FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 7 November 2024

THE ARTS & CULTURE TRUST ANNOUNCES NEW TRUSTEES

The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT), South Africa’s leading independent arts development, capacity-building, and investment organisation, is delighted to announce the addition of new members to its Board of Trustees. After a rigorous selection process that concluded in August 2024 which comprised a pool of submissions from highly skilled candidates with a passion for the cultural and creative industries, ACT is proud to welcome four exceptional individuals who will be instrumental in steering the organisation’s mission forward.

The newly appointed trustees will serve up to two- three-year terms in the following portfolios, Finance, Marketing, Business Strategy and Development, and Fundraising.

The newly appointed trustees and their designated portfolios are as follows:

Mathabiso Chamane – Finance: Mathabiso is an experienced executive with certifications in accounting, auditing, and risk management. She currently serves as Chief Audit & Risk Officer for a national public entity, overseeing internal and external audits, risk management, and governance processes. She also consults on strategic risk management and chairs multiple audit committees.

Naledi Mosieane – Marketing: With 20 years of experience in advertising, broadcasting, and filmmaking, Naledi is the founder of Oviedo Media and BluprintME, an edutech startup. She brings expertise in strategic partnerships, media production, and operational efficiency, having worked with global media entities like Fox International and Showmax.

Sara Hallatt – Business Strategy & Development: A seasoned business strategist with a background in marketing and visual arts NGO leadership, Sara has produced large-scale international events, such as the FIFA World Cup 2010 ceremonies. She is the founder of META Foundation and Africa Collect, focusing on innovative business models for the arts.

Katlego Ramatlhare – Fundraising: Katlego is a financial services professional with over 15 years of experience in research and investment banking, specializing in raising debt funding for governments and corporates across Africa. He is also the co-founder of Quarter Return Capital, where he leads risk management and investment strategies.

These outstanding individuals bring a wealth of expertise, innovation, and dedication, aligning with ACT’s vision to continue advancing South Africa’s arts and culture sector. Each trustee will serve a three-year term, with the option to extend to a second term, actively participating in ACT’s strategic direction and growth.

Jessica Denyschen, CEO of ACT, expresses her excitement at the diverse skills and passion the new trustees bring to the table: “We are grateful to welcome remarkable professionals to the ACT board. Their collective experience will be pivotal in shaping the future of ACT and its policies and strategies, ensuring the organisation remains a leading force in empowering the arts community. I am confident their contributions will enhance our impact as we navigate the next chapter of ACT’s 30-year legacy.”

Arthur Nkuna, Chairperson of the ACT Board of Trustees, says: “The appointment of new members to the Board of Trustee marks a pivotal step forward in strengthening our governance framework, ensuring our commitment to sustainable growth. This fresh addition to our leadership underscores our dedication to the arts and culture sector and sets a solid foundation for impactful, future-focused initiatives. Each new Trustee brings unique expertise and dedication to our mission. Their guidance not only solidifies our foundation but also amplifies our mission to cultivate resilience and innovation in the arts, ensuring we remain a beacon of cultural development for years to come.”

The new trustees will not only take on key advisory roles but also engage in board training and mentorship to ensure a smooth transition into their positions. They will work closely with ACT’s executive team to provide strategic guidance, assist with capital growth initiatives, and expand the organisation’s network and reach across the arts and culture landscape.

To keep in touch with ACT, please visit their website, follow them on X or like their Facebook page.

 

MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Debra de Souza, debranne@icon.co.za, WhatsApp calls only: 082 822 9478.

 

Celebrating 30 years of Arts Excellence – Arts & Culture Trust

The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is South Africa’s premier independent development and art investment organisation. The primary aim of ACT is to increase the capacity for arts and culture initiatives to create sustainable futures through development and investment in innovative, sustainable projects that make a meaningful contribution to society. Through structured development programmes, ACT provides support to all expressions of arts and culture, including literature, music, visual art, theatre, and dance. This support extends to festivals, community arts initiatives, arts management, arts education, and arts administration. Over the past 30 years ACT has supported more than 830 arts, culture, and heritage development projects countrywide, including small businesses.

For more information, please visit the ACT website, follow them on X, or like their Facebook page.

Naledi Mosieane biography

Naledi Mosieane brings 20 years of experience in [advertising, broadcasting, filmmaking and the entertainment industry] demonstrating exceptional leadership and strategic vision. She is the founder of Oviedo Media, a television production & media company, established in 2016. Under her leadership Oviedo Media, has produced television shows, commercials and multimedia projects, for both local and international media conglomerates, namely: Fox International, Showmax, eVOD, diverse corporate brands and advertising agencies.

In 2023, Naledi founded BluprintME, an Edu-tech startup with a focus on edutainment. The start-up has received backing from Absa and international stakeholders.

She began her career at [Ogilvy] where her [key achievement was growing her portfolio of brands, share of voice by 15%”]. Naledi progressed to [Telesure Investments ] where her key achievements were, introducing and implementing new processes that made the division more efficient and where she outperformed the business monthly targets. That ultimately led to her final corporate job, at, Multichoice Africa, in the capacity of Senior Media Strategist [where she was responsible for strategic partnerships, providing strategic support to the regional sales team and Naspers investee companies].

