LAUNCH OF THE BEST PRACTICE GUIDE FOR THE VISUAL ARTS IN IN JOHANNESBURG

The Visual Arts Network of South Africa (VANSA), with the support of the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) is pleased to announce the launch of the Best Practice Guide for the Visual Arts in South Africa. The Best Practice Guide was developed out of the need to share and develop industry practices that would support healthy and ethical relationships and transactions between practitioners in the industry. The guide is written to give all people involved in the visual arts an understanding of the practice South Africa should be aiming towards for the betterment of the Visual Arts. Commissioned by the Department of Arts and Culture and written by Visual Arts Network of South Africa, the Guide is intended to support a growing and strengthening Visual Arts field. The content of the guide is extensive and covers as many fields as possible to be as accessible as possible to all. It covers a range from sales, to insurance, to taxes, to marketing and social media to the rights of practitioners in the field. We expect it will be invaluable for many people to better empower themselves to make knowledgeable decisions. The Director of VANSA, Molemo Moiloa, comments on important content in the Guide; “We are very excited to launch this guide and make it available to the South African Visual Arts Community. The Guide is aimed at giving people as much information as possible so that they can take the paths they wish to, equipped with an understanding of where those paths may lead”. The guide strongly recommends the use of written agreements in all relations for the arts – something that is not yet usual practice for artists and gallerists. The guide also makes a case for ensuring artists are paid in every circumstance possible to encourage the professionalisation of creative work and the betterment of artists’ livelihoods. The guide is aimed at all practitioners across South Africa and will be available online. VISIT THE VANSA WEBSITE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY NOW. Workshops will be held across South Africa where copies of the Guide will be given to participants. These Workshops are also free and will give attendees a better understanding of how to use the guide. The workshops are hosted by partners of VANSA throughout South Africa. Workshop dates and venues are listed below. The workshops are supported by the National Arts Council. For further information please write to the corresponding email addresses: Durban, KZNSA Gallery 20 October and 10 November 2016 russel@onexusonline.com Sterkspruit, Sterkspruit Community Art Centre 20th October 2016 mxolisisonti528@gmail.com Durban, BAT Centre 21 October and 11 November 2016 philisiwephili@gmail.com Cape Town, Langa Guga S’Thebe 21 October 2016 valmont@arterialnetwork.org Free State, Fezile Dabi 21 and 28 October 2016 khoza@live.co.za Cape Town, AVA Gallery 22 and 29 October 2016 admin@ava.co.za Oudtshoorn, Oudtshoorn Youth Café 25 October 2016 neltonart@gmail.com Mafikeng Museum 28 October 2016 vbentile@klerksdorp.org Bloemfontein, QwaQwa Boitsebelo Junior Technical School 31 October 2016 palesa@sematsatsalibrary.co.za Welkom, Lejweleputswa art centre 4 November 2016 khauheloabel@gmail.com Cape Town, HubSpace, Khyalitsha 10 November 2016 xenascullard@gmail.com Bloemfontein, Sesotho Literary Museum 14 November 2016 palesa@sematsatsalibrary.co.za George, George Youth Café 15 November 2016 neltonart@gmail.com Port Elizabeth, ArtEC 16 November 2016 nompumezo.gubevu@yahoo.com Polokwane, Polokwane Art Museum 25 November and 4 December 2016 AmosL@polokwane.gov.za Johannesburg, VANSA 26 November 2016 handbook@vansa.co.za Cape Town, Parkwood Community Centre 10 December 2016 xenascullard@gmail.com Cape Town, Artscape 26 March 2017 valmont@arterialnetwork.org Thaba Nchu, Mmabana Art Centre Date to be confirmed redtyaila@gmail.com General Free State by Appointment Date to be confirmed immohale15@gmail.com About VANSA VANSA operates as a support point and development agency for contemporary art practice in South Africa. We develop industry knowledge, resources, networks and projects that are concerned with realising new social, cultural and economic possibilities for contemporary art practice in the South African – and wider African – context. Established in 2002, VANSA is a national network of artists and arts organisations with just over 7000 members. For more information, please visitwww.vansa.co.za E-mail address: handbook@vansa.co.za