Sneaker collaborations between brands and artists have proved successful in recent years. Alongside the priority to amplify Black voices within the creative industry, this phenomenon has resulted in the collaboration between NIKE Inc. and multiaward-winning South African illustrator, street artist and graphic designer – as well as long-time wearer of the Air Force 1 sneaker – Karabo Poppy Moletsane. In November of 2019, a Karabo Poppy X Nike Air Force 1 collection was released online as part of Nike By You's feature platform. Karabo Poppy has had a long history of working with the NIKE Inc. brand to produce one-of-a-kind works and campaigns, not only as a creative but a long supporter of the brand in her aesthetic presentation in fashion. This partnership with NIKE Inc. and their iconic Air Force 1 sneaker is a natural next step for both the brand and the artist when looking at their mutual connection to innovation, perseverance and connection to urban, basketball, fashion and hip hop culture connection.

The partnership between Otro Sur and Electric South was formed to promote culture and creativity in both regions of the Global South; to open new markets and build new audiences for artists and their work, in regions that shared common social and historical challenges, but that know little about each other. The partnership between Otro Sur and Electric South promotes culture and creativity in both regions of the Global South and looks forward to future opportunities to establish a collaborative platform for dialogue between Columbia and South Africa’s creatives.

With the support of Total South Africa, IFAS called upon the Friends of the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG) in early 2019 to assist with producing and overseeing the organisation of the exhibition, ‘The Art of Comics’ at the Johannesburg Art Gallery, from 19 September to 18 November 2019. This was a multi-party partnership that collaborated to facilitate a ground-breaking exhibition that tore down the entrenched silos that persist between fine art and cartoons. The partnership facilitated new audiences for JAG, with many visitors to the exhibition attending the art museum for the first time in their lives.

The Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival is an annual event hosted by Constitution Hill and sponsored by Nando’s, which aims to showcase and nurture Mzansi’s best art, design and music talent. Nando’s has been investing in creativity in Southern Africa for decades, and is passionate about nurturing and showcasing Southern African creative talent. This has given the brand a point of difference based on its Southern African roots in a market packed with American and European brands. Basha Uhuru is about creativity and freedom, showcasing more than 21 000 pieces of Southern African art in the collection. Initially approached by Constitution Hill to sponsor the event in 2017, the festival and the partnership have grown every year since, with 2019 the third year running that Nando's fired up Basha Uhuru.

The acknowledgement of the disruptive state of our world was at the heart of our Joy from Africa to the World campaign. We wanted to use festive season and our approach to the V&A’s Christmas decorations as a platform to spark a much-needed, more authentic conversation about the African continent at this time, and to offer the community an experience that was happy and uplifting. It started with what was originally thought of as bold, brave and possibly an unreachable dream of creating and investing in an authentic African festive season showcase ignited by the most desirable African design – representative of our people, fuelled by local communities and underpinned by the V&A’s own journey towards being sustainable and responsible.

The partnership between the MTN Foundation and Imbali is now in its 20th year. In 2000, MTN came on board as a partner and funder on Imbali’s teacher training workshops. MTN's support of the Imbali Visual Literacy Project, in particular in the development of the Imbali Artbook Series, and in 2019 the roll-out of the books through teacher workshops and the development of the website and films, is a sterling example of sustained commitment to art education and the transformative power of the arts. Over a period of 20 years MTN has supported Imbali through funding, but importantly the partnership extends beyond mere monetary support. It is also helping redress the serious historical and current imbalances in arts education, and ensures that the standard and practice of art teaching in under-resourced schools is raised.

With the support of Total South Africa, IFAS called upon the Friends of the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG) in early 2019 to assist with producing and overseeing the organisation of the exhibition, ‘The Art of Comics’ at the Johannesburg Art Gallery, from 19 September to 18 November 2019. This was a multi-party partnership that collaborated to facilitate a ground-breaking exhibition that tore down the entrenched silos that persist between fine art and cartoons. The partnership facilitated new audiences for JAG, with many visitors to the exhibition attending the art museum for the first time in their lives.

