The art school is reportedly on the brink of bankruptcy and needs funding to avoid closure.
Minister Gayton McKenzie pledged financial support to the National School of the Arts (NSA) after visiting the school.
The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), accompanied by Deputy Minister Peace Mabe, visited the school on Saturday 3 August.
“The Minister has committed to having the Department assume some of the school's immediate liabilities and he and the Department will work with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to study the school's business model to restore its independence and stability in the coming months,” the DSAC statement said.
The art school is reportedly on the brink of bankruptcy and in need of emergency funding to avoid closure, and has been in the news in recent weeks over reports that it is in dire financial straits and some teachers have not been paid their full salaries.
“There was agreement between Minister Gayton McKenzie and the school's governing board that the school is a valuable national asset in the arts and a vital component in providing access to the arts for disadvantaged students.”
“Around a third of students are exempt from paying school fees, including accommodation in NSA accommodation, but worryingly, a quarter of parents simply refuse to pay fees despite being able to do so. This is an issue the department will be investigating carefully together with the schools and the DBE,” the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture said.
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Funding
To raise funds for the School for Talented Young People on Nelson Mandela Day, young people from arts schools and universities in Gauteng came together in droves to take part in the Joy of Jazz for Young People Masterclass and Jam Session at the NSA in Braamfontein.
To mark the day, the 2024 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz hosted a youth development programme at the School of Fine Arts called “Jazz Masterclass and Jam Session for Young People”.
The “Jazz for Youth” initiative aimed to raise R500,000 for the refurbishment of the NSA.
Doing good for future generations – Jazz for Youth initiatives raised funds for school renovations.
Joy of Jazz event organiser and T-Music Man CEO Mantwa Chinoamadi was also present on the day. “As a festival, we are helping raise funds for the NSA to enable them to continue their work in training and developing the youth,” she said.
“We need not only theoretical training, but also practical training, which is why we are appealing to those who are able to donate instruments to help ensure the future of our musical heritage.”
The celebration brought together renowned musicians and alumni of the school as master class instructors.
The masterclasses covered various areas of jazz and were taught by well-known artists and headliners of the 2024 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, Mpumi Dlamini and Mandla Mlangeni (Difala Stage), a capella group Beyond Vocals, featured on the Dinaledi Stage, and Zoe Modiga, who teaches local principles.
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