Throughout her career, Naledi has been recognized for her ability to think strategically, creating and forging partnerships that benefit multiple parties, operational efficiency, relationship management and navigating diverse cultural environments.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Naledi is deeply passionate about creating systems of knowledge and education, to help others realize and maximize their potential. She’s also committed to driving the advancement and establishment of the arts & creative sector, as a meaningful participant in the South African economy. She believes this can be done through media and technology.

Naledi served as an advisor on the Presidential Employment Stimulus Panel (PESP), served as a committee member to SWIFT (Sisters Working In Film & Television) and currently serves as a committee member to YLC (Young Leaders Connect) board leadership pillar.

Naledi holds a [3-Year Diploma in Integrated Marketing Communications] from the AAA School of Advertising, where she won ‘Student of the Year’ award. She also holds a certification from UCT, in Digital Marketing and a certification, from the, Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute [TMALI], Introduction to Africa’s Renewal. She completed her executive education at Regenesys Business School, by obtaining a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management [PDBM].

Katlego Ramatlhare biography

Katlego is an astute financial services professional with over 15 years of Research and Investment Banking experience, with a particular focus on raising debt funding for National Government, Corporates, Non-Bank Financial Institutions, Municipalities and State-Owned Entities in Southern Africa. Throughout his career he has always displayed a passion for doing business on the African continent by assisting companies and governments in raising funding that allows them to achieve their growth requirements. Katlego is currently a member of the Investment Analyst Society of Southern Africa and was an Executive Committee member of the South African Securitisation forum (between 2022 – 2023).

Katlego is also a co-founder and non-executive director of Quarter Return Capital, which is an investment holding entity focused on investing in small businesses in South Africa. As a non-executive director, he is Chairman of the Risk Committee and is tasked with ensuring that the company applies sound principles in investing its capital for the purpose of earning a suitable return, while minimizing investment risk.

Katlego is passionate about Education and the vast opportunities that education can expose young people to. In this respect he was a member of the Investec Corporate Social Investment (“CSI”) Alumni Committee which was tasked with growing the Investec bursary and scholarship alumni community. The CSI Alumni Committee was also responsible for mentoring young Investec bursary recipients and providing them with guidance on their academic choices and future career needs.

Katlego currently has a Bachelor of Economic Science (Honours) degree in Economics from the University of the Witwatersrand and is currently completing his Master of Management in Finance and Investments degree from Wits Business School.

In his spare time Katlego is an ardent fan of jazz music and is an art collector. He enjoys spending time with his family and is also a major sport enthusiast, especially soccer, rugby, basketball, and cricket.

Mathabiso Moloi Chamane biography

Mathabiso is an experienced executive certified in accounting, auditing, and a certified risk management practitioner. She is currently a Chief Audit & Risk Officer in one of the national public entities under the Department of Sport Art and Culture responsible for coordinating internal audits, external audits, and forensic audits as well as monitoring the risk management implementation of control improvements to reduce identified risks to an acceptable level. She consults and advises senior management on risk management, internal control, governance systems processes, development, and implementation of Wide Risk Profile. In 2020, she coordinated the forensic audit and the findings of the audit were delivered to the parliament, and its recommendations were implemented.

She sits and chairs various audit & risk committees & boards in the Public Sector and International NGOs where she provides oversight and advice management on key strategic risks and auditable issues.

Mathabiso is also a founder of Women Navigating the Future Network, the network that inspires and supports women to be agents of change in boardrooms and their communities and drives economic and social transformation. The organization has been recognized by Genderlinks with a Driver of Change award in 2021, Inside Education recognized her as one of the 100 South African shining stars for 2022 and she was recently recognized as a finalist by the Institution of Risk Management South Africa in Risk Manager of the Year 2023 category.

Sara Hallatt biography

Sara started her career in below the line marketing in 2003 with blackmagic communications after completing her BADA at WITS. Since then she has produced events locally and internationally including the Opening & Closing Ceremonies of the Confederations Cup ‘09 and the FIFA World Cup ‘10 for the VWV Group. In 2011 Sara left VWV to take up the Directorship of one of SA’s foremost visual arts NGO’s, the Fordsburg Artists’ Studios, more fondly known as the Bag Factory.

The Bag Factory was founded in 1991 with the aim of providing studio space to artists from a variety of backgrounds. At the time the cultural boycott and the group areas act had made it simultaneously difficult for artists from difference races, cultures and countries to work together. During her tenure she expanded the Bag Factory has expanded its programming to include a curatorial development programme, hosted the first ever ICI Intensive on the continent, and raised sufficient funds to allow for the purchase of the building.

Sara believes that NGO’s need to find better business strategies to deal with the ever changing social and economic environment. She enjoys using her creative background to search for innovative solutions to problems. And in 2015 completed her Diploma in Business Management. That same year she was awarded the Mandela Washington Fellowship to Northwestern University in Chicago to study business and entrepreneurship.

In 2020, Sara founded the META foundation and in 2022 started an upended Art Fair called Contra.Joburg (previously known as OpenStudios.Joburg). In 2024 she launched Africa Collect, a finance business aimed at supporting Art Collectors in South Africa. She also currently manages August House, the largest studio space in Johannesburg while running the META foundation which programmes for the space.