ASSITEJ SOUTH AFRICA

Our director, Yvette Hardie, has contributed to a series of essays under the title, Mapping: A MAP ON THE AESTHETICS OF PERFORMING ARTS  FOR EARLY YEARS. This multifaceted project took place over five years and involved researchers, artist-practitioners, illustrators, and managers from 22 countries and five different continents. Together they attempt to “map” the aesthetic perception of very young children, zero to six years old. At the heart of the book are the discussions of 24  questions, focusing on four pillars of performing arts: image, movement, word, and sound. Here is a summary of one of Yvette's chapters, entitled When Do We Need Words to Matter? This question invites exploration into the role of language in theatre for young audiences. Many theatre traditions rely heavily on words to convey meaning, create dialogue, and evoke thought. South African playwright Athol Fugard emphasized the transformative power of language in theatre. However, some powerful theatrical forms, like physical theatre and dance, may use few or no words, allowing young audiences to interpret actions through their imagination. For example, in a Swedish performance called Halli Hallo, children reacted to musical elements created with water, using words from their own languages to express surprise when they recognised a tune being played on the water's surface. Even very young children construct meaning from experiences, feeling rather than articulating insights. This illustrates that while words can enhance understanding, they are not always essential for communication. Different theatrical approaches highlight the varying importance of words. In Artika Theatre’s A Wonderful Day, sounds and words intertwine to create emotional resonance, demonstrating the sensuality of language. Similarly, Branar Theatre's Grand Soft Day employs multiple languages not to drive the narrative but to create a sense of camaraderie with the audience through shared experiences. In some cases, simplicity in language helps children navigate performances filled with unfamiliar words, fostering learning through context. In Polka Theatre’s Ready, Steady, Go!, visuals support the verbal narrative, allowing children to engage with the story even if they don’t understand every word. Ultimately, the necessity of words in theatre for young audiences varies by context. Artists must discern when words are essential to meaning and when actions or sounds suffice. Each performance uniquely answers the question of how and when words matter, affirming their significance in the world of theatre for young audiences. Download and read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dHvjxpbf #earlyyears #theatreforyoungaudiences #takeachildtothetheatre #ECD #ASSITEJ_ZA #TYA

Our director, Yvette Hardie, has contributed to a series of essays under the title, Mapping: A MAP ON THE AESTHETICS OF PERFORMING ARTS  FOR EARLY YEARS. This multifaceted project took place over five years and involved researchers, artist-practitioners, illustrators, and managers from 22 countries and five different continents. Together they attempt to “map” the aesthetic perception of very young children, zero to six years old. At the heart of the book are the discussions of 24  questions, focusing on four pillars of performing arts: image, movement, word, and sound. Here is a summary of one of Yvette's chapters, entitled When Do We Need Words to Matter? This question invites exploration into the role of language in theatre for young audiences. Many theatre traditions rely heavily on words to convey meaning, create dialogue, and evoke thought. South African playwright Athol Fugard emphasized the transformative power of language in theatre. However, some powerful theatrical forms, like physical theatre and dance, may use few or no words, allowing young audiences to interpret actions through their imagination. For example, in a Swedish performance called Halli Hallo, children reacted to musical elements created with water, using words from their own languages to express surprise when they recognised a tune being played on the water's surface. Even very young children construct meaning from experiences, feeling rather than articulating insights. This illustrates that while words can enhance understanding, they are not always essential for communication. Different theatrical approaches highlight the varying importance of words. In Artika Theatre’s A Wonderful Day, sounds and words intertwine to create emotional resonance, demonstrating the sensuality of language. Similarly, Branar Theatre's Grand Soft Day employs multiple languages not to drive the narrative but to create a sense of camaraderie with the audience through shared experiences. In some cases, simplicity in language helps children navigate performances filled with unfamiliar words, fostering learning through context. In Polka Theatre’s Ready, Steady, Go!, visuals support the verbal narrative, allowing children to engage with the story even if they don’t understand every word. Ultimately, the necessity of words in theatre for young audiences varies by context. Artists must discern when words are essential to meaning and when actions or sounds suffice. Each performance uniquely answers the question of how and when words matter, affirming their significance in the world of theatre for young audiences. Download and read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dHvjxpbf #earlyyears #theatreforyoungaudiences #takeachildtothetheatre #ECD #ASSITEJ_ZA #TYA

Following on from the CCI Bosberaad held a few weeks ago, ASSITEJ SA are gathering information specifically for ARTS EDUCATION across South Africa, in collaboration with Ayanda Roda who was asked to head up the collation of information on the arts education sub-sector. If you are directly engaged in arts education as a sub-sector within the Cultural and Creative Industries, we invite you to fill in the form: https://lnkd.in/dv6rRiDR This information will be shared with colleagues from other organisations who are working together to update the Minister on what needs to happen to support arts education as a sub-sector in South Africa. For more information about this initiative, reach out to info@assitej.org.za Please help us share this form widely to get as many responses as possible for the sector.