The acknowledgement of the disruptive state of our world was at the heart of our Joy from Africa to the World campaign. We wanted to use festive season and our approach to the V&A’s Christmas decorations as a platform to spark a much-needed, more authentic conversation about the African continent at this time, and to offer the community an experience that was happy and uplifting. It started with what was originally thought of as bold, brave and possibly an unreachable dream of creating and investing in an authentic African festive season showcase ignited by the most desirable African design – representative of our people, fuelled by local communities and underpinned by the V&A’s own journey towards being sustainable and responsible.

Sneaker collaborations between brands and artists have been proving quite successful in recent years. Alongside the priority to amplify Black voices within the creative industry, this phenomenon ultimately resulted in the collaboration between NIKE Inc. and multi-award winning South African illustrator, street artist and graphic designer and long-time wearer of the Air Force 1 sneaker, Karabo Poppy Moletsane. In November of 2019, a Karabo Poppy X Nike Air Force 1 collection was released online as part of Nike By You's feature platform. Karabo Poppy has had a long history of working with the NIKE Inc. brand to produce one-of-a-kind works and campaigns, not only as a creative but a long supporter of the brand in her aesthetic presentation in fashion. This partnership with NIKE Inc. and their iconic Air Force 1 sneaker is the natural next step for both the brand and the artist when looking at their mutual connection to innovation, perseverance and connection to urban, basketball, fashion and hip hop culture connection.

The project was formed in 2019 when one of the artists participating in the annual International Public Art Festival (IPAF) (held in the community of Salt River, Cape Town, South Africa), saw it as an opportunity to contribute to the digital arts. They introduced Intsikelelo and Baz-Art. Through augmented reality, a surreal 360-degree street art tour has extended the experience of the International Public Art Festival's murals in Salt River. The virtual experience allows one to be immersed in the Salt River community, experiencing the murals in high definition as if they were taking a real-time walk in the streets, all through the lens of the virtual reality headset. This gives everyone the opportunity to experience street art without the need to paint on physical walls. Through this project, there is the hope of creating new audiences and raising awareness about new forms of expression and art in the digital age.

J&B Printers have been in partnership with Highway Radio for over 20 years. Being a community radio station, they have numerous community based events such as Youth Day events, Heritage Day concerts and music performances, whereby new artists can debut for free and receive exposure, and poets and fashion designers also display their work. Highway Radio hosts an annual Youth Music Event at Lahee Park in Pinetown Durban. J&B partnered by sponsoring all the advertising. The level of exposure online, on the streets, and on the day of the event was phenomenal. Local youth engaged in wholesome activities, music, entertainment, games and food supplication. J&B also assisted youth-owned small businesses by sponsoring advertising packages for the day. This youth event has been in existence for over five years, and J&B has been the sponsor since its inception.

This partnership was formed in 2012, when the first International Marimba and Steelpan Festival was launched. The Marimba Workshop (Pty) Ltd has been a supplier of marimbas to Education Africa since 2005. When the International Marimba and Steelpan Festival was launched, the Marimba Workshop offered a marimba as a prize at this prestigious event. It has not only given a marimba as a prize at every subsequent Festival, but also provides free servicing of the marimbas found in all 16 Marimba Hubs (opened by Education Africa in 2013). These 16 Marimba Hubs have approximately 1 000 learners attending marimba lessons on a weekly basis during school terms. The Festival has created a platform where social cohesion and nation building can take place in a meaningful way in our country. This Festival brings together young people from all walks of life and socio-economic backgrounds to play music together, interact and share knowledge.

In 2002, Standard Bank became one of four presenting sponsors focusing its activities at the National Arts Festival (NAF) on two primary properties: the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards (curated by the National Arts Festival Artistic committee) and the Standard Bank Jazz Festival, both of which it supports with additional marketing resources. The Standard Bank Young Artist Awards recognise young South African artists who have demonstrated exceptional ability in their chosen field, but who have yet to achieve national exposure and acclaim. These prestigious and highly regarded awards play a vital role in nurturing South African artistic talent and are designed to encourage the recipients to further their careers. The Young Artist Awards guarantee the selected artists a place – and the opportunity to perform, direct or exhibit – on the main programme of the forthcoming NAF.

