Date: 14/09/2003
Source: Western Cape Provincial Government
Title: Van Schalkwyk: Khula Arts Awards ceremony


SPEECH BY THE WESTERN CAPE PREMIER, MARTHINUS VAN SCHALKWYK, AT THE KHULA ARTS AWARDS CEREMONY, Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, 14 September 2003

TRAINING IN THE ARTS BUILDS BRIDGES BETWEEN COMMUNITIES

Musician Wynton Marsalis once said: "Any art form can influence your thinking, your feeling, the way you dress, the way you walk, how you talk, and what you do with yourself."

The truth is that artists are often far more effective than world leaders in influencing and affecting our lives. Artists capture today's realities, sufferings and celebrations - emphasizing and intensifying them. At the same time they reflect and interpret life's extraordinary moments, the picturesque and the grotesque, our joys, our fears, and our dreams. They present us with the complete picture - the light and colourful as well as the dark and sombre. They provoke our thoughts, influence our behaviour and shape our future.

But ladies and gentlemen, art in South Africa and the Western Cape has always done much more than that. Apha eNtshona Koloni sibonisa ukuba singawenza uMgaqo-siseko usebenze ngokuphilileyo. In the Western Cape we are showing that we can bring the spirit of our Constitution to life Our art has been a mirror to our times - reflecting repression and struggle, giving voices to those who were silenced, celebrating a remarkable transition, and more recently as an expression of optimism and anticipation about our shared future. An artist's work, even if only a simple expression of beauty or pain, never stands alone. It always reflects a value system. Sometimes it questions the system. Sometimes it compliments that system. But in doing so, it creates an image of the world. This is an image which binds us together. In this way our authors, actors, dancers, sculptors, painters, crafters and musicians have played an invaluable role - helping us to define that which makes us truly South African.

This evening we gather with a dual purpose - to recognise and acknowledge artists whose skills and gifts have raised them to a level of excellence and distinction, and whose energies and commitment to their craft have added value to the arts as a whole. We are privileged to live in a province on the cutting edge - where we hear music and see theatre, art and dance that is a unique, new and innovative - blending our different cultures, backgrounds and influences. It is a celebration par excellence of the multi-coloured, cultural mosaic of the Western Cape and South Africa. It is the cornerstone of our pride. On behalf of the Government and the people of our province I wish to congratulate and thank every award winner and nominee for sharing with us their talents. I also wish to thank this year's panel of judges for their contribution to this event.

Our second purpose tonight is no less important. Hierdie W