ASSITEJ SA is at the Drama For Life conference this week: Re-Building the Table. Arts under Reconstruction We hosted an inspiring panel discussion at the Space Frame Theatre that explored how collaboration, safety, children's theatre and safe play can foster growth and creativity in children and young people. The panel featured insightful contributions from our SEF National Director Ryan Dittman and Tallowah Suntash (SEF Provincial Coordinator) alongside Director Tamara Guhrs (National Children’s Theatre) and Mfanafuthi Mbongwe (Play Africa). It was chaired by the ASSITEJ SA Education Manager, Alison Polley-Green. Together, these speakers shared their experiences and ideas on how we can work together to create safe, inclusive, and nurturing spaces for young people to thrive in the arts. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of community, creativity, and play in the lives of our youth. Also in attendance at the conference this week is the Chairperson for ASSITEJ SA and Vice President of ASSITEJ International, Lalu Mokuku. We were also able to share Sonia Radebe's performance in Chiffonnade. #Arts4Youth #DFLConference #CollectiveHome #CreativeCollaboration #YouthEmpowerment #ASSITEJSA #PlayAfrica #NationalChildrensTheatre #SpaceFrameTheatre Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/dXVp4s-X

ASSITEJ South Africa is honoured to be amongst the Strategic Implementing Partners delivering on this exceptional intervention, which is working for social good across the country. We work currently with 1575 artists to reach out to around 50 000 children and young people every month across every province. It is fantastic that the Social Employment Fund has been recognised with this prestigious global award! Onwards and upwards! #SEF #Arts4Youth https://lnkd.in/dhJUQwHK

Child protection is everyone's responsibility The recent news of the arrest of a well-known Durban-based performer for the possession, accessing, downloading, facilitating, viewing and manufacture of child pornography has shocked the KZN and broader, national arts community. While this person was not associated in any way with Assitej SA, not to our knowledge directly with theatre for children (he worked in cabaret and adult pantomime), we understand that this kind of news in the media has the potential to taint everyone working in the sector. It also inevitably raises concerns and cautions for parents about the safety of their children in theatres and with artists who may work with them in after school or other programmes. As ASSITEJ SA, we wish to condemn in the strongest terms, any persons who prey on the vulnerability of children. We would like to reassure those parents that work with any of the theatre companies that are members of ASSITEJ SA, that we expect our members to hold high values on the well-being and safety of children. All individuals working directly with children for Assitej SA are vetted with police clearance certificates and their names are checked against the National Child Protection Register, so that convicted persons are prevented from working in any child-centred environment. We also expect our artists working in schools to sign a Code of Conduct which outlines clearly the kind of behaviour expected from them. We compliment the law enforcement agencies for the arrests in what has been an ongoing investigation (apparently this person is the 12th person in this case to be arrested so far). We ⁠call on the courts to bring the charged and guilty persons speedily to book. We also call on the sector to be vigilant whenever they are employing or inviting participation in activities that involve children and young people, to ensure their safety. The arts should be a safe space for creativity, exploration and imagination, and Assitej SA will do everything in our power to ensure that this space of trust is not violated in any way.

For those fascinated by the journey of Association Djamara in Senegal, here is an interesting article and interview about the recent Symposium: https://lnkd.in/dixSQmgv If viewed online, it can be seen in both English and French.

Our director, Yvette Hardie, writes: https://lnkd.in/dsRNSGtv

ASSITEJ SA is a partner in the Girl Power (against violence) programme, funded by the Nelson Mandela Childrens' Fund. We feel enriched by the partnerships which are developing as a result of this programme. We are gearing up for our GBV awareness-arts enriched workshops with our artist-facilitators in five provinces. These workshops will be exploring the theme of violence against children, women and girls, the contexts in which this happens, the prevention, mitigation and response pathways, and the ways that awareness can be created about these things through arts-based methodologies. In preparation, our team is researching the latest thinking, locally and internationally, and we were pleased to catch this webinar on the release of the global report: Intersections between violence against children and violence against women: Global Research Priorities. You can find out more below, and in the link: https://lnkd.in/dhH-xQnx Homes are supposed to be safe havens but, for many children and women homes are settings where they experience recurring violence leading to devastating consequences. There is a growing global recognition that violence against women and violence against children, intersect in different ways. Establishing research priorities that focus on these intersections is important to help advance our understanding of how to address these two forms of violence in a more structured way and help measure progress and create safe homes for children, women and families. UNICEF Innocenti partnered with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Human Reproduction Programme (HRP) and the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI), to ask 153 policy makers, practitioners, advocates, and survivors what knowledge could help them simultaneously reduce violence against children and women and compassionately respond to survivors’ needs. The result is the report “Intersections between violence against children and violence against women: Global Research Priorities”. During this webinar we discuss the report, the 10 highest-ranking questions identified, and insights from partners who work at the intersection of these two forms of violence.

ASSITEJ SA is looking for a new Board Member! Assitej SA was founded in 2007 as an NGO (voluntary association) and PBO, working as a network organisation in bringing together artists and arts organisations, that serve to connect children and young people with the arts around the country. Our mission is to build the sector of theatre for young audiences in South Africa through supporting and developing the artists, empowering education through the performing arts, creating strategies for access to the arts, and advocating for the role of the arts as an essential right of every child and young person. To learn more about Assitej SA, go here: www.assitej.org.za We are currently seeking one board member for the Assitej SA board, which comprises currently 7 non-executive and 1 executive member. We are looking for a candidate with a high level of strategic, legal and governance skills, who is able to support Assitej SA with fundraising, policy and governance issues in particular. Board directors serve for a period of two years (renewable) on an unpaid voluntary basis and the qualification criteria application is subject to the discretion of the Board and its oversight committees. Board meetings are held quarterly, online and committee meetings are on an ad hoc basis. Applications for the Board should include a detailed curriculum vitae (CV) of the proposed candidate, two relevant and recent references and a letter of motivation to serve on the board. Send your applications to director@assitej.org.za If you are passionate about children and young people, the arts, social justice and education, this is the right space for you!