In a bid to promote economic development and job creation, the Department of Arts and Culture is to give support to the upcoming Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
The 15th edition of the festival will take place on 28-29 March 2014 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Through the department’s Mzansi Golden Economy strategy, it aims to support arts-related initiatives that have the potential to create jobs and stimulate economic growth across the country.
“The ultimate goal is that every province should host at least two main programmes that meet the objectives of Mzansi Golden Economy strategy,” the department said.
Other programmes that the department supports include:
- Macufe Arts Festival and Mine Dance Festival (Free State);
- Buyela Khaya Festival and Grahamstown Narional Arts Festival (Eastern Cape);
- Mapungubwe Arts Festival and Marula Festival (Limpopo);
- Kalahari Dessert and Diamonds & Dorings Festivals (Northern Cape);
- Joy of Jazz Festival and Moretele Festival (Gauteng);
- Taung Calabash and SAMA Awards (North West);
- Design Indaba and Cape Carnival (Western Cape); and
- Ilembe Lifestyle Festival; Drakensburg-Okhahlamba Berge Festival and Durban Film Festival (KwaZulu-Natal).
According to the department, this approach is also in line with the rural development priority of government.
Investment in these programmes, the department said, provides a major economic boost to the hosting regions and provinces.
“It is a fact that tour operators hotels, restaurants, game parks, petroleum companies, car hire companies, airlines, general retailers and many others experience increased demand in their services and goods during the periods of arts festivals,” the department said.
These peaks, the department said, leads to increased production (at manufacturing level) and increased need for labour, thereby creating more jobs. This ultimately has economic benefit for all participants in the value chain.
“We encourage corporates to support the arts so that we can grow the audiences and improve skills on both the technical and creative aspects of the arts,” said Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile. – SAnews.gov.za
[…] In a bid to promote economic development and job creation, the Department of Arts and Culture is to give support to the upcoming Cape Town International Jazz Festival. The 15th edition of the festival will take place on 28-29 March 2014 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Through the department’s Mzansi Golden Economy strategy, [… Cape Town » Music […]