September 19, 2005
By Ndaba Dlamini
STEVEN Sack, the City's director of arts, culture and heritage services, is passionate about his job. His main aim, he says, is to create a cultural environment that enhances the image of the city both locally and internationally.
Since moving to the City from the national Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology 19 months ago, Sack has managed to resuscitate Johannesburg's arts and culture sector through developing and promoting sustainable facilities and programmes.
"There are a lot of challenges that lie ahead of us, even though there has been a turnaround in fortunes for the City in the last two years," he says.
"The three areas that fall under my department - arts, culture and heritage - are fundamental to human development and are also unique to the identity of the City."
His department has grown, with a staff of 130 and an operating budget of R40-million; capital expenditure is R3-million.
The arts and culture section boasts the annual Joburg Arts Alive International Festival. Mainly sponsored and hosted by the City of Johannesburg, it aims to promote and showcase young or untapped talent.
Another popular event is the annual New Year's Eve Carnival. First held in 2004, it has been described by Johannesburg Executive Mayor Councillor Amos Masondo as "part of the City's strategy to tap the energy of residents".
"The Soweto Arts Festival is also held annually at the Mofolo Cultural Bowl and the community arts run at Uncle Tom's Hall in Orlando West. To complement these main activities, there are various festivals, dance and art forms that run throughout the year," Sack explains.
Cultural industry strategy
His department works with the economic development unit and has created a "cultural industry strategy", he says.
"We have created the creative sector, the film sector and the visual arts and craft sector and our role as a department is to support and give guidance to the economic development unit in the implementation of cultural programmes around the city."
The City wants to strengthen the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage collections and built assets, Sack says.
It owns six museums, namely the Hector Pieterson Museum, MuseuMAfricA, James Hall Museum of Transport, Roodepoort Museum, Adler Museum of Medicine and Bernberg Museum of Fashion, and one art gallery, the Johannesburg Art Gallery, where more than 800 000 items are exhibited.
He says the department works with the South African Heritage Resources Agency (Sahra) in the conservation of its built assets - the City is responsible for the preservation of buildings that are 60 years older or older.
"Even some buildings that are less than 60 years old can fall under heritage buildings. Kippies, for example, is a heritage building because of its associated cultural value," Sack explains.
To comply with provisions of the heritage council act, working with Region 8, the department has so far audited 200 buildings in the city centre.
Social ills
Turning to its people, Sack says that eradicating the social and economic problems that afflict the city's residents is also fundamental to his department working effectively.
"The lack of basic services and infrastructure impacts negatively on the department's job of entertaining people.
"Unless these problems are addressed, our job becomes difficult. We cannot distance ourselves from these problems - that is why we came up with ways to use arts to develop the city. It is useless to play the fiddle while the city burns."
Sack is very optimistic about the developments in Newtown, Johannesburg's cultural precinct, saying it is uniquely located and has a "unique environment". This bodes well for businesses moving into the area.
Investment
A lot of investment has to be made for various art forms to develop, like investment in a built environment and in content that goes with the physical structures.
Sack says one of the challenges facing his department is to ensure that the department strikes partnerships with the private sector.
"A Market Theatre production can cost in the region of R2-million and we put in over R12-million into the Arts Alive festival. By forging partnerships, we ensure investment in production, just like bringing the 999 Festival to Joburg. That way, we invest in a product a lot more cheaply."
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