for them nationally and internationally. Since inception, the work of Ifa Lethu has evolved into:

• Development of young and rural creative talent and skills in the visual arts, crafts and fashion sectors.
• Training and mentoring of young creative entrepreneurs to reach sustainable levels allowing them to contribute to the economy of the country.
• Development in fashion design and production for young designers.
• Sustaining the awareness of all projects.

The foundation receives its funding from the Ministry of Arts and Culture, the National Lottery and the private sector in South Africa.

Contacts

Telephone: (012) 346 2985
Fax: (012) 346 3531
Email: admin@ifalethu.org.za

Physical Address:
Office S 06
First floor South building
Groenkloof Forum Office park
57 George Storrar Drive
Groenkloof
0181

Postal Address:
P.O. Box 87
Groenkloof
South Africa
0181

Website: http://www.ifalethu.org.za

Over the years, the Society has grown to become a national body of artists and lovers of the visual arts. The organisation proved its resilience despite several war-time situations and challenges of an economic, financial, social and political nature.

Several name changes were due to follow: in 1871 it became the South African Fine Arts Association (SAFAA), in 1945 the South African Association of Arts (SAAA), and in 1998 the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA). Despite the name changes, the Association basically retained the same objectives as reflected in the original Constitution, that of promoting the visual arts in its widest context. One of SANAVA’s major objectives concerning the development of artists relates to the administration of three fully equipped artists’ studios, in the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, France. These were acquired during the early 1990s in terms of an occupational rights agreement, valid till 2060.

SANAVA is an overall administrative body, serving autonomous branches and affiliated organisations (art galleries, museums, educational institutions and corporate bodies providing for the promotion of the visual arts) country-wide.

Presently, the Association comprises 26 branches and 19 affiliated organisations, including two academic institutions in Mozambique (the National School of Visual Arts of Mozambique and the Portuguese School of Mozambique, both in Maputo). Its Constitution does not allow for individual artists directly to become members of the national association. They have to be members of a branch that is a member of the national body.

SANAVA is registered with the Department of Social Development as a Non-profit Organisation as well as with the South African Revenue Service as a Public Benefit Organisation. Although the SAAA (earlier name of SANAVA) had been a founding member of the International Association of Art (IAA) in 1954, it became a dormant member in later years. On 24 September 2005, at the 16th General Assembly of the IAA held in China, SANAVA was readmitted as a member of that non-governmental world body, closely associated with UNESCO.

Main Objectives

• the promotion of the visual arts in general;
• the development of visual artists; and
• furthering international cooperation in the field of the visual arts

Management Committe

Anton Loubser
National President
Gilberto Leal
Vice-President
Lynette ten Krooden
Vice-President
Helen E Weldrick
Vice-President
Basie Botha 
Honorary National Treasurer
Avitha Sooful 
Honorary Advisor: Social Development
Constitution

Approved and adopted at the Annual General Meeting on 2 October 1998, and amended at Annual General Meetings on 23 April 2004, 21 April 2006 and 27 April 2007.

Sanava: A member of the IAA

The South African Association of Arts (SAAA), earlier name of the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA), was a founding member of the International Association of Art (IAA)/Association Internationale des Arts Plastiques (AIAP). The IAA is a non-governmental world body run by and for visual artists in every medium, style and tradition. It was founded in 1954 under the auspices of UNESCO. Artists from countries worldwide are represented by their national committees. At the 1st General Assembly of the IAA, held in Venice from 28 September to 3 October 1954, the SAAA was represented by an established visual artist, Walter Battiss. He was elected as a member of the organisation’s first Executive Committee, together with representatives from Brazil, USA, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Japan and Sweden.

The principal objectives of the IAA are:

• to stimulate international co-operation, free from any aesthetic, political or other bias, among artists of all countries;
• to improve the economic and social position of artists at the international level, and to defend their material and moral rights; and
• to co-operate with UNESCO in the field of the visual arts.

At some or other stage during the apartheid era, the SAAA became a dormant member of the IAA. On 24 September 2005, at the 16th General Assembly of the IAA held in Beijing, China, this valuable relationship was rekindled, when SANAVA was readmitted as a member of the world body. The National President of SANAVA, Anton Loubser, was elected as a member of the Executive Committee, together with representatives from the Peoples Republic of China, Japan, Kuwait, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, Brazil, Mexico and Mauritius.
National President’s annual report 2008

The Association experienced a gradual growth in its membership, whilst consolidating its financial position and increasing its activities with regard to development projects and international involvement. At national level, SANAVA’s autonomous branches and affiliated organisations were as active as ever in furthering the Association’s major objective, that of promoting the visual arts in its widest context, always within the scope as allowed by the means at their disposal.

Contacts
Telephone: (012) 460 5826
Fax: (012) 323 1275
Fax: (012) 460 5826
Email: info@sanava.co.za
Email: antonlo@telkom.nte
Postal Address: P.O. Box 2691
Brookyln Square
0075

Website: www.sanava.co.za
 

Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) is a not-for profit company whose primary aim is to promote mutually beneficial and sustainable business-arts partnership that will benefit society as a whole.

BASA was founded in 1997 as a joint initiative between the (then) Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (now the Department of Arts and Culture) and the private sector. BASA has peer agencies in the UK and Australia. BASA has over 160 corporate members.

Purpose

To attract corporate sector support for the arts and culture, whether financial or in kind and to lift the profile of the arts and artists within South Africa.

Mission

To promote mutually beneficial, equitable, and sustainable business arts partnerships that will over the long term, benefit the broader community.

Contacts

Telephone: +27 (0) 11 832 3000/3041/3042/3039
Fax: +27 (0) 11 832 3040
Email: info@basa.co.za

Physical Address: The Mills
3rd Floor, 66 Carr street (corner Quinn)
Newtown
Johannesburg
South Africa

Postal Address: P.O. Box 42865
Fordburg
2033

Website: www.basa.co.za

Our Johannesburg Offices

See under 'Contact' for contact details