Cape Town – The collaborative work and partnership between the business sector and artists was celebrated during the 26th rendition of the Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Awards on Friday.
For the first time ever, the BASA awards were held in Cape Town, at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa Museum.
The awards have for over two decades recognised the constructive collaborations between the business sector and arts for the successful implementation of a project.
Guests were entertained by enigmatic performances from South African dance legend and 2023 BASA Awards Featured Artist, Gregory Maqoma, jazz sensation Mandla Mlangeni, and electric violinist Kirsty Bows.
BASA CEO Ashraf Jacobs-Johaardien said: “The way the arts ecosystem works is that artists very rarely can solely rely on ticket sales or sale of artworks so it’s very important that government and business (sector) are in the room.
“So businesses have an ethical responsibility in the areas that they operate in, to invest back into those communities. But we like to marry that ethical responsibility by really advocating for how there are mutually beneficial ways in which business and arts can work together. That it’s not just a donation, that it’s not just a logo on a poster.
“Society as a whole needs artists because they’re visionaries and they add real value to our quality of life as citizens. So it’s really about celebrating the arts and advocating value for the arts. So what we do, we cement those partnerships.”
The BASA Chairperson’s Award, supported by Zeitz MOCAA, was presented to FNB Art Joburg and BMW for the BMW Young Collectors Co.
The IDC Community Development Award went to ATKV & Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK) for Karoo Kaarte.
The first-time sponsorship award, supported by Radisson Red, was awarded to ANNA Pure Organic & Latitudes Online for The Anna Award.
The Heineken Beverages SMME Award & Sunglass Hut Sponsorship In-Kind Award-winner was Avalon Cinema Group: Suncoast CineCentre & Centre for Creative Arts – University of KwaZulu-Natal for Durban International Film Festival.
The Innovation Award partnered by Samsung & British Council Beyond Borders Award winner was E Squared Investments & Sunshine Cinema for Spark Impact Programme.
IDC CSI Award-winner was The Sanlam Foundation Trust & Zip Zap Circus School Trust for Zappers Programme.
Heineken Beverages long-term partnership award winner was Eyesizwe Mining Development Trust & Market Theatre Foundation for Ditshomo Mentorship Programme.
A new category was added to this year’s awards in the form of a Green Award partnered by Twyg, recognising an organisation that uses creativity to advance awareness and impact around climate change and sustainability. The winner of the inaugural award was Well Worn Theatre Company.