Business and Arts South Africa’s (BASA) ASSEMBLY, partnered by the British Council, is a programme of hybrid live and digital engagements across social, digital and media platforms, set to go live to the public on 25 and 26 March 2021. Themed ‘Creativity Now: Cultural intelligence in the time of COVID-19’, BASA ASSEMBLY seeks to explore the insights cultural intelligence can offer, in terms of rebooting the creative economy in South Africa, on the African continent, and globally.
“In line with 2021 being declared the ‘International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development’ by the United Nations General Assembly, ASSEMBLY aims to raise awareness, promote cooperation and networking, encourage sharing best practices and experiences, enhance human resource capacity, promote an enabling environment at all levels, as well as tackle the challenges of the current creative economy,” comments BASA CEO, Ashraf Johaardien.
“ASSEMBLY is also intended as a vehicle for showcasing BASA’s research into the South African creative sector with the launch of ArtsTrack No. 9, BASA’s biennial research project tracking consumer engagement within the arts and culture sectors,” he adds.
One of the launch highlights, scheduled for broadcast via Social TV on 24 March 2021, is an interview by Johaardien with Dr Andrea Rurale (from Milan, Italy), on the social impact of the arts, the degree to which the creative sector and cultural institutions have (or have not) been agile, responsive or resilient, in terms of COVID-19 challenges, and the future of the creative economy at this point in time.
Thought-leader talks to diarise include presentations by leading researcher/academic Johanna Mavhungu at 10h00 on 25 March 2021, BASA’s highly regarded Head of Research, Madeleine Lambert, at 19h00 (also on 25 March 2021), and powerhouse performer/producer Lee-Ann van Rooi at 10h00 on 26 March 2021. For the announcement of the full BASA ASSEMBLY programme, follow @BusinessArtsSA on Facebook, @basa_news on Twitter and @bizart_za on IG, or visit https://basa.co.za/.
Notes to Editors
Constituted in terms of the new Companies Act, BASA is registered as a public benefit organisation. It champions business investment in the creative sector by leading research that enhances commercial confidence. BASA builds capacity through its programmes and is shifting the paradigm for the future of partnerships between diverse stakeholders. The Board of Directors comprises Charmaine Soobramoney (Chairman) Mandie van der Spuy (Deputy Chair), Ashraf Johaardien (CEO), Kojo Baffoe (BASA Awards Chairperson), Kathy Berman, Devi Sankaree Govender, Hilton Lawler, Khanyi Mamba, Unathi Malunga, Makgati Molebatsi, Zingisa Motloba, Dr Yacoob Omar and Mirna Wessels.