The partnership between the MTN Foundation and Imbali is now in its 20th year. In 2000, MTN came on board as a partner and funder on Imbali’s teacher training workshops. MTN's support of the Imbali Visual Literacy Project, in particular in the development of the Imbali Artbook Series, and in 2019 the roll-out of the books through teacher workshops and the development of the website and films, is a sterling example of sustained commitment to art education and the transformative power of the arts. Over a period of 20 years MTN has supported Imbali through funding, but importantly the partnership extends beyond mere monetary support. It is also helping redress the serious historical and current imbalances in arts education, and ensures that the standard and practice of art teaching in under-resourced schools is raised.

A momentous partnership between the Standard Bank Foundation of African Art and the University of the Witwatersrand Art Galleries (as the two institutions were known at the time) was established in 1979, affirming a certain sum of money would be made available on an annual basis for the purchase of African art. This growing collection would be jointly owned by Standard Bank and Wits University. The collection grew out of a genuine concern for the preservation of a fast-disappearing cultural heritage of enormous diversity and creativity; disappearing not only because of the urbanisation of the Black population and the resultant relinquishing of traditional skills, but also because of the accelerating interest of foreign dealers and collectors who had been removing the works from their country of origin. The collection has grown substantially over the years. Labelled as one of the largest classical African art collections in the Southern hemisphere, the collection comprises more than 5 000 objects from across the continent. While Standard Bank provides an annual grant for acquisitions and the promotion of the collection, Wits takes responsibility for administering the collection and providing professional curatorial expertise for acquisitions, conservation and research. This strategic partnership with the university has encouraged innovation and created opportunities to challenge the positions held by more conservative museums and galleries.

J&B Printers have been in partnership with Highway Radio for over 20 years. Being a community radio station, they have numerous community based events such as Youth Day events, Heritage Day concerts and music performances, whereby new artists can debut for free and receive exposure, and poets and fashion designers also display their work. Highway Radio hosts an annual Youth Music Event at Lahee Park in Pinetown Durban. J&B partnered by sponsoring all the advertising. The level of exposure online, on the streets, and on the day of the event was phenomenal. Local youth engaged in wholesome activities, music, entertainment, games and food supplication. J&B also assisted youth-owned small businesses by sponsoring advertising packages for the day. This youth event has been in existence for over five years, and J&B has been the sponsor since its inception.

This partnership was formed in 2012, when the first International Marimba and Steelpan Festival was launched. The Marimba Workshop (Pty) Ltd has been a supplier of marimbas to Education Africa since 2005. When the International Marimba and Steelpan Festival was launched, the Marimba Workshop offered a marimba as a prize at this prestigious event. It has not only given a marimba as a prize at every subsequent Festival, but also provides free servicing of the marimbas found in all 16 Marimba Hubs (opened by Education Africa in 2013). These 16 Marimba Hubs have approximately 1 000 learners attending marimba lessons on a weekly basis during school terms. The Festival has created a platform where social cohesion and nation building can take place in a meaningful way in our country. This Festival brings together young people from all walks of life and socio-economic backgrounds to play music together, interact and share knowledge.

The partnership between Otro Sur and Electric South was formed to promote culture and creativity in both regions of the Global South; to open new markets and build new audiences for artists and their work, in regions that shared common social and historical challenges, but that know little about each other. The partnership between Otro Sur and Electric South promotes culture and creativity in both regions of the Global South and looks forward to future opportunities to establish a collaborative platform for dialogue between Columbia and South Africa’s creatives.

The Henley Resurgence project was conceptualised and presented to Henley Business School as a way to add some of the contemporary African energy to their colonial styled building. By engaging with contemporary Johannesburg based artists, the business school would have an opportunity to achieve the African vibrancy authentically. The project was hugely successful with the artists on site each painting 2 pillars for a week. This stimulated discussion with students and lecturers, as well as opening the potential for interpretations of the theme 'Resurgence' and the artists themselves. It was a connection between two disparate and separate worlds that offers insights into both the artists and the school. The artworks remain on the pillars at the school.