FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Arts & Culture Trust welcomes Mathabiso Chamane to lead the Board of Trustees
The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is proud to announce the appointment of Mathabiso Chamane as incoming Chairperson of the ACT Board of Trustees. She succeeds Arthur Nkuna, who has concluded his tenure as Chairperson and will continue to serve as a Trustee on the ACT Board, ensuring leadership continuity and institutional memory as the organisation enters its next phase of growth.
During his term as Chairperson, Arthur Nkuna played a pivotal role in strengthening ACT’s strategic direction, governance, and impact across South Africa’s arts and culture sector. His ongoing involvement as a Trustee reflects ACT’s commitment to stable, values-driven leadership and long-term sustainability.
Based in Pretoria, Mathabiso Chamane is an accomplished governance executive and Chartered Global Management Accountant (ACMA, CGMA), MBA, and Certified Risk Practitioner (CRM Prac), with over 15 years of professional experience, including more than a decade at senior and executive level within a national public entity under the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture portfolio. She brings extensive expertise across audit, risk, finance, strategy execution, and governance, and has led internal, external, and forensic audits while providing executive-level advisory on enterprise risk, ethics, and performance accountability.
Mathabiso also brings over eight years of board and committee oversight experience as a Non-Executive Director, having chaired and served on Audit and Risk Committees across public entities, municipalities, non-profit organisations, and private companies. Her approach is marked by strong technical judgement, independence of thought, and the ability to translate complex governance matters into practical, value-creating decisions.
Beyond her professional mandate, Mathabiso is the Founder of the Women Navigating the Future Network, an initiative focused on empowering women in leadership and governance. Her work has earned national recognition, including the Genderlinks’ Driver of Change Award and being named among Inside Education’s 100 South African Shining Stars.
Jessica Denyschen, CEO of the Arts & Culture Trust, added: “I want to express my sincere gratitude to Arthur Nkuna for his steady, principled leadership during his time as Chairperson. Arthur has led the Trust with integrity and consistency, strengthening our governance and sharpening our strategic focus. I am deeply grateful that he will continue to serve as a Trustee; his continuity and wisdom are invaluable.
I am equally excited to welcome Mathabiso Chamane as our incoming Chairperson. Mathabiso brings exceptional governance and risk expertise, alongside a deep commitment to social upliftment and the arts. With the full support of myself and the Board, she will lead the Trust confidently into a future-focused and impactful new chapter.”
Mathabiso Chamane, Incoming Chairperson of the ACT Board, reflected: “I am deeply honoured to accept the role of Chairperson of the Arts & Culture Trust and grateful for the confidence placed in me to serve in this capacity.
I would like to sincerely acknowledge and thank my predecessor for the exceptional leadership and strong foundation that continue to position the organisation for growth and greater impact.
The Arts & Culture Trust plays a vital role in enabling South African arts and culture practitioners to build sustainable futures. I look forward to working with the Trustees, management, partners, and stakeholders as we continue strengthening the organisation and advancing our strategic objectives through sound governance and shared vision.”
Arthur Nkuna, Outgoing Chairperson and current Trustee of the ACT Board, said: “It has been a privilege to serve as Chairperson of the Arts & Culture Trust, and I am proud to hand the baton to Mathabiso Chamane. Her depth in auditing, risk, and governance has already strengthened our Board, and her technical expertise with visionary leadership has elevated how we work together. She brings a rare combination of strategic vision, fearless leadership, and hands-on expertise, and the Board has complete confidence in her ability to guide ACT into its next phase.
I look forward to continuing as a Trustee, focusing more closely on our programming and deepening relationships with partners and stakeholders as Mathabiso leads the organisation forward.”
For information about the Arts & Culture Trust, visit www.act.org.za
ENDS
Celebrating 32 years of arts excellence – Arts & Culture Trust
The 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, as well as arts management, education, and administration.
Over the past 32 years, ACT has supported more than 830 arts, culture, and heritage development projects countrywide, including small businesses. For more information, visit the ACT website, follow them on Instagram or X, or like their Facebook page.