Question NW2635 to the Minister of Arts and Culture”
27 September 2018 - NW2635
Wessels, Mr W to ask the Minister of Arts and Culture”
1. Has his department made an annual financial contribution to the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra for the current financial year; if not, why not; if so, what was the amount of the contribution; 2. whether his department is still planning to make financial contribution to the orchestra; if so, (a) what is the expected amount and (b) when does his department expect to make such contribution; 3.Whether he will make a statement on the matter?
Reply:
Over the last few years, we have engaged the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra around the issues of funding of Orchestras. Our point of departure is informed by the understanding that the resources allocated to us must be used prudently and spread fairly across the sector in the whole country.
For a few years in the past we used to fund the two Orchestras cited above. This was unfair practice.
We engaged them and inform them that this practices is unsustainable and unfair because it is only two provinces who are benefiting out of the nine.
We informed them that the Department of Arts and Culture has taken a decision to fund only a National Orchestra and the Cities in which the Orchestras are based will have to fund them.
To this extent out of their own volition, the City of Johannesburg decided to put aside an amount of 20 Million Rands (R20 Million) to fund the local Orchestra.
We call and encourage all the Cities and Provinces to fund their own Orchestras.
Of critical importance in this process is the transformation of the Orchestras to reflect the South African demographics. South Africans across the board must embrace and support them, however this support will come through when people feel the sense of ownership.