By Asiphesona Wonqwelo
“I am beyond excited, I am ecstatic that I am part of this programme. I am actually honoured because for me this is a confirmation of the fact that I am on the right track in terms of my purpose.”
These were the words of Makhanda’s very own Thando Nombewu, widely known as LoveSeed, a talented singer and founder of LoveSeed Foundation.
She was this week announced as one of 50 successful candidates in South Africa and one of only five in the Eastern Cape province, for the fourth iteration of the Arts & Culture (ACT) Thuthukisani Programme Atologa 2024. The candidates were selected from all nine provinces.
The ACT Thuthukisani Programme Atologa 2024 is a business development initiative designed to empower artists and creative entrepreneurs. The programme, facilitated by the ICRD Group Foundation, spans three months, equipping participants with the knowledge and skills to launch profitable businesses within 90 days.
The comprehensive training encompasses various elements, including creative and business strategy sessions to foster creativity while building strong business foundations, hands-on project validation workshops to refine project ideas with expert feedback, financial planning training on creating realistic budgets and understanding investor relations, and one-on-one mentorship sessions for personalised guidance and support.
The training includes elements of an ideathon, bootcamp, coaching sessions, masterclasses, and pitching opportunities. Industry experts are invited to provide expert advice in the four disciplines, ensuring participants receive high-quality, relevant insights and guidance. The multifaceted approach aims to ensure that participants can effectively develop and implement their projects over a 90-day period, this ultimately leading to the creation of profitable and sustainable businesses.
On completion of the training programme, participants will receive a certificate of completion for participation when meeting 100% of the programme requirements as outlined in the participant agreement. Participants will pitch their projects on completing the training for the opportunity to receive a cash investment and one-on-one mentorship. Only projects with merit that can generate real income will be eligible for potential investment.
Leading up to this year’s open call, ACT hosted an information briefing session in February 2024 that attracted 500 artists, creatives, arts organisations, community arts centres, and arts entrepreneurs.
A total of 141 eligible applications were received nationwide, from which 50 participants were chosen.
Poovi Pillay, executive head of Corporate Social Investment (CSI) at Nedbank, said the programme was created to help art businesses grow. “And we can say with confidence that this is exactly what is happening,” said Pillay.
She said the Nedbank Arts Affinity through ACT has supported artists through many different projects over the years. “What we found is that, regardless of the artists’ and creative industry practitioners’ talents, they need intensive mentorship training to learn how to effectively take charge of their finances, talent and lives in a structured, sustainable way. With the appropriate business and entrepreneurial skills, they are able to attain increasing levels of success and achieve their full potential.”
LoveSeed said she entered the programme because “it enticed me, because when I looked at it, it was speaking exactly to what I am about. I am a creative, I have a non-profit company and I have a for-profit company and I operate within the cultural creativity industry. I am all about creating creative passive income for creatives apart from the traditional waves that we know of earning income, particularly as musicians.”
She continued: “I entered because the call that they had put out for this programme, for me was literally a comprehensive support system to actually leverage the creative solutions that I have got to help creatives thrive within the creative industry.”
To LoveSeed, making income that is passive, while sitting at home so that you have time to create and focus on your art and building your capacity as a musician, means a great deal to the musician and being a musician.
“We are thrilled with the response and congratulate the 50 participants selected for the programme. The diversity and calibre of the selected candidates are truly impressive. We look forward to seeing these talented individuals grow and contribute to the arts and culture sector,” said Jessica Denyschen, the CEO of ACT.
She felt the programme would add value to her and her foundation.
“The sole purpose of the foundation is to build the capacity of creatives in order for them to thrive in the creative industry. So the foundation stands for the preservation of our culture and heritage as Africans because in the different sectors that we are in and in the different disciplines that we are in, I always make sure that people do not lose the culture and their sense of identity as Africans.”
