Sibikwa Arts Centre

Sibikwa Arts Centre is an arts centre located at 13 Liverpool Park, Corner Liverpool and Bolton Roads, Benoni.

Also referred to as the Sibikwa Centre for the Arts.

Sibikwa takes pride in uku’bikwa: the act of pronouncing, announcing and presenting on the world stage, the in-born talents of individuals...as custodians of his-story and her-story.

History

Sibikwa was created in 1988 as a result of a group of Daveyton, East Rand parents voicing their concerns about their childrens' poor attendance at school, lack of focus, the low level of education, the increasing violence and the lack of amenities in the townships. As a result Sibikwa Community Theatre Project was launched by Smal Ndaba and Phyllis Klotz to provide these children with a focus and hope for the future.

Their involvement in theatre began with So Where To? which toured extensively throughout Southern Africa and festivals abroad.

In 1991, Sibikwa moved to it's present location in Liverpool Park, Benoni. The Liverpool Park Complex is a government building managed by the Provincial Department of Public Works. The Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts & Culture (Gauteng) has identified Sibikwa as a Centre of Excellence. The centre is home to a Professional Dance Company, an African Indigenous Orchestra, and an ad hoc Professional Theatre Company.

Through its history, Sibikwa has produced and directed leading, award-wining and cutting-edge productions to audiences not only in South Africa but all over the world. Three of the Sibikwa Plays have been published by Heinemann and are on the prescribed list for grade 11 learners.

Purpose

The purpose of the Sibikwa Arts Centre is to advance:

the talents of South African children and youth through inclusive arts education programmes

the cultural landscape with performances that entertain, educate and enlighten audiences

South African stories on the global stage, in corporate environments and in educational spaces

skills development and job creation through accredited vocational training programmes

creative talents for people with an interest in arts approaches to career development

local contexts by advocating for and democratizing access to arts and culture

Facilities

The Centre has a spacious Dance Studio, several Rehearsal Rooms, Administration Offices, Media Resource Centre and a Library. It also has two performance spaces: a Studio Theatre (capacity 150) and a performance workshop space "Gazata" (capacity 80).

Management

The Sibikwa Arts Centre team is: Caryn Green (CEO), Keabetswe Galawe (Finance Administrator), Ntombizivumile Qupe (Education Projects Manager), Thapelo Kotlolo (CATHSSETA Training Coordinator), Sipho Michael Mabena (Office Administrator), Kelly Storom (Entrepreneurship, Culture And Democracy Projects Manager), Smal Ndaba and Phyllis Klotz (Co-Founders and Consultants). Board Of Directors : Rick Edmonds, Mologadi Kekana, Pamela Grayman (Chair) and Zwelakhe Gumede.

SMAL NDABA

The Managing Director was instrumental in establishing the Sibikwa Arts Centre, he has remained the driving force behind the Centre. Co-Founded Sibikwa Community Theatre Project with Phyllis Klotz in 1988.

Joint winner of the Naledi Lifetime Achievement Award 2005 with co-director Ms Phyllis Klotz.

Has gained both national and international recognition for his work. With over 30 years experience working in the community, he is well versed with the challenges of the South African social and political environment.

Attended the famous Workshop71, run by Bess Finney and Rob McLaren. Pioneered and facilitated a method for training young black actors.

He is passionate about building a community arts sector in South Africa and has facilitated workshops with community groups and community arts centres to build administrative capacity.

He is a playwright, actor and Director who has worked extensively to build a canon of South African theatre.

Smal has toured the USA, Canada and Europe, appearing on three occasions at Edinburgh Festival as well as Australia and Singapore.

He is the recipient of several awards which acknowledge his contribution to the performing arts in South African.

PHYLLIS KLOTZ

Artistic Director and co founder of the Sibikwa Arts Centre and a graduate of UCT, Phyllis has been involved in Developmental Theatre for many years.

She has toured extensively throughout southern Africa with plays that deal with topics from Shakespeare to the environment playing in schools, factories, day hospitals wherever people assemble.

Her immersion in the problems of woman in the lower socio-economic group lead her to write collaboratively and direct You Strike a Woman You Strike a Rock. This seminal piece of South African theatre toured extensively at home and abroad.

She has written several plays with Smal Ndaba (co-founder of Sibikwa) which have garnered several awards for their contribution to South African theatre. These plays published under the title Sibikwa Plays have toured internationally to great acclaim.

Recently, Phyllis adapted Bessie Heads novel Maru for the stage the production played to over twenty thousand people. She is the recipient of several awards amongst them the Naledi Life Time Achievement award and most recently was named by The Star newspaper as in the top ten cultural achievers in South Africa.

Finalist Woman of the Year Award 2000, she has been active in formulating a new Arts Policy for South Africa and has worked extensively on Arts Education Policies with the Department of Arts and Culture.

CHERICE MANGIAGALLI

SIBIKWA ARTS DANCE COMPANY Dance company Artistic Director and dance company manager Cherice Mangiagalli is a contemporary trained dancer from the University of Cape Town where she graduated with her BMus in Dance majoring in Contemporary Dance, African Dance and Choreography.

She furthered her studies at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro as an exchange student, with her Honours in Choreography and arts administration. After graduating with her Honours, she started her career at the Sibikwa Arts Centre, working in the Community Arts Development as the Artistic Director and Company Manager of the Sibikwa Arts Dance Company.

NEO LELEKA

African Indeginous Orchestra Musical Director has been trained in music at Fuba. He has taught African percussion at Sibikwa for over six years. . He is the resident composer at Sibikwa, developing original scores for theatre and dance presentations and performances.